“Learning how to operate a soul takes time.” ~ Timothy Leary
I have spent far too much of my life in judgment, limitation, and self-criticism.
That is the nature of the ego.
I wasn’t born that way. I, and every other human being, entered the world centered in love, connection, and genuine expression. Open, curious, creative, enthusiastic, and heart-centered, we were living from the soul.
That is our true nature, our authentic self.
It took only a few months of life to see separateness. We began to look at ourselves in comparison to others. As we grew, we took in information from the world around us. Our parents, teachers, peers, society, religion–even television–gave us loud, and often inaccurate, messages about who we were and how we should be. We formed beliefs about ourselves and about life.
Every individual goes through this process, forming a personal identity. The self-image that results isn’t always pretty. We tend to see our faults and shortcomings better than our gifts and strengths. We can pretty quickly identify the things that are “wrong” with us.
Our thoughts begin to focus in the realm of social fears: Am I good enough? Will they like me? What if I fail?
We become entrenched in ego, in conditioning, and limiting beliefs. Our genuine soul expression becomes stifled and we see only glimpses of who we really are. Simply put, we have shifted from living in love to living in fear.
Much of our life is spent with the ego in charge. Our experience becomes one of stress, anxiety, self-doubt, and/or depression. We feel critical, judgmental, and overwhelmed. We see the world as a place of negativity and hardship.
This does not have to be our experience.
Though the soul gets pushed aside when the ego takes over, it is never silenced. It is a link to the Divine that is always present, even though the connection becomes muffled or distorted. Occasionally, we hear its call. We sense, from deep inside, that our lives could be so much more. We yearn for something greater.
Our soul responds to our longing. Like a dear friend, it is eager to connect with us and support the expression of our best self. Like any good friendship, we must nourish the relationship. The more time we spend together, talk and listen to each other, and offer care and support, the stronger and deeper our connection.
As our bond grows, we strengthen our ability to transcend the ego and lift ourselves up from the fears and limiting beliefs that held us down. The inner critic loses its power and we reconnect with the voice of wisdom. We realign with love. Our self-perception shifts and our choices more accurately reflect the life we were born to live. We begin to more fully experience and express the qualities of the soul: compassion, peace, creativity, reverence, and joy.
Shifting from an ego-led life to one that is soul-directed occurs for most of us as a gradual shift. It is a process that requires self-awareness, courage, and a commitment to personal evolution.
Here are ten powerful ways to nourish your soul connection and redirect your life toward love, self-acceptance, and divine good.
See the Beauty Around You. Place yourself in an environment that is pleasant and comforting. Add flowers and color. Spend time in nature and appreciate the magnificence of creation. Notice the beautiful colors of sunset, feel the gentle caress of the breeze. See the beauty in the faces of the people you love. Take care of your home. Clean up the dust and the clutter.
Be Uplifted by Music. Sound is a vibration that can lift us into a higher energetic frequency. Listen to music that has no lyrics or that is sung in a foreign language. This takes us out of the logical side of our brain and into the intuitive, expansive part of our mind.
Think Outside the Box. Be creative and imaginative. Make something. Step out of your comfort zone. Do something you’ve never done before. Be open to possibility.
Live Your Truth. Be self-aware. Speak honestly. Recognize and own your strengths, as well as your weaknesses. Discover your passions. Know what brings you alive, and align your life to express that as clearly as possible.
Spend Time in Silence. Step away from the busy pace of daily life. Cultivate an inner connection. Touch into your heart space and seek wisdom and guidance.
Laugh and Play. Laughter raises our vibrational frequency, which is why once we’re able to laugh, we see with new perspective. We become more open, heart-based, and able to look beyond problems to solutions. Play moves us out of the inhibitions of our conditioned self. Make time for fun. Do things that you enjoy. Use your imagination and express your creativity.
Express Love. Love is our soul call. It is the keynote. Loving opens the heart. Seek opportunities to express genuine kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and loving care to others, as well as to yourself. Release judgment and criticism.
Cultivate Your Connection to the Divine. Find spiritual practices that nourish your Spirit. Meditation, chanting, prayer, Sufi dancing, inspirational reading, and attending religious services are a few suggestions. Walk through the world with eyes that see miracles and wonders. Pay attention to synchronicities and coincidences. Listen to your intuition.
Take Care of Yourself. Address issues that interfere with your wellbeing–physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. Set boundaries. Take care of your body. Eat healthy, nourishing foods. Redirect negative thinking. Hear your feelings as messages providing feedback about your experiences, and make choices accordingly.
“When your authentic self awakens and becomes stronger than your ego, then you will truly begin to make a difference in this world.” ~ Andrew Cohen
I like the variety of points you offered in this article. Reassuring to know that I practice many of them on a regular basis.