SOUL SICKNESS AND SOUL LOSS #6
PATHOGENESIS OF SOUL SICKNESS AND SOUL LOSS
The sages teach that without the sacred there is no mundane and without the mundane there is no sacred.
They are different sides of the same reality.
They are unique but not separate from the whole.
Many of us are suffering from an element of soul sickness. According to the Ancestors, the breath and soul are pure. The soul clings to a body that is pure but starts to separate if its vehicle is polluted. Depending on the level of contamination it will separate more or less. With most of us on the path its not so much.
The mind must mind what the mind minds best.
That mind can either be Monkey (survival or primitive mind) Mind supported by Ego and Shadow or Big Mind supported by the Field and your guides coupled with one's spiritual life and higher aspirations.
Indigenous societies recognize soul sickness and even loss arising from intrusive spirits, energetic spiritual pollution (or ritual impurity) as well as witchcraft and sorcery These are usually discounted by Western thinking but are nevertheless real. If one is in denial of this truth it goes uncorrected. This form of sickness requires shamanic or spiritual help.
Soul sickness can be roughly classified into;
Minor, Moderate, Severe or Critical.
Soul loss would fall into the Severe or Critical group. Soul sickness mostly to the others.
Minor
may be the challenges of living in a modern society with all its negative complexities including TV, violent movies, social media and technological complications requiring constant maintenance etc... This form is easily rectified by some type of relaxation technique. Since it affects the body and the body affects the soul it is best corrected somatically. Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gong are ideal for this. Without any active correction it can become Moderate.
Moderate
may occur due to loss of a loved one, one's health or livelihood. Severe anxiety, depression, OCD. are other causes. Concerning our armed forces who have been in battle, PTSD. would fall into this group and in many instances into the Severe or Critical category. It also seems that since Covid and important other negative planetary events many "normal" people have experience a form of PTSD. or soul sickness This is projected onto others as anger. Interactions with them often seem negative or toxic for no good reason. The perpetrators seemed to have no ability or desire to self-regulate. They project their soul sickness onto others who suffer as a result.
Severe and Critical
is caused by severe self-abuse, addiction, "sex, drugs, rock and roll" and abuse by others early on or later in life. Critical also occurs in dictators themselves who because of power lose any sense of right or wrong. Also in radical cults, religious or otherwise and in drug cartels or gangs where murder is a prerequisite for membership. One can often see the effects in their facial expressions and especially their eyes (the eyes are the seat of the soul.) A person's true nature, emotions and inner self can be revealed in their eyes.
TREATMENT - GENERAL MEASURES
PREVENTION
IS BETTER THAN CURE
“... What counts is to restrain the blaze in the hours of desire and let it flow into the hours of prayer and service.” Talmud
Prevention is about having a spiritual life and practice and not submitting to the wiles of a sensory body hypnotized by the temptations of excess and greed.
Free will is the cosmic law and is a huge responsibility. We are perfectly entitled to screw up our karma. The forces outside of us are always more tempting than doing those requiring soul work.
The Buddhists teach that the most powerful meditation of all is that on death probably because they fully understand the spiritual implications of karma. I doubt soul sickness is an issue in any devout Buddhist or advanced spiritual practitioner. S/He would look at the challenges of samsara mostly as a test of their spiritual practice.
PTSD. could be another word for soul sickness and even soul loss causing suicide in many of our veterans. There is a certain amount of PTSD. in many or all of us these days because of the crazy events happening on the planet which I believe are unique to our times. This is amplified by technology which has given us the possibility of totally destroying ourselves and autocrats who threaten to make it happen if they are opposed. All of this is made evident and aggravated by television and social media.
If you would dispel the darkness, seek the sacred.
What you sanctify, sanctifies you.
The only way to dispel darkness is with light.
Be careful of what you taste and where you immerse.
And as for your power, what are you doing in the wrong circle.
The work to realize Self or Soul requires we have the skills to subordinate ego, monkey mind and shadow.
“To confront a person with his own shadow is to show him his own light.” C. G. Jung
"I am guarding my light and my treasure, convinced that nobody would gain and I myself would be badly, even hopelessly injured, if I should lose it. It is most precious not only to me, but above all to the darkness of the Creator, who needs humans to illuminate his Creation.” C. G. Jung
Suffering and grief can get in the way of our Soul work unless its transformed into something positive.
Grieving is essential when confronted with severe trauma and this means fully acknowledging the truth and expressing it to those who can hear and support. Being vulnerable is not weak. It takes strength and courage. Only by becoming vulnerable and admitting to the truth can the pain can be released. Denial or hiding it away will not work.
”I was never asked, (by her elders.) “Aren’t you finished grieving yet?” Rather, they would say – “have you grieved enough? Have you cried enough?”
Blame, guilt and shame, come from being unable to express our grief properly…” Sobonfu Some'
Grief may require special rituals and communal help – sometimes it take a village as in a recovery program. Indigenous societies have their own rituals that have to do with letting go that are effective.
“May you have the commitment to know what has hurt you, to allow it to come close to you and in the end become one with you.” Payer of Finton
It is possible to take grief and turn it into something positive.
"Take you suffering and make something useful out of it by helping others." Buddhist wisdom
Its not what happens to us but what we do with it that counts.
“I saw grief drinking from cup and called out, ‘it tastes good does it not?’ ‘You've caught me Grief answered and you've ruined my business. How can I sell sorrow when you know it's a blessing?” Rumi
Every challenge could also be considered a karmic test.
We are continually being tested – not about how much we know or how well we perform but that our trust, our love and our faith are being always tested at unexpected times in often unrecognized guises…
Spiritual knowledge and practice can help us overcome the trials and tribulations of life and mitigate or prevent pain, suffering and the possibility of soul sickness.
Love, laughter and song chase away the dark forces and all that is dreaded from your nights and days.
"If you don't want to see the shadow, turn your face to the sun."
Aboriginal proverb
“Never yield to weariness of spirit. Sometimes the world’s cares and distractions will intrude and the spirit will become weak. At times like this carry on and soon the spirit will become strong again. God’s spirit is always with you to replenish and renew… When you are overcome by temporary conditions which you cannot control, keep quiet and wait for the power of spirit to flow back.”
Twenty Four Hours a day.
“No matter how long the night, the day will surely come.”
African Proverb
This too will pass but it requires strong intention, self-care and self-awareness.
There are many remedies. I will highlight a few key ones in the next blogs.