SOUL SICKNESS AND LOSS #4

MANAGING SOUL SICKNESS

“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. (A stable force for many in recovery in A.A.)

As well as 

"For yesterday is but a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision... "  Sanscrit proverb

“No matter how long the night, the day will surely come.” 
African Proverb

 

This too will pass but it requires strong intention and self-awareness.

There are many remedies. I will highlight a few key ones.

Spiritual Practice            

The soul separates from the body with soul sickness. If the body is "cleansed" it will facilitate the soul's return. Somatic psychology is proving that attention to the body is also important for complete healing. Some form of bodily practice that inspires the senses can liberate toxic memories imprinted in the body and allow for deeper healing. 

Sensory and somatic oriented spiritual practice  can enhance this cleansing and reunion. It can be yoga, tai chi, chi gong or anything non-esoteric done for its own sake like dancing, singing, playing a musical instrument, walking or hiking in nature or something else like skilled body work, acupuncture or pressure. 

Many with soul sickness have cured themselves with deep immersions into nature.  

Reiki, sound healing, sensory driven guided imagery, shamanic expertise and laughter can also all be powerful medicine.

A regular, sustainable, enjoyable spiritual practice is the backbone of any of the other treatments. If necessary it may have to be done more than once daily. The standing postures and warrior poses in yoga which are not difficult can help give one a strong resolve as well as the strength and balance to face the difficulties. Spiritual practice will also help to subordinate monkey mind to spacious mind, ego to our higher Self, our shadow to our inclination to do good and our tricksters to our spirit guides.

Forgiveness

“Despise no human and consider nothing impossible, for there is no person who does not have his hour and there is nothing that does not have its place.” Talmud

One should never despise oneself - that is antithetical to the Creator who made us in His image. Soul sickness can be be alleviated with repentance and self-forgiveness. Victims need to forgive themselves, forgive others if possible, and also ask forgiveness of those they may have wronged. We never completely heal from a deeply shameful event until we forgive.

 

“In forgiving and letting go we can then exalt in treasuring what we truly most treasure.” J. O’Donahue

 

Victims of abuse may also have to forgive themselves as well as attempt to have the compassion and empathy to forgive others who may be victims of dire circumstances. 

 

“… We can only be redeemed to the extent to which we see ourselves.” Talmud

 

Those who cannot see themselves cannot be redeemed. It takes vulnerability and self-awareness to be able to accept help from others and come out of hiding.

 

Remember that you are made not for brokenness and sorrow but for wholeness and for joy.

 

Self-compassion aligns with self-worth and generates less in the way of negative emotions. If one has wronged oneself or others it is important to realize that ...

Acting contrary to conscience is different from justifying and rationalizing a wrong doing. The latter compounds, not merely worsens ...

 

The Higher Self or soul is pure and cannot be self-enabling. The ego enables its little self.  We need to admit what we did wrong, make amends, forgive ourselves and move on. Restoring Self-worth is critical. Self-worth means we are all worthy being made in the image of the Creator – even if our actions are unskillful - we are all on a journey of “Becoming.” No one is perfect and everyone (or almost everyone) can be redeemed. Self-esteem (with a small s) can be a recipe for narcissism and is not the same as Self-worth.

If we have wronged ourselves we need to admit to unskillfulness, take corrective action and let go of our angst. Universal Self-Acceptance (U.S.A) or an unconditional positive regard for the True Self reduces anxiety and depression and increases happiness, optimism, positive emotions, and Self-worth. We are all worthy of U.S.A. We need to treat ourselves as we would a good friend.

“Bring your sister grief by the hand and tell her to come and sit by the fire with you. Grief gives special honor to your losses and her tears are precious jewels that can be strung on strands of memory to be worn with pride and beauty by one’s spirit.”
Mpofu’s Grandmother

Helping others

Severe suffering, shame and humiliation often make recovery difficult but there can be healing. In turning the crap into manure the Phoenix can rise out of the ashes. We can take the suffering and make something useful out of it by helping others. Its not what happens to us but what we do with it that counts. 

“The soul has no rainbow if the eyes have no tears.” 

Native American saying

(There is no rose without a thorn.)

Bad experiences can be alchemized into opportunities. Furthermore, anyone that climbs out from the bottom of the barrel of suffering, grief and sorrow has the potential to be more spiritually powerful than those who have been fortunate enough to not have been there. When we are knocked down and get up – if it did not kill us – it will make us stronger. 

We should not be ashamed that we have been at the bottom of a pit. If we have managed to climb out of it we can be proud. We can start anew with the unbounded potential and strength of having had that experience. In every crisis there is also opportunity if one can rise above the pain. 

The healing can also be part of the Hero/ine’s journey where after a dark night of the soul we attain the “grail” and come back to give it away and do service. Many folks in recovery have done exactly that. Everything is a test. Depending on the individual it can be a catalyst for “Becoming.”

“We all have the price of sanctity in our purse...the reason we can’t purchase it is not because we are poor but because we are stingy.” B. of Clairvoux