SOUL SICKNESS AND SOUL LOSS # 8

TREATMENT

SPIRITUAL PRACTICE

Soul sickness can be mild, moderate or severe (as in PTSD) and can be corrected. Soul loss is critical and has a bad prognosis.            

The soul separates from the body with soul sickness and potentially completely and permanently with soul loss. 

If the body and mind are 'cleansed' this will facilitate the soul's return. 

Somatic psychology is proving that attention to the body is vital 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. 

The soul's fulfillment is through the experience of the senses.

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 acupressure. 

The standing postures and warrior poses in yoga some of which are not difficult can help give one a strong resolve as well as the strength and balance to face the difficulties. They also indicate what one's level of 'balance' is for the day ahead. 

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

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

However, 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. 

Spiritual practice will 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. 

Soul sickness leaves one more vulnerable to one's inner negative polarities.

The Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman, amongst many of his teachings, reminds us that the last thing that happened to us is what we will remember and may be imprinted. Also that we need to replace any negative experience with a positive one a soon as possible because the former could linger. Essentially ... when you fall off your metaphoric horse get back on it again. 

 Spiritual practice can help to turn the shit into manure. 

Or watch a funny movie, go for a walk on the beach, call a good friend... In the case of someone with an addiction - call their sponsor and go to a meeting.

 Many of us today because of the state of the planet are feeling despondent and sometimes hopeless. We have to be proactive in changing our inner conversation. We all have a level of mild soul sickness which continually needs to be attended to and reversed.

FORGIVENESS

(Requires its own blog, but essentially...)

We need to forgive ourselves, 

forgive others if possible, 

and also ask forgiveness from those we may have wronged. 

“To err is human, to forgive divine.”

Forgiveness for others must first begin by forgiving oneself. 

“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 - doing so is antithetical to the Creator who made us in His image. Soul sickness can be alleviated with repentance and self-forgiveness. 

Forgiveness is to return to the Self and to the Creator - the parable of the Prodigal son/daughter.

 

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

 

Victims of abuse may have to forgive themselves as well as attempting to have some compassion for those who persecuted them since they themselves may also have been victims of similar circumstances. They also need to shift any self blame to where it belongs. 

At the end of the day, karma is relentless and the perpetrators will suffer the consequences. The only way to correct the bad is by doing good.

 

"Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord."

What you resist will persist. What you destroy destroys you. What you defeat, defeats you. 

What you sanctify, sanctifies you.

Our responsibility is to clear ourselves of negative effects and not allow anyone to have power over us. Forgiveness does this. Forgiveness does not mean reconciliation - walk away after and don't look back. 

Forgiveness is a personally beneficial process. Neuroscience and ancient wisdom have shown that it is more beneficial for the person giving the forgiveness than the one receiving it - it also increases ones T cell counts and is healthful. It removes the albatross hanging around one's neck.

"I'm gonna lay down my burden down by the river side, aint gonna study war no more ..." 

African American spiritual song

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 ...

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 one has wronged oneself we need to admit to unskillfulness, take corrective action, forgive oneself and let go of the 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.  

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

If the burden were taken away the lesson would not be there. Coping with it is what will count (karmically).

In every crisis there is opportunity.

Asking for forgiveness 

Taking accountability

"Those who cannot see themselves cannot be redeemed..."

It takes vulnerability, self-awareness and courage to admit to what we have done wrong. Denial will negate the possibility for forgiveness.

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

 

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

 When we enable ourselves or are enabled by others we fail to take accountability. The shadow then projects its own issues more readily onto others. We need to admit what we did wrong and make amends. 

Asking forgiveness is especially important before death.