Feeding the Soul

[Guest guest]

The number one statement we need to understand this week is, we are

not our bodies - we are only our soul.

What's the body here for, you ask? It's the car on the road trip of

life. It's the vehicle that allows us to do good actions in the world

and to be a conduit for revealing positive energy.

The body is a temporary means to an end. I think all of us have had

those middle-of-the-night epiphanies, where we realize the depth of

this statement. But it's hard to keep in our minds, and we all fall

into caring what people think about us — good or bad — and we obsess

over our reflection in the mirror.

The Baal Shem Tov, a Kabbalist who lived and taught in the 18th

century, reminded his students to always feel they are only soul.

Yes, the body is a temple, and it's important to care for and respect

it. But again, we have to reclaim our territory and care of our soul.

How? Well, for starters, the soul needs to be fed. What does our soul

eat? Energy, of course. The energy feeding our soul comes from the

good actions we do on a daily basis. The number one way to have a

soul that is harmonious, open and well-fed is to systematically look

for people that need help and do what we can to meet their needs.

Another tip for caring for our soul comes first thing in the morning.

The Kabbalists recommend waking up each day roaring like a lion. The

seed for our entire day begins in the morning. In fact, if we find

we've been upside down and in a bad mood all day, it's likely it

began in the morning.

" Feeding your soul " in this context means doing something that is

just for you, something that makes you feel good, or something that

gives you a feeling of accomplishment. Something to look forward to,

that is just for you and your well-being. It's sort of like a hobby,

but it's not just for relaxation. It can be something as simple as

listening to your favorite song, or as involved as re-learning, or

making adjustments in an activity that you used to be able to do.

It's something that reaches all the way down inside you and makes you

feel content all the way down to your toes.

There are many ways you can create a sanctuary for your soul. You can

lie down and listen to soothing music. You can meditate. Spending

time in a room that is a safe haven for you is another way. Float in

the sun in the middle of a pool or sit by the beach and watch the

waves come crashing in. Creating a sanctuary for your soul requires

these things only: you spend the time alone, you are quiet and not

doing anything that busies your mind and you do your best to relax.

Regardless of how you do it, the most important thing is you do it

because…

It nourishes your soul. Why do you think you feel so refreshed after

a good night's sleep? Because your body and mind have completely shut

down and refueled. By creating a sanctuary for your soul to relax,

you recharge your battery. You only have so much energy to function

on before you start running out. And with children, we know that

energy goes fast! When you start running out, you become short-

tempered, irritable, impatient, tired or even spacey. Regular time

for you will do wonders for keeping you refueled, emotionally

available, relaxed and happy.

When you are quiet and still, you allow the voice of God and your

true self to speak to you. The Casting Crowns wrote a beautiful song

called " Voice of Truth " . The chorus goes like this:

But the voice of truth tells me a different story

The voice of truth says, " Do not be afraid! "

The voice of truth says, " This is for My glory "

Out of all the voices calling out to me

I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

You need to quiet your mind's chatter and the background noise of

your day to make room for the quiet voices to speak to you. It may be

the voice of God giving you an answer to your prayer. That little

voice could be your intuition nagging you to make a different choice

in your life. It is through quiet and solitude that the truth speaks

the loudest.

Creating a sanctuary for your soul promotes peace and relaxation in

the family. You are not the only one that benefits from taking quiet

time for yourself. Your children and husband receive a more relaxed

mom and wife. And what a blessing that is. You teach your family the

value of spending time alone in blissful silence. If you had a ritual

in your family that encouraged everyone to take down time for their

mind, body and soul, imagine how peaceful your environment could be.

Everyone needs time for reflection. Have you ever heard the

saying, " I can't even hear myself think. " ? I know I have, and I can

totally relate. Maybe because my mom used to say that to me.

Sometimes you need quiet so you can sort out your thoughts. Perhaps

you want to plan out your day, or think about a decision you need to

make. Sometimes it's nice to be able to play your day back before you

go to bed. What was great about your day? What would you have done

differently? Taking this time for reflection allows us to grow, have

gratitude, be organized, and value thoughtfulness.

If we change our consciousness, knowing something great is going to

happen, excited about the unexpected magic, intending that this day

will be the best day ever, we'll be shocked to see how many

incredible things will happen to us. When we wake up energized and

ready to go for it, we will be in tune with our soul.

This week, practice waking up each day like a lion. Really put your

soul forward from the beginning of the day. And notice the ongoing,

non-stop demands of your body. Redirect these desires by looking for

ways to share love, time and effort with people. You never know when

the Light is going to put someone in your path whose day — or life -

you can save.

Pay attention to the yearnings of your soul. It's the only way to win

this race.