The Inner Journey Home
Dear Soul Friends,
The other day a friend asked me how to hear her soul’s inner wisdom. She felt distant from her own soul and wanted to reconnect with it. From my experience, this is a common feeling. We are taught to think and use our brains. We are taught to walk and use our bodies. But we are rarely taught to listen to the quiet wisdom of our souls. This intuitive inner voice often gets silenced by life’s distractions.
The twelfth century Christian mystic Hildegard of Bingen said, “The soul is a breath of living spirit, that with excellent sensitivity, permeates the entire body to give it life. Just so, the breath of air makes the earth fruitful. Thus, the air is the soul of the earth, moistening it, greening it.” I love this quote. Our soul is our breath of life. Its wisdom and guidance is accessible and available throughout our lives.
Little children have an intuitive understanding of the joy and freedom of their souls. They are naturally creative and curious beings amazed by a frog jumping across the road and turtles hiding in mud. They are happy to dress in yellow boots, red tights, a blue raincoat, and carry a black umbrella for a walk in the rain like the little girl in the photo. They don’t stand in their closets and wonder what to wear. They find a favorite shirt and put it on. It doesn’t matter if it matches. Children have an inner freedom—a soul knowing that is delightful to witness.
We are invited to a similar knowing. We are invited to open our eyes to wonder and awe, joy and delight. That is where we rediscover soul’s inner spark that fills us with light and love. But it does require paying attention to our souls and listening for the still small voice within. The mystics call this the inner journey home. It’s a reconnection with our inner truth.
Be still for a minute. Think about your day. When can you give your soul a bit of your time to guide you? Is there ten minutes for quiet reflection without a phone or device to distract you? Is there enough time to go for a walk and listen to the sounds of our world? Find the right moment to stop and listen. Notice how you feel. Rest in the quiet and wait. Is there something that is interesting that you haven’t noticed before? Give thanks for it. Thankfulness is a window into knowing our souls. Gratitude is a gift of the Spirit that creates an energy within us and warms our hearts. This energy is where soul speaks and reassures us that we are not alone. Soul is always with us when we pay attention to it.
The other day I heard a lecture on New England native plants. At first, I was dismayed by the number of plants that were new to me and wondered if I would ever be able to identify a cinnamon fern. But as I listened, I learned the importance of creating an environment for native plants to grow and flourish. In a way, souls are like native plants. When we remove ourselves from our busy schedules and quiet our critical voices, our souls can thrive. We were born to be body, mind, and soul. We just need to create the right environment for our souls.
Soul dwells within us. When we pay attention and listen for it, we hear the inner wisdom of truth and love.
As you travel through your week, may you be blessed by the gift of listening for the still small voice within you and may you know that you are held in love.
Deep peace to you,
Susan
