When I’m working with clients, and even when I’m doing my own personal growth work, I often find that the real obstacles to full health and well-being are ailments of the soul rather than truly issues of the body or mind. If someone is having difficulty staying on a diet or getting exercise, it is not usually because they don’t know what to eat or what to do, it is typically because they have a block perhaps unhappiness or lack of motivation to change their habits. Motivation, desire and happiness are housed in the soul. It is a very sad thing that we live in a time when work of the soul is such an ignored or even frowned upon activity. This has not always been the case and does not need to continue as such.

The truth is you cannot truly heal yourself, pull yourself together or reclaim the parts of you that have fragmented until you do a little soul work. It is not enough simply to eat right, get the right amount of exercise or have a clean house. In fact, often these activities can really be just a means of getting lost in the busywork that distracts you from truly creating health and happiness.  

I recently heard the term “active laziness” and thought it was a wonderful term.  How often do you get lost in “active laziness”, feeling very productive and busy and yet on a deeper level not very much better.  At the end of the day you have answered all of your emails, your phone calls, counted all of your calories, walked the dog twice and yet still something is missing. Still it is a struggle to feel good and happy and vital. 

The unfortunate truth is that you will not begin to feel good and happy and vital until you begin to do some soul work. What is soul work and how do you begin? First, you have to choose to hunker down and shine the light into the dark and forgotten places of your psyche and your heart. You have to open the windows, begin to air out the rooms and sweep the cobwebs.

Soul work can seem scary, nebulous or maybe even overwhelming. It can feel messy and disorderly, it takes diligence and courage. The thought of allowing unacknowledged emotions and negative beliefs to bubble to the surface can feel daunting at best. It is easy to feel afraid that the feelings won’t go away or that they will overtake and consume you. The truth is they won’t. They will pass. When given their due respect and attention all the hurts and blocked emotions will heal and pass on. You just have to provide the time and attention for them. Think of it this way, if you cut yourself badly you would clean the wound, care for it and wrap it to protect it. You would let it rest and maybe even take a day or two off of work to allow it to heal.  We must do the same with our soul. When our heart hurts or is broken or we suffer a loss, we must air the wound, clean it out, wrap it, care for it and allow it time to heal.

The work of the soul is not only about cleaning out old and tired emotions and beliefs; it is also about actively creating meaning in your life. It is about deciding that you are a valuable asset to the world and that you have a gift to bring forward. This is the point that aliveness and vitality begin to happen naturally. Excitement begins to creep into your life, into your soul, all of its own accord. This excitement is reflected in your body and your thoughts, in the way that you carry yourself. Suddenly you seem to have a glow about you.

Suddenly it no longer seems to be important to micro-manage calories and habits because your body wants to do what is best, your mind wants to do what is best and you are able to reach an equilibrium that feels good and right. Suddenly you are experiencing WholeSelf health and wellness.

Even though doing the work of the soul can feel challenging, it will definitely be your biggest adventure, the most important adventure you can take in your life. The reality is there really is no other way to proceed if you want to be truly healthy and happy.

For more information on how to begin the work of the soul contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it