What does it mean to soul search? Is it something that you go looking for and some day find? Does it stop after you “find it”? Or is it an ongoing process?
I would wager it’s the latter. The soul is an inseparable and essential part of ourselves. It actually isn’t “out there” at all, but “in here”. Soul searching is really more a process of making an acquaintance with ourselves, or rather re-acquainting, through a lifelong conversation.
We believe that the soul is the authentic, true part of ourselves that knows who it is and what it wants, apart from all of the conditioning we encounter throughout our lives. Though it speaks to us in whispers, we need only quiet our minds to hear it.
Like Parker Palmer says in one of my favorite quotes,
“The soul is like a wild animal – tough, resilient, savvy, self-sufficient, and yet exceedingly shy. If we want to see a wild animal, the last thing we should do is go crashing through the woods, shouting for the creature to come out. But if we are willing to walk quietly into the woods and sit silently for an hour or two at the base of a tree, the creature we are waiting for may well emerge, and out of the corner of an eye we will catch a glimpse of the precious wildness we seek.”
Taking time to get quiet, still, and listen, are not optional when it comes to the spiritual life, they are vital and necessary steps to self discovery. To have a vibrant relationship with our soul, we need to go into the woods within ourselves and listen.
Palmer says,
“The soul speaks its truth only under quiet, inviting, and trustworthy conditions.”
We must feel safe in order to explore the wildness of our souls. For what we find there might not always be easy. It might be uncomfortable.
Perhaps we encounter our soul longing for reconciliation, or a truth that threatens the very existence we’ve become accustomed to. Maybe our soul is asking us difficult questions, crying out for connection, or shouting “This way, this way!” toward a future not yet imagined. It could be that the soul speaks as a feeling, as a knowing, as a nudge of intuition.
We cannot know what and how it will speak to us, unless we go searching with our undivided attention and listen.
Despite the discomfort, the unknowns, the wildness, the soul will not lead you astray. It will only lead you closer to yourself. It is worth finding the ways in which you can draw closer to that deeply personal voice that is all your own.
For you it could be a walk in nature, a meditation practice, sitting in the grass and looking up at the clouds, or in a holy place that brings you peace.
For us at Wakes we use the power of music to enhance the crucial element of listening to tune into our souls. We created our upcoming Soul Searching Sound Bath Series (starting this Thursday!) to do just that – help you to slow down, relax, tune in, and listen.
If you get quiet enough, you might just glimpse some of that precious wildness you seek.
Solidarity in the search,
Ada & Nathan
P.S. Have someone in your life that is soul searching right now? Share this post with them and let them know they’re not alone. While it’s a personal journey, we’re all in the search together.
