I recently listened to a seminar by Neale Donald Walsch, author of Conversations with God, about finding your soul’s purpose. His message about this life’s journey is similar to many others I’ve studied, and also reflects my own.
There are two key elements to engaging this concept:
First is to recognize that you, indeed, have a soul. Generally, we think of the soul as a religious concept. Certainly, it is referred to in many faiths by various names – Christ consciousness, Buddha nature, Atman, Chi and so on. These are all names for our Essence – the unique fire that burns within each of us and holds our True Nature or soul’s purpose.
Our soul’s purpose often gets hidden under the teachings, experiences and social mores of family, community and society. These are not bad in and of themselves, but we take them on as our personal truths when in fact they are collective identifiers, not expressions of our True Nature, which is as distinct and individual to each of us as our fingerprints.
Secondly, open your awareness to what your True Nature/soul is telling you. Walsch spoke of the soul as having its physical expression though the body and the mind. The body/mind are actually tools to be used for the agenda of the soul. He also said that it takes a deep level of willingness, courage and determination to set aside previous beliefs and understandings to find the soul’s purpose.
How does a person open awareness to the soul’s leadings?
Many times people do not necessarily choose to expand awareness, but the soul’s purpose reveals itself after a traumatic life experience, when all of their standards and mores have been cracked open by grief and loss.
In lieu of trauma, which none of us desire to experience, the path is as Walsch purports – to be willing, courageous and determined to mine our inner being for the soul’s direction. And this journey, too, is as individual as our fingerprints, but I offer some suggestions to help you along the way:
- Engage in regular meditation or prayerfulness, with the intention of “listening” to your inner self/soul.
- Set aside quiet time, once again to “listen” to your soul, and write freely in a journal what you believe you are hearing. Reflect upon what you write.
- Read the works of people familiar with this journey, who can offer guidance, such as Eckhart Tolle, Marianna Williamson and Neal Donald Walsch. There are many more, so search out those whose teachings resonate with you – when you do so, you are listening to your soul’s direction.
- Gather with others who have the same intention, whether this is in a faith-based forum, a yoga class, a meet-up, or over a cup of coffee with like-minded friends. Discussion and shared experiences offer support to your journey.
- Seminars and classes on this subject abound online and in person. Again, let your inner knowing/soul guide you to the kind of nourishment it needs.
All of these suggestions, in their execution become practices in connecting with your True Nature. The more you set your intention to this kind of awareness, the easier it will become. And, as your awareness and listening skills increase, your soul’s agenda will begin to permeate every aspect of your life.
When this happens, our True Nature is expressed. Life begins to feel fully purposeful and balanced. Imagine the impact this fullness could bring to our relationships, career and community.
This is a reachable goal, my friends. It is each of our soul’s purpose.
Blessings, Plynn
Plynn Gutman 