“We don’t talk about the *SOUL* enough.”
There is a world where science meets spirituality and faith. An intersect where those in the healing industry want to begin discussing not only our humanity yet also the beyond. There is a thrive for knowledge and inspiration for the simple every day answers and what comes next? It is a human right to wonder, to consider and ask questions. Our beliefs are our personal and lived experiences where we begin to decipher our voice on the inside so we can connect on the outside.
As a social scientist (i.e., therapist, AAMFT Approved Supervisor) and as a spiritualist (past life reader), one area where I believe we lack a brave space for conversation: the soul.
I was talking to another clinical educator last week about faith, the soul, and spirituality. That these have been swooped up and placed in categories of organized religion rather than an expansive conversation about what we believe in that’s bigger than our human skin. Working with teens and young adults, there are common areas where they express having barriers or difficulties:
Lack of an anchor (i.e., of any kind), something to hang onto, work for, believe in
Lack of faith (i.e., the definition in its purest form is a deep trust or confidence in something or someone)
Lack of socialization skills, therefore lack of genuine connection
Lack of identity (i.e., developmentally is age-appropriate yet there is something deeper where they are given more opportunities than ever before yet are reporting more lost)
If you swim in an open ocean with animals, currents, and waves - eventually you will become tired. It isn’t just “sink or swim.” There is a learned helplessness that sometimes occurs. There will be a sense of submission to lay on your back and float. I find this a lot in my 18-30 year old therapy population and spiritual clients. They not only don’t know what to believe in within themselves but outside of themselves.
There is another component we don’t talk about much which I am considering: it may help.
We don’t talk about the soul enough.
The soul is often discussed within Philosophy, Psychology, Thanatology, and related. The reason we don’t is I believe a lot of us have not been informed what it could possibly be. I am not here to tell you all it is, what it is, or what to believe. There first has to be a consideration if you yourself believe the soul exists. And for you to consider that, I’ll tell you some common grounds of the soul.
The soul is seen as all of the NON-PHYSICAL and NON-MATERIAL pieces of a human being. This can include but not limited to memory, identity, personality, and more.
Children’s brains are rapidly developing, we now know, until 30 years of age. it doesn’t mean after 30 we stop developing, evolving or learning. It is not at the rate as before. During that time we are putting them in education programs (i..e, I do believe school is important because it helps develop the parts of the brain) and lived experience becomes secondary. Connecting to people becomes secondary. We are placing kids on technology most of the day. Some of our greatest teachers are: socialization, lived experience, and natural development from a science perspective. Yet we are placing ourselves in states of massive reproduction of information at a rapid pace and our brains are not built for this BIOLOGICALLY. Our cortisol’s baseline is heightening. And if cortisol is high or brains are overstimulated then it is very difficult to learn or retain information. Besides all of this, we aren’t teaching kids and young adults, or anyone for that matter, how to regulate. How to know the science of your body and what it can handle and when to allow nature (i.e., evolution, LIVING) to take its course. The benefit of JUST LIVING. The development of freedom of thought, freedom of a voice, and believing in something bigger than yourself to help yourself, your loved ones and the generations to come.
So how do we start talking about the soul?
Think about if you believe in “the soul?” If not, what do you believe in that anchors you? What grounds you as a core belief?
What do you believe in about yourself? You have a deep belief in a quality about yourself to a knowledge of yourself no one can thief away.
What do you believe in that’s bigger than yourself? Faith and spirituality are just a trust or confidence in something. This isn’t a reliigous connotation. It CAN be! It doesn’t HAVE to be. It can be love, baseball, humanity, hope. And no one’s moral compass about that answer is relevant. It may hurt or be difficult to hear, but people’s thoughts of you doesn’t have to control you.
The will to live is another area I am passionate about. What keeps you coming back and staying with us day to day? This area is also lacking in all populations I see. This is for another article.
Talk to others about identity, personality, memories, the soul, beliefs, faith, spirituality, science. ALL OF IT! They all deserve a place at the table.
Also: Know when to STOP thinking and talking about it and give your body and brain enough to relax, have peace, bring your cortisol down, and mindful that your body requires rest. You are not a robot. You are a HUMAN.
These are things to consider and places to start. I can’t wait for my book to come out to continue to talk about considerations and self-evolution. I appreciate you stopping by and I’d love to hear your comments, thoughts, questions. I am only one person and none of this replaces any of your mentors, medical treatment. Because it’s educational only, you have the freedom of thought and voice to express. My only boundary is never at the safety or expense of yourself or others. Otherwise: BRAVE SPACE! Please express. Self-agency and self-expression are beautiful human powers that we have locked inside us.
So. What’s your next consideration?
Evolve and heal on, my friends.
AT
Social Media: @AnneCTotero and @SkullMeatlofPodcast
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Written by and all rights reserved to Anne C. Totero at Anne C. Totero, LLC.
Written: 4/23/2024
NOTE: No AI technology was used in the formulation of this written word
