Suffocating the Soul

Suffocating the Soul
by tammie renea

    Responding to creative passion is as essential to our existence as food, water, fresh air, and sunshine. Energy is born through creative passion. It is the reason for waking, for breathing, and for being. If we do not awaken to it, we will never truly know ourselves; nor will we ever know all that we are capable of contributing to this magnificent planet earth.

    Some of us will remain in conflict with the soul for many years, if not an entire lifetime, before choosing to accept it as our ally. We go to great lengths to make the pain of the soul's suffocation tolerable. Many of us succeed, but at a very heavy price. Addictions, for example, are a manifestation of our resistance to creative passion. We become dependent on food, drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping, working, etc., turning away from the grace that the soul is offering us. Not only do we avoid the calling of our own creative passion, but through co-dependency, we assist others in avoiding theirs as well.

    Some forms of mental and emotional illnesses are symptoms of the soul's inability to breathe. We become deadened to our own existence. We see the world with blurred vision rather than with the soul's clarity. We make judgments based on fear, whereas the soul judges with wisdom. We are critical of ourselves and of everyone around us, yet the soul is compassionate. We think in terms of lack rather than abundance, believing that to give is to have less, but the soul knows that in giving, there is much to be received.

    When we deprive the soul of the chance to breathe freely, every aspect of our lives is affected. We try to hide behind many masks in our attempts to camouflage the shriveling condition of the spirit. We hear its cries but use any method within reach to hush them.

    Sometimes we think it's possible to refuse the calls to creative passion by overpowering the soul. We may believe that by rising to top executive status, the soul's summons can no longer reach us, but attempts to outwit the soul are futile. Spirit knows how to use the elevator to reach the high-rise office downtown. It cannot be outrun. Corporate power and material wealth cannot set one free from the calling within.

    We may try the tactic of intimidation by taking advantage of those who appear weaker than ourselves, sometimes even resorting to brute force. This is also a lost cause. Taking our own spiritual frustrations out on someone else does not improve our spiritual condition; it only weakens it. We become increasingly estranged from the soul, which adds to our inner turmoil and sets a dangerous cycle in motion.

    The good news: We begin today with a clean slate. Whatever the reason for disconnecting from our creative passion, finding fault and placing blame are irrelevant. It is never too late to make amends with the soul. The urge to carry anger, guilt, and shame may be strong; we may need to look upon the past just long enough to understand our pain and fear. Then, with newfound understanding, we can allow the soul to take a deep, cleansing breath and guide us to our true path.