The majority of Western society believes humans have a soul. However, there is significant
controversy on the belief of the soul’s impact or whether, as humans, we impact the soul’s growth or
lack thereof. Those who practice spirituality believe we are human beings with a spiritual experience
and we are spiritual beings with a human experience. Such movies as Ghost, The Sixth Sense, What
The Bleep Do We Know?, City of Angels and others illuminate this belief.
Nurturing the soul is as important as healthy nutrition, exercise and sleep. The soul’s sole purpose is
to create spiritual and emotional growth. The sense of well-being and happiness emanates from the
soul to the psyche. If the soul is ignored or malnourished, the psyche, and ultimately the body,
suffers. The most effective way to nurture the soul is through spirituality.
Spirituality is the science of developing and freeing our innermost being—the core of who we are.
Love creates, all else destroys. Love cannot co-exist with other premises simultaneously. The fly in
the ointment of human existence versus our spiritual form is the "ego.” The ego is essential to
navigate the vicissitudes in physical life. However, the ego is what gets us into trouble. The truth is:
All life on earth serves the sole purpose of developing our spirituality to the point of being free of
spiritual ignorance, free of selfish or destructive behavioral (ego) patterns, free to return to our eternal
home. True spirituality frees our soul.
True spirituality can be achieved by means of scientifically applying spiritual teachings and spiritual
techniques that foster the ego to vanish in the fire of divine love to be replaced by a focus on our
inner being. Such true spiritual teachings can only be affected by a true connection to our innermost
self. Prayer, meditation, gratitude, spending time in nature—including near fire and water—are
practices to create spiritual and emotional health.
• Prayer: Researcher and mind/body medicine expert Herbert Benson, M.D., found that regular prayer
or the repetition of spiritual phrases such as "Shalom" or "Hail Mary" triggers relaxation and reduces
stress. Make prayer a time of emotional and spiritual renewal—state your need or concern and ask for
divine intervention. Acknowledge all you have to be grateful for and give thanks for that which you
desire. Giving thanks is more effective than asking for what you desire. The universe knows what
you need before you need it and has already sent it to you—therefore giving thanks acknowledges
what you haven’t seen yet. Establishing a regular prayerful routine is important.
• Meditation: Researched for centuries, meditation is proven to have physiological benefits, including
stress-relief, improved immune and cardiovascular function, relaxation and decreased pain. Regular
meditation practice leads to new insights about life issues (often resulting in the healing of past
emotional trauma), heightened creativity, inspiration, greater compassion for others and a greater
connection to one's own inner guidance. There are a plethora of books and classes on meditation
practices.
• Gratitude: The state of being grateful; thankfulness (The American Heritage Dictionary). In the push
and pull of life we seldom realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only
with gratitude that life becomes rich. Looking at the glass as half empty assures us we will live with a
sense of lack. Consider these words from the wise:
"Gratitude is our most direct line to God and the angels. If we take the time, no matter how crazy and
troubled we feel, we can find something to be thankful for. The more we seek gratitude, the more
reason the angels will give us for gratitude and joy to exist in our lives." Terry Lynn Taylor
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial
into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a
home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates
a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie
• Time in nature: The most visible manifestation of spirit is nature, where we most fully encounter and
interact with life's primal energies in the forms of earth, water, fire and air. Walking/hiking are easy
and practical ways of reconnecting with nature and the earth, as are gardening, biking, camping and
boating. Spending regular amounts of time outdoors within a natural setting, you enable yourself to
better appreciate the rhythms of life, including your own.
Modern living prevents us from having a balanced life. Time in nature restores that balance, while also
deepening our connection with our spirit. Being near the water is a spiritually healthy experience, due
to water's higher concentration of negative ions. Swimming in natural water or soaking in a mineral
hot spring provides therapeutic benefits for a variety of ailments.
• Exposure to a campfire or fireplace has health benefits. Leonard Orr discovered that fire cleanses the
bio-energy field of negative energies and is a powerful aid in curing physical disease. Orr recommends
spending a few hours each day near fire. Fire is also an important component of the vision quests
Native Americans undertake to connect with the Great Spirit and discover their life purpose.
• Air is the closest expression of the spirit. Clean air is essential to health on all levels, and practicing
conscious breathing is a potent self-care method for restoring energy and making you more aware of
the power of your spirit as it flows through you.
Regular exposure to the four elements creates consciousness of the spirit's loving intelligence to
sustain the world, while more deeply recognizing our place within it.
Engaging the Elements:
Given busy lives in today’s world, there are several techniques to use until one can engage with the
four elements. The following techniques relax, revitalize and remove blocked energy.
• Craniosacral Treatment—Relieves blockages caused by stress in the craniosacral system.
Discovered by Dr. John Upledger in 1980, this system includes the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds
the brain and spinal cord.
• Reiki Chakra Treatment—Japanese spiritual healing technique where energy is channeled from
master to student, cleansing the body’s chakras—specific energy modes inside the body. Creates
reduced stress and a stronger bridge to your inner being.
• The Sound of Peaceful Healing—a 120-minute sensory journey that uses sound, touch and smell to
revive the senses and restore a feeling of calm.
• Massage: Acupressure—acupuncture without needles, Deep Tissue, Reflexology, Swedish, Shiatsu,
Aquatic Shiatsu,Trigger Point/Myotherapy, Rolfing.
Engaging in one or more of the soul nourishing activities—prayer, meditation, gratitude, spending time
in nature, including near fire and water—daily will create soul/spiritual/ emotional health and you will
enjoy a highly enriched and enriching life.
Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, Life Coach, Hypnotherapist, author, "101 Great Ways To Improve
Your Life," specializes in: Mind, Body, Spirit healing and Physical/Sexual Abuse Prevention and
Recovery. As an inspirational leader, Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life's challenges as
an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. http://www.drdorothy.net
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dorothy_M._Neddermeyer,_PhD
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