What is the soul? It originally meant, the impersonal breath, breath of life, the basis of life itself. It then became equivalent to 'the person' or personality, and in some instances 'the soul' became a separate entity to 'the body' which lived in the body but after death continued to exist somewhere else.

As you can see the soul is not so easy to define. The same is the case for 'spirituality' as the word 'spirit' can be connected to the soul, the mind, the life force or the energy within a person.

The soul has traditionally referred to that area of human experience which is associated with the deeper, reflective, inner dimensions of our being, where our sense of self feels the frightening grandeur of its own uniqueness and is forced to confront its own finitude and fraility against the powerful forces of the larger cosmic picture of the universe.

The soul is something like the hiding place of our real self, where the deeper issues we all face in lfe, ultimately have to be resolved. When alone, or confronted with 'the ultimate', we discover the powerful presence of ourselves, our souls and its unique yearnings and questionings.

Spirituality has to do with the health and wealth of our souls, and it has to do with the health and wealth of the mind, and the health of the body as well. But with so much emphasis on the mind and body, have we forgotten about and thereby neglected the soul?

Spirituality is essentially about 'soul work'.

The transcendent dimension of life usually reverberates within our souls. The sense of awe, majesty and mystery can often overpower us in some fleeting moment as we are suddenly awakened by inspiring music, pitcuresque scenery, poetry, art, the innocence of a child, stirrings of gratitude and thankfulness.

Such "peak experiences" with their sense of heightened awareness may last just a moment but their stirrings can remain for a lifetime.

Spirituality to satifisy our souls must provide us with a deep sense of the meaning and purpose of life. Most people who are deeply relective find the quest for ultimate meaning and purpose of the universe and life an important part of their soul journey. World religions and other types of belief systems offer such insights. It is not uncommon to have a sense of vocation or 'mission' as the guiding principle of one's life as part of this journey.

Altruism, the taking care and well-being of our neighbour, is taken seriously as are the issues of injustice, intolerance and other people's pain and suffering - all part of the soul's perspective.

A real appreciation of the 'sacredness of life' becomes a vital part of spirituality as the feelings of awe, rerverence and wonder become part of the soul's expression. A sense that all life is miraculous, inspiring and profound saturates the soul.

Material possessions and money although important are not seen as providing the soul's ultimate satisfaction. Spirituality recognises our deeper needs are met quite differently.

There is often a 'visionary' commitment to the betterment of the world and its people with a commitment to high ideals and to the actualisation of the positive potential of all aspects of life. As well as this, the spirituality borne of the soul's journey actively produces these values and attitudes within one's life.

They become the essence and expression of the soul. However, the all encompassing quality of the soul is love.

A love which searches the depths of every encounter and which believes in the dignity and sanctity of every part of creation.

We are all in need of soul work!

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