Winter Jade Icely
Sitting under a Pohutukawa tree as the moon edges towards its fullness of luminosity and I am reflecting upon my journey over the past year. I am currently in what feels like a pregnant pause from an intense year of soul 'work' (emergence). The relief of just for a few months having a ‘normal’ life where my days revolve around what time I take my swim, what I am having for dinner, the ‘respectable’ hour for my daily Gin and Tonic and some part of my psyche is purring.
A respite into ordinary life.
Soul 1. The immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life
2. The spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the universe
Unlike my current state of relaxation and leisure, soul initiation is often instigated by intensity, fire and pressure. The soul is equated to a diamond and requires pressure, high temperatures and the bearing down of weight to crystalise. The jewel of our diamond soul also requires a level of intensity to penetrate through the mantle of our constructed reality. An essential component of mining into the soul is the realisation that you are not the 'self' you think you are; your true nature lies much deeper and has wilder roots.
A reason many choose NOT to journey into the fires of soul initiation is that there is no retirement or rest; there is no end point where ordinary life resumes. The longing for the ‘good life’ is destroyed in the ashes of your surrendered identity.
If you surrender your life to the uncovering of a greater ‘you’ everything must be given; no longer are you the director or producer of your reality (stop chuckling God). You give CONSENT for this power to navigate and unfold your life according to ITS will. When life is given back to your soul the purpose of your incarnation takes form. You have an opportunity to live the life you came here for.
PATHWAYS OF SOUL EMERGENCE
Outside In (ready or not)
This is where outside circumstances create pressure and intensity that force the deepest self (soul) to arise through inner crisis and awakening. The soul itself can set up external circumstances to instigate a crisis prompted emergence. Examples of this experience:
A Disruptive event such as a death, the end of relationship, financial loss or illness can rupture the fabric of life in a way that cannot be resumed ‘as normal’. This forces an introspective period where prior meanings of life cannot withhold or are no longer congruent in light of the event/s. In effect this results in a collapse of some form of the self which leads to the questioning of incarnation and purpose of life; an inward gaze seeking to know its source. (Soul)
The outer experience of life no longer reflecting the inner reality. This is a common experience during the the midlife transit (around 42 years) where Uranus the awakener puts pressure on formed structures (identities). This can feel as if you are living inside a constructed world that no longer ‘fits’ and lacks relevance or inspiration. This can be compounded by a feeling of entrapment as outer responsibilities (family, mortgage, work) add a sense of helplessness to do anything about it. The alchemical mix of pressure and intensity propels the soul forward. The added influence of Uranus can contribute to radical and spontaneous actions that tear down the old life (ending relationships, moving country, coming out) in response to an inner cry for authenticity.
Inside Out (eyes wide open)
This pathway of soul emergence is based on a CHOICE to emerge- the key note being consent. Consenting to a radical re-ordering of life and a willingness to dissolve identity. Examples of this experience are:
An urgent longing to be unshackled from the self through a hunger to express something deeper that lives within. This internal pressure/power forces the soul forward through the surrender of the body/mind and can be felt as an urge to ‘tear oneself out from the inside’. The soul responds to the cry for freedom and authenticity which is consent for a greater expression of life. The desperation for authenticity comes with a willingness for the parts of the self in the way to be ‘taken down’ or ‘given up’.
The will to love is a catalyst for soul emergence through the overwhelming longing to express that which lives at the core of the heart (one of the doorways to soul). As the quest for fulfilment of love fails and romantic idealism proves untenable, a pressure grows within as the gap between the wild love at the core of the heart and outer expressions of love calls forth the soul as surrendered devotion to all life. The love at the core of the heart cannot be contained by any form or structure; it is inherently free. As the light of the soul shines through the heart’s surrender, a dedication to incarnational purpose and a commitment to serving love ( the soul) arises.
Alternative Paths (the slow burner)
When consenting to a path of soul emergence there are conscious steps to uncovering this deeper essence which can support a softer landing of soul in your life.
Study and meditation supports contact with the soul through sustained intent. When the inner gaze is turned towards the soul it gazes back illuminating the mind and inspiring the heart. Studying soul development can strengthen awareness of the greater order of life which the individual sits within (as opposed to being at the centre).
Service and dedication is the surrender of personal desire to something greater than the individuated self. Awakening as soul dispels the illusion of separateness and an individual self / life. To uncover the sacred values held within the core of the heart and to dedicate the individual life in service of these is a powerful portal into soul emergence. What do you hold as sacred? Are you willing to dedicate your life to this?
Deconstructing identity is an exploration into the nature of your constructed self and the false border between what is assumed as ‘you’ and what is assumed as ‘not you’. Collapsing a fixed self (which impedes soul emergence) requires the adoption of polarised aspects of the personality. You must embrace that which you are not. You must become everything.
Creativity and beauty opens a door to soul expression. Creativity is sourced from the invisible worlds of the soul realms and when channelled enters the visible- life unmanifest arises into the manifested world beckoned by passion and inspiration. Likewise when we see a beautiful work of art, or a radiant sunset, we are confronted with the mystery of its otherness; in beauty we discover the face of the soul. (Christine Valters).
Find something so enchanting to behold that you are transfixed- ravished. How can something so beautiful possibly exist?
At once, Be at one with the creator who is, Looking through your eyes, loving creation Lorin Roche
Embodiment is the anchoring of awareness inside our incarnated experience. This means to truly inhabit our human expression, our physical, emotional and mental bodIies. When deeply embodied we are living as the source that animates life. Choosing an embodied life is to live as soul/ spirit through our humanity.
Group Soul Initiation. The power of group accelerates soul initiation and unfoldment through the increased number of outer projections that reflect fixed aspects of the self. Group containers can see and reflect more than any individual can and offer a powerful mirror into aspects of the body/mind that obstruct the soul. Group containers can reveal and reflect the light of the soul and through its (group) gaze contact is made. The group ‘being‘ also contains a soul (group soul) which reinforces individual emergence once surrendered to its will.
CHOOSING THE PATH OF SOUL Embarking on a journey of soul emergence is the dedication to a life sourced from love; the love that animates existence. It is a valid and worthwhile journey to make, to consciously surrender the reigns of your life to a deeper ‘self’ or source. From the outside this path may seem indulgent or extraneous as the choices of living as soul do not reflect the values of mainstream culture. Choosing evolution above comfort and conditioning can be unnerving to those yet to take steps towards love and freedom that is a soul life. Most remain at the edge of safety and control and build a life of distraction from the invisible call that pulses within.
If you say yes to the call, you’ll feel that you are standing at the window watching a great storm arrive. And you’ll know there is no way to flee this storm: this one has your name written on it. You know you must open the door and walk straight into the tempest. Bill Plotkin
There are hundreds of thousands who have been summoned by their soul to emerge and they await you on the other side of a field of everything you thought you were. See you there?