Are You Starving Your Soul? Reclaiming Your Creativity
by Edward Toupin

The soul is your compass, your battery, your guide, your best friend, and your worst enemy.  It is that little voice in your head and that funny feeling in your stomach. The soul is the wild roar for a victory and the deep sob for a loss.  It is the tears of anguish and excitement. It is everything that you could ever want to be, but just don't know it yet.  Your soul is your spirit to achieve, and be, and live beyond the wildest dreams that are indeed within your reach.

The soul provides the perfect balance for the human existence.  To be whole, the human being has needs that must be satisfied.  The soul gives to you and must satisfy its giving nature to be whole.  One cannot exist without the other.  Yet, many people today find that they aren't able to feel their souls because it's hidden under a pile of experiences and contradicting beliefs.  It is usually tempered by years of practice because emotions and feelings are a sign of weakness in today's society.  It is a natural occurrence in today's world---removing opportunities to enjoy a natural balance that the Universe gave us at birth.

Sadly, though, if your soul is neglected, hidden away in a box, you can become aimless and unsettled. You can begin to feel that your life lacks purpose and contentment. Many people feel mentally ill or depressed at this point.  But, there's nothing physically or mentally wrong with you.  There is no disease or imbalance that can launch a person into a melancholic state, day after day, faster than a starved soul. When the soul has been neglected, the entire body and mind suffer in every way.

--- The Starved Soul ---

A starved soul is easy to spot---you can't see or feel the person.  But, if you do, there is some type of extreme energy emanating from them.  Souls become starved when they have been denied the freedom to exercise their Universal-given creativity. Poetry, art, music, sculpture, dance, dramatic arts, and a dozen other pursuits spur the creative impulse that has been breathed into every human at birth. The exercise of this creative impulse delivers vibrant life and purpose.

Throughout our lives, we were all, at one time or another, guided, or misguided, into something that "was for our own good."  But, the information usually comes from another human who, at one time or another, was guided to do something "for their own good."  All of these "goods" add up to the collapse and frustration of the soul.

I remember that throughout my time in high school and college, I was chastised for daydreaming and goofing off.  I never did anything to hurt anyone, I just didn't pay attention.  I already knew the answers, for some strange reason, and was bored.  I tested well and graduated with high scores in mathematics, computer science, and electronics technology.  As soon as I graduated, I began writing books for various publishers.  But, my elders told me that I needed to "earn a livelihood before I can play."

Years went by and I was utterly miserable.  I didn't know why, because I had it all and was doing well.  Heck, everyone else was miserable, so I figured that working in a closet as a manager in a corporation for the rest of my life was the way it was to be.  I wanted to daydream and goof off again, but make money doing it. But, I felt guilty breaking away from the established lines to become a writer.  So many "buts" and "what ifs."  In the meantime, I was becoming frustrated and lost and just did things to do them as was expected.

The universe heard my calling one day!  In the peak of my successes and the grandeur of my career, my company was purchased and moved out of state.  I was stuck because my wife, her career, and her family were in Colorado.  So, we took a chance and stayed.  I was scared to death.  So, I started writing again.  Years later, I realized that this was Universe's way of saying ... "what're you waiting for dummy?"

--- Clearing the Decks ---

It's no wonder so many people live their lives in spiritual destitution. The creativity that ought to fuel every thing in life is stifled through information and experiences garnered from others who are stifled.  Don't starve your spirit. Listen to what it is telling you.  Learn what creative gift the Universe has given you. Love it and care for it. It's as important as the food you eat every day.

To begin your journey, you have to clear the years of gunk away just far enough for your soul to poke its hand out.  Once you grab that hand, pull hard until your soul can stand on its own.  Nurture it, play with it, and see what it can do.  You will be amazed at the possibilities once you allow your soul the opportunity to see the light of day.

One thing to remember is that you must always remain grounded.  I have had times where I have taken off to other worlds in my writing brain.  However, I had to do something like vacuum the house to remember that I still had earthbound responsibilities.  But, I learned that these responsibilities are only a very small part of life.  What I have seen through my "souler eyes" made life and its responsibilities much easier and much more fulfilling.

--- What's next? ---

Whether your objective in life is to be a writer or not, the idea behind the writing examples in this article is simply to touch your soul.  Bring it out into the daylight and have fun with it.  There is nothing in all of eternity that you cannot do and that you don't already know---all you have to do is harness it, and ask.  It's all there for you, but, without a healthy soul, it will be difficult to find.

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