NURTURING THE SOUL IS AS IMPORTANT AS GETTING GOOD NUTRITION

God created us in three parts: spirit, soul and body. What happens to one profoundly affects the others. No doctor will deny that emotional stress can cause physical illness. Anyone with chronic pain will tell you their soul and spirit become heavy. Our body is flesh and blood. The soul is our personality, emotions and mind. The spirit is the core of who we are, the eternal part of us.

One of the things we must do to stay alive is eat. Along with air, water, and sleep, our bodies need food. The nutrients in food keep us healthy and active. If we neglect to nourish our bodies, our health will inevitably decline. But nurturing the soul is as important as nutrition, exercise and sleep. The soul’s purpose is to create emotional growth. The sense of well-being and happiness emanates from the soul to the psyche. Each day you are faced with opportunities to help others, to forgive them, to have compassion for them, to be tolerant of them. Do you seize these opportunities? You nurture your soul by giving to others in a loving way. Each time you choose to help others, your soul grows.

Just as unconditional love is one of the manifestations of soul growth, there are other attributes as well: forgiveness, courage, patience, compassion, generosity and wisdom. An evolved soul requires all of these. Whenever you are able to give of yourself without expecting anything in return, you become a bigger person.

(Inner Voice comprises contributions from our readers. The views expressed are personal)