Change and the Soul

I know, I know. To even mention the word "soul" is to raise a lot of red flags for a lot of people. And here it is right in the title! Bear with me, though, and I'll try to define it metaphorically (thanks to Michael Meade) in a way that is meaningful without being dogmatic.

In the lexicon of a mythologist, "soul" is the part of us that isn't afraid to explore our own unconscious self. To "dive down" into the murkiness and find the treasure. Or you can think of the soul like the roots of a seed, drawing nutrients from the earth long before the first shoots appear at the surface.

Unlike "spirit," which is identified in all traditions as transcendent, or upward, soul likes to go down. Soul literally grounds us. And, like the roots of a seed, it's where all true change begins.

Real change turns everything around. Obama's learning this now. Real change is incredibly difficult to bring about, because the unknown is so frightening.

And so we cling to our old, outmoded stories – even dysfunctional ones – because we know them so well. Following the soul down into the dark, damp earth is scary. Dirt clogs the mouth and nose. Will we suffocate?

But up above, where we can't yet see, the seed is cracking open and green shoots are pushing their way through what is often the hard clay of our old story, until, one day…

Well, you know how the rest of this story goes. The question is, are you willing to tell it?