Caring for the Soul: Part II

1
Caring for the SoulPart II

• I am certain of nothing but the
• Holiness of the hearts affections
• And the truth of the Imagination.
• John Keats

2
Being Human Gives Access to Soul

• The messes that make us human.
• Negative moods and emotions.
• Bad life choices.
• Unhealthy habits.
• Trying to avoid human mistakes and failures, we
  move beyond the reach of soul.
• Soul may express itself in dramatic ways.
• Severe pathologies --- sometimes severe or
  life-threatening.

3
Observing Symptoms

• Observance has power --- enriches experience.
• Look and listen carefully to what soul is saying.
• Make a friend of the problem.
• Allows soul to reveals itself more.
• Seeing our story we can move more freely and with
  less distress.

4
Learning to Love the Soul

• Importance of deep curiosity about soul.
• Taking an interest in soul requires reflection
  and appreciation.
• Reveals our complexity.
• Makes us ready for the complexities of life.
• Embrace contradiction and paradox.
• Requires more than a lifetime to resolve
  conflicts.
• Conflicts can be creative.
• Let the soul speak.

5
Speaking on Behalf of the Negative

• Value in what we reject --- but a profound
  challenge.
• May house unknown biases. Jungs Shadow.
• Person we choose not to be.
• Genuine evil --- absolute shadow unrelated to
  choice.
• Soften moralism and judging.
• Individuality born of eccentricities and shadows.
• Interest in the not-so-normal.
• Deviation from the usual is a special
  revelation of the truth.

6
Care (Art) vs. Cure

• Care of the soul never ends --- implies ongoing
  attention.
• Cure implies an end.
• Deeper mysteries within daily turmoil.
• Chance for further reflection.
• Change may occur without being aware ---
  transformation.
• Sacredness of each individual life.
• Appreciates the mystery of human suffering.