Modern spirituality loves to treat the soul like a Dropbox folder—preloaded, waiting in the cloud. But the wisdom traditions say otherwise: you don’t start with a soul, you make one. This essay explores why the soul is less like storage and more like alchemy—the residue of a life distilled through presence, choice, and surrender.
I think at sometimes in our journey, our ego can't stand the thought of what a soul really is. Thus it starts trying to curate our changing idea of a soul. And like you say, it all falls short or hinders. Enjoying this thread of soul building. Thank you.
Celia, that’s beautifully said. Ego wants the soul to be an accessory, something it can polish and pose with. But soul is more like scar tissue turned into stained glass. It comes from being broken open and refusing to stay shattered.
You’ve been here this whole time?! I have to type your username in and search for you once in awhile just to find any of your writings. Kind of strange. But glad you’re here and… you doing ok?
I appreciate how you framed remorse not as condemnation but as a doorway. That reframing feels both bracing and hopeful...naming the sting as medicine rather than punishment. It’s a much-needed counter to the self-optimization culture you critique so well.
"It is the distilled meaning of a life surrendered." Hit me like a sack of truth should. Hard and below the belt enough to humble me. I talk about 'my everlasting soul' a lot...this is what I mean. It's me. I'm the soul and none of this is everlasting as we know it. We're distilling the essence of this place in time. I enjoyed this piece very much - and learned something, too.
I think at sometimes in our journey, our ego can't stand the thought of what a soul really is. Thus it starts trying to curate our changing idea of a soul. And like you say, it all falls short or hinders. Enjoying this thread of soul building. Thank you.
Celia, that’s beautifully said. Ego wants the soul to be an accessory, something it can polish and pose with. But soul is more like scar tissue turned into stained glass. It comes from being broken open and refusing to stay shattered.
You’ve been here this whole time?! I have to type your username in and search for you once in awhile just to find any of your writings. Kind of strange. But glad you’re here and… you doing ok?
I appreciate how you framed remorse not as condemnation but as a doorway. That reframing feels both bracing and hopeful...naming the sting as medicine rather than punishment. It’s a much-needed counter to the self-optimization culture you critique so well.
"It is the distilled meaning of a life surrendered." Hit me like a sack of truth should. Hard and below the belt enough to humble me. I talk about 'my everlasting soul' a lot...this is what I mean. It's me. I'm the soul and none of this is everlasting as we know it. We're distilling the essence of this place in time. I enjoyed this piece very much - and learned something, too.