Before we go any further let’s check that we agree on soul-sustenance. For me soul-sustenance is anything that brings joy and joy is the feeling of ‘smiling on the inside’. Kinda like your cells are having a party.
Do you have ‘fine dining’ soul-sustenance standards? Do the stars have to be in alignment, the moon cycle in perfect spot, wearing your favourite outfit, having just had the best haircut ever whilst sitting with your beloved watching the last rays of sun drop below an expansive and exotic coastal horizon? Ahh…all is right with the universe.
Or are you more of an ‘eat on the run’ type? If your socks match or you hear bird song or your favourite biscuits are on special – tick – that’s enough for you to feel good about the world.
Snack for emotional, spiritual and creative health
When it comes to your physical health constant snacking is not a good idea – but when it comes to your emotional, spiritual and creative health it’s essential. We seldom get three square meals of soul-sustenance a day which can leave us starving and our resilience very depleted.
If we can only rejuvenate our souls during weekends and holidays then everyday life can sure grind us down. Be warned though – there may be a small subconscious voice inside of you saying ‘soul-sustenance is for weaky diddums – I don’t need all that woo-woo stuff – I’m tough’. Ten foot tall and bullet proof until you get an illness that forces you to realise how depleted you are. Or a divorce. If you are in a relationship do you ever ask yourself if you would like to live with yourself? When we are depleted we are often irritable and short-fuses get even shorter. We can become a bit of a fizzer on the fun front without even realising it.
Shit happens at inconvenient times
I would like to introduce another argument for soul-sustenance grazing – shit happens. And not just on Monday and after holidays.
2014 has delivered more grief to my life than any other year. As trying as this has been it’s given me some wonderful firsthand ‘experience’ what it is to live beyond my ego – or live ‘raw’ as I like to call it. From this place I couldn’t put on a brave face – I couldn’t even remember what that face feels like. I have had no choice but feel the tidal wave of sadness sweep me off my feet and grind me into the ocean floor, but I have also learnt that I don’t drown there – I do resurface and that I can trust that ebb and flow.
Nah nah nah-nah nah – can’t catch me
My relationship with sadness had been similar to a child with their hands clamped over their ears saying ‘la la la – I can’t hear you’ but instead of my hands over my ears I just stayed so busy that it had no time to catch up with me – I tried to outrun sadness. Rubbish plan!!! The universe put on a burst of speed and it caught me alright. Lucky for me. Ha? Lucky? Yep, lucky – because now I don’t have to keep running. What I didn’t realise was that I was also outrunning a whole lot of soul-sustenance (you thought I had gone off on a personal revelation tangent never to return again didn’t you?).
Precious about precious moments
So given shit happen (and grief is only one example), we can’t afford to be precious about what ‘fills us up’, we need to notice and treat anything that ‘fills us up’ as precious (isn’t that a funky little double meaning – maybe I’m the only one that gets a chuckle from that – my husband often says ‘crack yourself up why don’t you’).
Doctor and lawyer free-zone
Humans are fuelled by love – it burns much cleaner than fear. If you are not giving it to yourself and topping it up with a high quality supply from others then your engine will falter sooner or later. Everything is energy and gratitude, kindness and forgiveness are some of the most potent ‘brands’ of soul-sustenance so snacking on these everyday will keep the doctor away (and the lawyer).
Please share with your loved ones – shit could be happening to them right now and most probably is.