One of my favorite topics is the soul.
Your soul is your true essence. Your body is only a temporary expression of that soul. The soul continues far beyond the lifetime of the body, some would even say forever. When the body dies, the soul continues on, and the physical identity you carried in this life eventually fades away. This is an important idea to understand.
We are often taught that developing the body and the personality, our thoughts, emotions, and physical life, is everything. But from the perspective of the soul, this life is only one experience among many. The soul makes its own journey, and through that journey it allows us to experience separation so that we can learn from life in this world.
Seeing the Universe Differently
When you begin to understand this concept, you may start to see the universe differently. Much of human society operates through control and fear, but that is not how the universe itself functions. From a biological and natural perspective, love and peace are closer to the true norm.
However, when you add untested chemicals, constant conflict between egos, and the dualities created by human society, people begin to believe that struggle and conflict are the natural order of things. That perspective may describe how some social systems operate, but it does not necessarily help us understand the deeper nature of life or God.
Experience Over Belief
In a previous reflection, we discussed the idea of experience versus belief. You do not have to believe in something in order to experience it. Instead, you can learn to experience life directly. That experience can include peace, harmony, love, and connection.
The Body, the Soul, and the Energy Field
Your body and your soul work together through the energy field that surrounds you, often called the aura. In many traditions, this field is thought to carry the energetic pattern or template of your life. It is influenced by your genetics as well as your experiences. Within this energy field are centers sometimes referred to as chakras, which are believed to draw energy from the universe into the body.
When the body dies, many spiritual traditions suggest that the soul returns to a larger field of consciousness, what some call the mind of God. In that state, you may come to understand more fully who and what you truly are. In this view, the mind of God exists everywhere.
God Already Exists Within You
Some religious traditions teach that people must go through specific intermediaries or follow particular rules to reach heaven. The Star of Light philosophy suggests a different perspective: that God already exists within you, and that your soul is deeply connected to that divine energy.
Another way to look at it is that you are living within your soul, surrounded by its energy.
There are many fascinating discussions on this subject by thinkers and psychologists such as Carl Jung, as well as by modern researchers exploring consciousness. Listening to different perspectives can open the mind to new possibilities.
Energy, Consciousness, and the Star of Light Philosophy
One of the reasons the Star of Light philosophy exists is to explore these ideas about truth, energy, and the role of the soul in our lives. Many belief systems focus primarily on doctrine or ritual, but fewer explore spirituality through the lens of energy and consciousness.
In the Star of Light philosophy, the soul eventually merges again with universal consciousness. During life, however, it temporarily forgets that connection so that it can fully experience being human. Through these experiences, the soul learns. We often refer to these experiences as lessons.
Reconnecting With Natural Cycles
Traditional religions often focus on rules and rituals. Some of those traditions were shaped over time to guide societies and provide meaning for people’s lives. However, many rituals also reflect deeper connections to nature and the cycles of life.
Because we are beings who live on Earth, some of the most meaningful rituals are those that reconnect us with the natural world—the changing seasons, the cycles of the moon, and the movement of the stars. These observations form the basis of astronomy and were historically connected to astrology and ancient traditions that studied the rhythms of the universe.
By reconnecting with those natural cycles, we may better understand our place in the larger flow of life and the ongoing journey of the soul.
