What does it mean to embody the soul? The definition of embody as given in the Oxford Dictionary is, (1) a clothing of the spirit, and (2) an expression of form through ideas and through tangible actions. To truly embody the soul in its fullness we need to honor the
pneuma, or the very breath of the spirit that is clothed with the robe of this body. We need to take delight in our soul’s life experiences, both the dark and the light, allowing the mind and heart to wander through its own magnificence and its own sorrow. And we need to allow the transformation or sanctification of all these experiences so they may become peace-filled and spirit inspired expressions and actions in the world. In this way, we will begin to walk, fully embodied, on this earth.
Trauma and fear are the two greatest obstacles to becoming fully embodied. Traumatic events, which we all experience to varying degrees, embed fear deep within our souls and it is a painful descent to come face to face with them. By meeting these experiences with the power and strength of love however, it allows them to lie down much more gently. Resistances slowly recede, love within the soul is recognized once more, and the innate tenderness that we share with the Divine Mother and Father can soothe the soul back into its loving existence. The past can be gently let go and we can begin to inhabit the body,
and the soul, without fear.
Teresa of Avila, the great Spanish mystic, knew the world of fear and anxiety intimately. She lost her mother at a young age, she questioned her mental health and inner guidance in times of extreme anguish and duress, and the Spanish inquisition were pouring over her writings with her accusers determined she was influenced by the devil. However, she also came to understand that her fear and anxiety were the result of an on-going purification and cleansing, preparing her for the home coming and unity of her soul, or as she wrote,
“It is all a union of love with Love.” She understood the need for the soul to return again and again to its original place of love, and it was her deep relating and companionship with Mother Mary, and her divine lover, Jesus, that showed her the way.
Teresa was also greatly indebted to her friends and companions who offered her physical, emotional and spiritual support. She wrote,
“It is an important thing that while we are living and are human we have human support.” Community was of great importance to Teresa, and in reforming both the male and female Carmelite Order, she created seventeen new monasteries, all of which are still in existence today! Clearly, she created them with a very firm foundation – with the practicality of this physical existence and the spiritual cornerstone of love. She was both a successful fund-raiser and a mystic with a visionary love. Today, we are all called to this same union and activation of our deep inner mystic with the practical and tangible reality of form and action in our world. What is it that you are called to embody? What action is thirsting to be fed by the transforming spirit of love? Where does your soul lie? These are all questions that we need to sit in the infinite silence with, placing aside our own thoughts and wishes, and opening the soul to hear the sweet whispers of our God of love. Teresa tells us how best to do this.
“I sat down under the shadow of Him whom I desired and His fruit was sweet to my taste.” (Song of Songs 2:3) Teresa believed that we could save all our effort by sitting beneath the tree of divine love; it is here that we are given inspirations to act on, or to sit quietly with. And if they are divine in origin, or coming from our
pneuma, then we can be confident that their fruition is guaranteed, but in their own time. We need not think them out or strive for them -
“there’s no need to move the hand or raise it” – for the Beloved has already picked the fruit, cooked it, and even chewed it for us. In this way,
“His fruit is sweet to our taste,” and there is no effort on our part. All we need to do is allow our souls to come into the sweetness of repose, turning our inspirations into actions at the required time, and not a moment sooner. As Teresa would pray, show me What, show me How, and show me When. Our souls seem to have such trouble with the latter When, but herein lies the awakening of spiritual maturity, knowing that the spirit will act in accordance with the timing of perfection or wholeness. If we acted sooner, it would be from a place of impatience, willfulness, and ultimately from a lack of faith and humility in the divine word becoming manifested and embodied on this earth.
This journey requires of us an expansiveness of spirit and mind, as we are given, at every moment, the opportunity to walk through the mind and soul of God. This is the “infinite capacity” that Teresa spoke of when describing the soul; there is no limit to what we can become. And in this becoming we must learn to bow low enough and long enough, surrendering ourselves to the command of love at every turn of our lives. We are here to serve not ourselves, nor even others, but we are here to serve love. In this service to love we will come to embody our souls, and in so doing, will encourage others to do the same. Embodying the soul means to ultimately embody love. This is the mission for us all – to bring this love in a tangible way, through our thinking, speaking and acting, to live and grow on this earth. May we all join in creating this inner and outer robe of love, drawing from the wisdom of those who have walked this earth before us, knowing they have faced their fears and come back into love, again and again, and so can we.
Meditation:
Come into your place of quiet and sit beneath the tree of divine love. Breathe, and lean against its solid trunk, letting it completely support you. Let yourself melt into this support, coming into a sweet repose and gentle rest. Open your soul to the sweet whispers of love and embody the grace you are given.
MEGAN DON, from New Zealand, is the author of
Falling Into The Arms of God: Meditations with Teresa of Avila, which won a $10,000 Award in the Mind, Body, Spirit Genre in 2006. Megan is a spiritual counselor and retreat presenter, teaching at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, and Unity and Episcopal Churches throughout the United States. She lives on the East Coast of the US and is currently writing her next book on Clare of Assisi.
Please see her website
www.mysticpeace.com for workshop and telephone consultation information.
To be added to her Mystic Newsletter list please email:
teresaretreats@yahoo.com.
