Handbook for the Soul
In the afterword, the editors inform us, should we be in doubt of the fact, that this is a compendium meant to be used and re-used. Indeed, for me, this book is one I have dipped into many times over the last 20 or so years and I have brought it with me as a vade mecum several times. They tell us that they hope even that the thoughts within may be debated with passion as well as pondered and reflected upon. They continue: "It is our wish that some of the thoughts, voices and wisdom in these pages may remain with you. Let these thoughts resonate in your mind and spirit. Play with them. Shape-shift them into your own experience." (Op.cit., p. 192)
This collection comprises 32 short essays and is divided into seven sections: (i) Soul in Everyday Life, (2) The Heart of Soul, (3) The Journey of Soul, (4) Rekindling Your Soul, (5) Lessons of the Soul, (6) Soul Communion and (7) A Return to Soul. These named sections will give you some idea of the range of this collection. The most appealing thing about this compendium is the fact that each essay is short and can be read in a half hour and reflected upon for a few minutes either after each paragraph or at the end of your reading. This latter might add a further 10 to 30 minutes to the time you spend on each chapter. Also, one might decide to read a chapter or a section of a chapter before your meditation session or even after it.
The range of expert writers and speakers is both impressive and comprehensive: from Ram Dass to Thomas Moore, from Bernie Siegel to Jon Kabat-Zinn or from Elisabeth Kubler-Ross to Stephen Levine, to mention several of the thirty or so writers.
For anyone interested in (i) psychotherapy, (ii) mental health issues in general, (iii) spirituality in any of its manifestations, (iv) creativity, (v) getting to know themselves at a deeper level, (vi) meditation or (vii) working with the soul at all levels this book is a "must read." As I've stated above this is a lovely book to carry with one when travelling as it is really good to dip into for spiritual sustenance at any time of the day or as a prelude to a meditation session.
This is a light read, so if you are only interested in psychology qua psychology or philosophical psychology you will be sadly disappointed by this book. As one who is an academic I like reading the heavier and weightier academic books in these disciplines: philosophy (especially philosophy of mind), psychology, philosophical psychology and so on, but I am also interested in the spiritual realm and in the realm of the soul. Where the more academic meets the more personal; where head meets heart; where the cerebral meets the affective; where the mind meets the soul; where surface meets depth; where ordinary meets extraordinary are complex mysteries beyond the ramifications of this wee post.
I liked the distinction one of the authors (Jon Kabat-Zinn) makes between the spiritual and the soul. The former he says connects the human essence with what is higher whereas an exploration of the soul connects us with what is really deep within us. I also loved his counterpointing mindlessness with mindfulness. The former obviously leads to fragmentation and fracture, pain and loss while the latter is about bringing together, uniting and creating. There is much wisdom packed into the pages within the covers of this wee book e.g., the skill of paying attention; learning to go deeper and to listen to self and others; the power of silence; the importance of connection with one another and the universe; the power of song and ritual; of gestures of love and compassion; the healing power of laughter; the healing of pain; the place of the unconscious; the presence of God amongst us and faith if one is a believer; breadth of perspective; the power of service to others and of volunteering, of giving back; the importance of intimacy; the place of solitude and meditation in life; the importance of reflecting on our lif experiences; the place of art, music, beauty, awe and wonder in the spiritual life; that we can decide to be happy if we will it; the effectiveness of keeping a journal; the importance of healing and forgiveness; the courage to take risks, to embrace challenges, that adversity leads to growth; that there is a higher power enlivening us; that life is a journey; the presence of drive to connectedness in everyone's life; the pain of separation; the power of heart and head working together; the sense of longing and desire, of living in the NOW; the importance cycle of the seasons; the central place of stories in our lives; the power of dream therapy; openness; the collective unconscious; the effectiveness of drumming; enthusiasm; harmony of doing and being; gardening; pottery; self; soul; mind; dark and light; music; poetry; dance; expansive vision; being a witness/observer of life; the importance of flow, and so on and on. As you can see, this is a most comprehensive read.
However, more than that, these short essays are the distillations of the living experiences of therapists and committed practitioners. Philosophy qua philosophy or theory qua theory (legitimate and logical speculation) are just that theory or speculation (no matter how logically presented) cut off, for the most part, from practice. There are those who not alone dispute the existence of the soul but also of the self. Needless to say these skeptics, even at times nihilists, won't be much convinced by this wee book. Obviously, these critics will also be "reductionists" of the phenomenon that humankind is. They prefer the "less" to the "more" that humanity can be. They prefer to live in the cerebral mind not the holistic mind. They certainly could never be therapists who quite evidently and clinically meet clients concerned about their souls or selves. It is hard for a clinician to deny what he experiences quite tangibly in his/her practice. For them it is so obviously absurd to deny either the soul or the self. [Questions that often cross my mind is: Is the Self the Soul? Is either the Mind?]
There is much in this small classic to encourage a flagging soul on his or her way through life. There is also much there for the more advanced pilgrim. Moreover, there is much there for more mainline psychiatrists and psychologists to ponder. Science has many answers but it certainly hasn't got a monopoly of all knowledge.
For anyone interested in (i) psychotherapy, (ii) mental health issues in general, (iii) spirituality in any of its manifestations, (iv) creativity, (v) getting to know themselves at a deeper level, (vi) meditation or (vii) working with the soul at all levels this book is a "must read." As I've stated above this is a lovely book to carry with one when travelling as it is really good to dip into for spiritual sustenance at any time of the day or as a prelude to a meditation session.
This is a light read, so if you are only interested in psychology qua psychology or philosophical psychology you will be sadly disappointed by this book. As one who is an academic I like reading the heavier and weightier academic books in these disciplines: philosophy (especially philosophy of mind), psychology, philosophical psychology and so on, but I am also interested in the spiritual realm and in the realm of the soul. Where the more academic meets the more personal; where head meets heart; where the cerebral meets the affective; where the mind meets the soul; where surface meets depth; where ordinary meets extraordinary are complex mysteries beyond the ramifications of this wee post.
I liked the distinction one of the authors (Jon Kabat-Zinn) makes between the spiritual and the soul. The former he says connects the human essence with what is higher whereas an exploration of the soul connects us with what is really deep within us. I also loved his counterpointing mindlessness with mindfulness. The former obviously leads to fragmentation and fracture, pain and loss while the latter is about bringing together, uniting and creating. There is much wisdom packed into the pages within the covers of this wee book e.g., the skill of paying attention; learning to go deeper and to listen to self and others; the power of silence; the importance of connection with one another and the universe; the power of song and ritual; of gestures of love and compassion; the healing power of laughter; the healing of pain; the place of the unconscious; the presence of God amongst us and faith if one is a believer; breadth of perspective; the power of service to others and of volunteering, of giving back; the importance of intimacy; the place of solitude and meditation in life; the importance of reflecting on our lif experiences; the place of art, music, beauty, awe and wonder in the spiritual life; that we can decide to be happy if we will it; the effectiveness of keeping a journal; the importance of healing and forgiveness; the courage to take risks, to embrace challenges, that adversity leads to growth; that there is a higher power enlivening us; that life is a journey; the presence of drive to connectedness in everyone's life; the pain of separation; the power of heart and head working together; the sense of longing and desire, of living in the NOW; the importance cycle of the seasons; the central place of stories in our lives; the power of dream therapy; openness; the collective unconscious; the effectiveness of drumming; enthusiasm; harmony of doing and being; gardening; pottery; self; soul; mind; dark and light; music; poetry; dance; expansive vision; being a witness/observer of life; the importance of flow, and so on and on. As you can see, this is a most comprehensive read.
However, more than that, these short essays are the distillations of the living experiences of therapists and committed practitioners. Philosophy qua philosophy or theory qua theory (legitimate and logical speculation) are just that theory or speculation (no matter how logically presented) cut off, for the most part, from practice. There are those who not alone dispute the existence of the soul but also of the self. Needless to say these skeptics, even at times nihilists, won't be much convinced by this wee book. Obviously, these critics will also be "reductionists" of the phenomenon that humankind is. They prefer the "less" to the "more" that humanity can be. They prefer to live in the cerebral mind not the holistic mind. They certainly could never be therapists who quite evidently and clinically meet clients concerned about their souls or selves. It is hard for a clinician to deny what he experiences quite tangibly in his/her practice. For them it is so obviously absurd to deny either the soul or the self. [Questions that often cross my mind is: Is the Self the Soul? Is either the Mind?]
There is much in this small classic to encourage a flagging soul on his or her way through life. There is also much there for the more advanced pilgrim. Moreover, there is much there for more mainline psychiatrists and psychologists to ponder. Science has many answers but it certainly hasn't got a monopoly of all knowledge.
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