“The great malady of the twentieth century, implicated in all of our troubles and affecting us individually and socially, is ‘loss of soul.’ When soul is neglected, it doesn’t just go away; it appears symptomatically in obsessions, addictions, violence and loss of meaning.”
         – Thomas Moore

When I first began taking classes in Intuition Medicine at the Academy, I would often find myself in tears at the beginning of each meditation. An instruction given at the beginning of each meditation asks that we bring our attention into our intuitive center and greet our spiritual “soul”. This simple act of acknowledging my spiritual self had a profoundly moving effect upon me. For the first time in my adult life I was connecting to a part of my self that I had never before noticed or felt I was able to make contact with. I had given lip service to the body-mind-spirit philosophy for years, but until now, had not fully understood what it meant to be in relationship with my whole self. I was finally addressing my spiritual health and understanding the implications it has on my entire sense of well-being.

I notice that others also have experienced difficulty feeling connected to their spiritual self. It is an aspect of our being that is often more difficult to be aware of than our physical and mental selves. We can see and touch our body and our mind is always processing information and communicating with others even though we can’t physically see or touch it. Also our individual spiritual self often does not get recognized and nurtured in our Western culture.

Sometimes we are not even aware that our lack of connection to the spiritual is a problem. Certain emotional and psychological difficulties that get in the way of our happiness can be a result of this spiritual lack. When we don't have, or when we lose, the connection with our spiritual self, we can feel lost and ungrounded. Other symptoms can include:
• Feeling confused about our place in the world or purpose in life
• Feeling stuck in our daily activities and not able to step back and get a larger perspective on life
• Feeling socially isolated and alone
• Feeling hopeless and empty

These symptoms can lead to unhealthy behaviors and lifestyle choices.

With Intuition Medicine, I have learned how to acknowledge and improve my spiritual health – the health of my soul. It is not only a science of energy and intuition; it is a modality that opens the path to developing our unique spiritual presence on the earth.

[ Susie Laurenson-Shipley is a business executive, psychotherapist, Intuition Medicine practitioner and Academy faculty member. ]

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