Awakening the Eternal: A Journey Beyond Distraction to the Essence of the Soul

"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are." - Carl Jung

I was walking yesterday across the Elisabeth Bridge from the Buda side to the Pest side in Budapest, as always, immersed in my thoughts—a mix of to-dos, projections of the future, and recollections of moments from the past. At the end of the bridge, I noticed a new, large advertising poster with a simple slogan installed on the facade of the church there. It was a message for everyone, whether by car or on foot, to read and perhaps internalize. The slogan, in Hungarian, read “A LELKET KI NE OLTSáTOK!” Curious about its meaning, I used my phone's translator:

“DO NOT EXTINGUISH THE SOUL!”

Okay, interesting. At that moment, many thoughts began to emerge within me, trying to make sense of this advice. The many 'mes' inside me started to offer answers, each with a different voice. The me raised with a Christian Catholic upbringing provided a pattern of answers; the professional in me, with experience in marketing and communication, offered strategic answers; the part of me involved in life coaching gave life-meaningful answers, and so on. But many deep questions remain: Is it possible to extinguish the soul? What is the soul, and does it exist?

Let's try to explore some answers with this article.

What is the soul, and does it exist?

In my book, “IO - How to Win at the Game of Life,” I consider the soul to be the emergent unit of consciousness within us, our physical body. It acts as a gateway from one side to the physical world and, on the other, to the global consciousness, the projection of the source, the spirit, or whatever term we choose to use. From my personal, subjective interpretation of reality, I can affirmatively say, “Yes,” I experience the existence of being, which means the soul exists. It changes in quality over time, as the playground where we interact is based on space and time. And this quality is based on the shape of our awareness, defining how we interpret the world around us.

"The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts." - Marcus Aurelius

But is it possible to “extinguish” the soul?

My answer is “Yes and No.” It all depends on the quality of our awareness and the essence of the soul. The soul, as a unit of consciousness and part of the collective consciousness existing beyond time and space, cannot be extinguished because it has no beginning and no end. However, “Yes,” if the shape of our awareness is so distorted by distractions and driven by external physical reality rather than our internal being, the flame of the soul can be in peril of vanishing amidst the playground. We would then become merely biological machines lost on Earth without meaning, not fulfilling our mission here, which is to expand the awareness of the collective being.

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Be who you really are, be you, moment by moment.

To conclude this analysis of the advertisement, the message likely aims to make people think. In today's world, brimming with distractions from the more fundamental elements of our existence, I wish for all of us—and especially for you, who have invested time and awareness in interacting with these words—a wonderful journey into the now. Be who you really are, be you, moment by moment.

Enjoy.

"The free soul is rare, but you know it when you see it - basically because you feel good, very good, when you are near or with them." - Charles Bukowski

PS: I dedicate this article to all of You who have enriched my journey, allowing me to embrace the amazing experience of life.

BOOKS:

1. "The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself" by Michael A. Singer - Exploring the nature of consciousness and personal freedom through self-exploration.
2. "Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life" by Thomas Moore - Insights into nurturing the soul through daily life experiences and challenges.
3. "Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche" by Bill Plotkin - A nature-based approach to soul exploration and self-discovery, emphasizing the role of wilderness.
4. "The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have" by Mark Nepo - A daily meditational book offering insights and practices for soulful living and present moment awareness.
5. "The Seat of the Soul" by Gary Zukav - Discusses the concept of the soul, its evolution, and its impact on emotional healing and spiritual growth.
6. "Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom" by John O'Donohue - Draws from Celtic spiritual traditions to explore the concept of soul-friendship and its transformative power.
7. "Soul Without Shame: A Guide to Liberating Yourself from the Judge Within" by Byron Brown - Examines the inner critic and offers a path to freedom from self-judgment and alignment with the soul.
8. "Dark Night of the Soul" by St. John of the Cross - A classic of Christian mysticism that explores the deep, painful experiences leading to union with God and understanding of the soul.
9. "IO - How to Win at the Game of Life" by Luigino Bottega - This book proposes an understanding of the soul as an emergent unit of consciousness and explores the integration of the soul with physical existence and global consciousness.

www.winthegame.life

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