Soul Power Part 5
June 12, 2025
Soul Power Part 5
Living in ego is our comfort zone. There we are in a familiar territory where we think we are safe, OK and happy. But deep inside, there is a nagging feeling that we are not doing what we want to do. So, we wonder what it would be like to finally lead our unled life, go to long-anticipated destinations, discover talents, understand mysteries, and explore relationships. Sadly, our obligations prevent these. Think of the millions who die without really having lived. They held the course; they followed the rules set out by their egos, the egos of others, and suffered, sometimes unaware of their pain and sometimes too aware of it.
As the noted historian and writer Joseph Campbell put it, the only way to satisfy that secret longing within our soul is to "follow your bliss." He added that few of us dare to follow that bliss because we have relied on the ego's course for decades. Nevertheless, only by disconnecting from our ego's control can we follow our bliss. As Dr. Seuss said, "And Oh, the Places You'll Go!"
In his classic 1988 video interview with journalist Bill Moyers, Joseph Campbell likened being in bliss to soul. He added that we are not without problems, sorrows and difficulties in bliss, but we are attuned to and aligned with our true nature. In that alignment, we have a greater capacity to understand and weather the storms. We are engaged with our consciousness and connected to all consciousness.
But in the state of ego, we are attached to its story. Every ego story, regardless of how glamorous, famous or infamous, is built around its fears and desires. And when its dreams crumble and its fears come true, the ego alone cannot heal these. Without opening up our souls, our lives are full of broken dreams, disillusionment and anxiety. But in soul, we are in touch with our true nature and purpose. We fly.
Our souls are tethered to the Divine and therefore have the essential property of trust. It trusts the universe to provide what is needed when we need it. The soul trusts that every encounter, every relationship and every circumstance is part of a much larger story that’s beyond our comprehension. It trusts its capability of expressing the qualities of the Divine in all ways at all times. The soul takes the leap of faith.
Campbell says that the mythical hero's journey is a journey of leaving our comfort zone (the ego) and trusting our bliss (our soul). We are heroes for following our bliss because we dispense with the ego which, up to now, we have counted on. Only with that surrender can we enter the mystery. Campbell says consciousness opens us to our bliss and makes us wonder why we hesitated to follow it.
Spiritual practice: Do you have a recollection of being in the bliss of your soul? If not, can you recall a time in your soul child years when you experienced bliss? If that works, does this trigger a memory of soul bliss in adulthood?
Self-inquiry: What steps would I have to take to follow my bliss?
Dear God,
Please help me dare to leave my comfort zone. Amen
