Over the summer, my parents and I attended a Self-realization retreat in Philadelphia with about 3000 other participants. We met seekers of Truth from all over the United States and as far away as England, Germany, Mexico, Portugal, Brazil and India. We spent time together in prayer, chanting, listening to lectures on different topics related to spirituality as well as having an opportunity for question and answer sessions with the teachers.
One of the evenings was devoted to taking part in a traditional dance from India known as the garba. All of the chairs in one of the large hotel meeting rooms were pushed aside to make space. Hundreds of participants of all ages- toddlers, children, teenagers, adults and elders – as well as our teachers, joined in sharing in the pure joy of dance and music.
The retreat was held in a Marriot hotel in downtown Philadelphia. Yet I felt as if I was transported to India- wearing traditional Indian clothing, speaking in our native Indian language, and being treated to yummy Indian vegetarian food for breakfast, lunch and dinner with afternoon chai and Indian ice cream at night. ? What a life!
The highlight for me of this annual retreat is always the Gyan or Self-knowledge ceremony. Over the course of a few hours, with chanting and meditation, we receive an experience of deep connection with the True Self within. This indwelling space of Peace, Love and Joy is referred to as Pure Soul. Some of the chanting that is done includes the repetition of the following phrases:
I am Pure Soul. I am Pure Soul. I am Pure Soul.
I am infinite knowledge.
I am infinite vision.
I am infinite energy.
I am the abode of infinite bliss.
Chanting these phrases is powerful indeed. But it is impossible to describe in words the power and energy that is felt when these words are chanted with 3000 others. Seated in the hall, I felt as if I was listening to my voice join in unison with all others so we were One. One vision. One energy. One Pure Soul.
What is Pure Soul?
When I think of Pure Soul, I immediately feel that deep within each of us is a space of perfection, beauty, innocence and light that cannot be seen with the physical eyes but can be experienced with the inner spiritual vision. Connecting with this space- even if briefly- offers us a new way to understand ourselves and everyone else in our lives. It is an invitation to push a ‘reset’ button where we ‘whitewash’ everything with the light of love and forgiveness- so only Light, Love and Innocence remain.
The place of Pure Soul has nothing to do with our age, gender, ethnicity, skin color, sexual identity, profession, socioeconomic status or anything related to the personality self. It is not affected by anything we say or don’t say, do or don’t do. Or anything anyone else does or doesn’t do, says or doesn’t say. Pure Soul is the place within us that cannot be changed or distorted by anything external.
Can you imagine that right within us we have a storehouse of infinite energy, vision and bliss that can never be taken away and that we can access all the time, 24/7?
Forming a connection to the Pure Soul to me feels like having an anchor that grounds me in my life so I can face all sorts of emotional and physical challenges with greater equanimity. It is like having a sturdy lifeboat to hold onto even if we feel like we are being tossed here and there amidst the turbulent waters of the ocean.
Making a connection with science
As a physician and coach, I love to offer my clients different ways to connect to Pure Soul using example from medicine and science. So, if the words Pure Soul do not resonate for you, let me offer you a perspective from anatomy and quantum physics.
Take a look at your hand. Beneath the skin are superficial tissues which cover muscles which in turn cover the bones. Yet the bone too is composed of tissues and cells and ultimately atoms which contain smaller subatomic particles such as electrons and protons. At this level, we would find more space than actual physical matter. Physicists agree that atoms are actually about 99.99999999999999% space. So, our bodies and all physical objects are 99.9999999999999% space!
However, this space is not inert. It contains what Albert Einstein described as an invisible universal matrix of energy forces that collectively comprise the field.
To me this ‘field’ of energy is another way to refer to Pure Soul. I love it when science and spiritual traditions support each other!
How can we practice this in our day-to-day life?
Metaphysical statements and scientific theories do not really do us any good-unless they can be applied to our lives so we may experience peace of mind and overall greater health and well-being. Here are some simple ways you can practice this awareness of Pure Soul in your life:
- Begin the day repeating the phrases below.
I am Pure Soul. I am Pure Soul. I am Pure Soul.
I am infinite knowledge.
I am infinite vision.
I am infinite energy.
I am the abode of infinite bliss.
Take a moment to see what comes up in your awareness. It may seem like you are ‘just repeating’ a phrase but remind yourself that this is not some vain imagining but an actual description about your underlying Reality.
- When you interact with a friend, partner, child, parent, relative or colleague, or even with the bank teller or the barista at Starbucks, bring this awareness to mind. You can repeat silently to yourself:
I am Pure Soul. You are Pure Soul. We are Pure Soul.
- At the end of the day, reflect in your mind how often you could remember this awareness and how often you forgot. Forgive yourself for forgetting and make a sincere and determined decision to apply yourself again the next day.
- Repeat this phrase as you fall asleep.
I am Pure Soul. I am Pure Soul. I am Pure Soul.
Experiment with this practice for the next week and do write and let me know what you find.
What are the challenges to practicing this?
How was it helpful when you could apply this?
I would love to hear back and you can also post on the Coaching for Inner Peace Facebook page.
If you want to learn more about the retreat my parents and I attended, please click here.
