With noise and hurry and the rush and the distraction of every human being, there is something almost too small to hear in every human person, a faint voice that does not scream, does not insist, and yet has the power of a thousandth power. This being, which is commonly known as the soul, does not speak, rather it speaks by emotions, hunch, and a sense of knowing. Its cry is dumb, yet incessant. It is time-free, culture-free and circumstance-free. It is common, but highly individual. It is a call of the soul–the call that directs and shocks and rises up and changes.

The notion of the soul has been developed over centuries, philosophies, and spiritual traditions. Others consider it to be a soul of a person, the unchangeable center that lives outside the physical body. Some interpret it as a symbol of awareness, self-identity or inner reality. No matter the interpretation, the concept is the same, we have something inside us that needs to be aligned, has to be meaningful, and has to be real. And it is this something that calls out to us–not with a bang, but with a bang.

The mute speech of the soul is so frequently commenced by a sense of disquiet. It can emerge when life seems to be successful on the outside, but empty on the inside. An individual can be secure in their occupation, relationships and material comfort, but experience a general discontent they cannot name. This dissonance does not always mean that their life is bad, but a cue, a nudge in the right direction that something more is not being done. The soul in its silent manner is seeking attention.

The call of the soul is soft and can be disregarded unlike external pressures, which are usually definite and immediate. It is not associated with time limits or immediate consequences that can be seen. Rather, it is expressed as interest, desire, even discomfort. It can be the nagging notion that there is something greater one should do or the long-term need to do something different. It can manifest itself in the form of discomfort in taking a route that does not seem to be genuine. These are no mere signals, they are invitations.

But listening is not conducive to modern life, is it? The rhythm of everyday life, the impact of social norms and the daily flood of information make it hard to find a place where no one speaks. Human beings are usually urged to strive in productivity, achievement, and outside confirmation. The inner voice is lost in such a situation. The greater the adjustment to the demands of the outside world, the greater the loss of the sense of the inner directions.

But the call that is silent does not fade away. It waits. It adapts. It can even become more powerful with discomfort, in the form of burnout, anxiety, feelings of being lost. These experiences are usually perceived as negative, but can act as triggers to introspection. They break the illusion of certainty and make people address some deeper questions: Who am I? And what is it I really want? What is the meaning of my life?

It takes bravery to respond to these questions. Hearing the soul can be difficult to hear because it requires hearing what is not known, going down the wrong road, or hearing things that are not comfortable. It can include the abandonment of identities that may no longer be helpful to us, although they might have given us security previously. This can be a disturbing process since it involves entering the unknown. But it is also immensely liberating.

The path of the soul is not straight. It is not a prescribed direction, nor does it promise an immediate understanding. Rather, it develops over time, in the form of revelations and intervals of skepticism. It involves waiting and sitting with uncertainty. Reflection, solitude, and mindfulness are some of the practices that can be used to provide a space where the inner voice can be heard. As soon as the outer noise is diminished, at least in the slightest, the delicate indications of the soul become more noticeable.

Pure light and infinite love be with us!