This was the third workshop in the series, “Archetypes of Spiritual Guidance”. The concept of this archetype resonates with me deeply. As a spiritual coach I have often considered the role that I play as being a midwife of the Soul as I assist in the birthing of the Soul experience with my clients; it seems to me that this archetype expands the concept. The role of the advocate is to tend and care for the Soul on its amazing journey. The most powerful teachings of the weekend for me concerned the four characteristics that Atum defined as the essence of this archetype.
1) The Reminder: to help you remember and reconnect when distraction or diversion had interfered with the journey.
2) The mirror or reflector: to help reflect soul qualities and affirm the power of the Soul when you are feeling lost.
3) The cultivator: guidance in terms of how to feed the Soul.
4) The Spiritual Warrior: to support the Soul having a voice while holding the centre.
Each of these attributes are relevant both personally and in terms of the work I do.
Personally I find the mirror or reflector and the reminder play similar roles. The reflector of Soul qualities also acts as a reminder. For example when I got home from the workshop a friend of mine shared an amazing Soul story where the Soul demonstrated its power through synchronicity and serendipity to manage an outcome. She became both a reflector of my own experience as well as a reminder to my soul. I keep a Soul Journal where I keep all my great Soul stories, and whenever I am feeling lost or disconnected my Soul Journal becomes both a reminder and a reflector.
It was about three years ago that I realized that devoting energy to feeding my soul is an essential part of the mind, body, and Soul balance in my life. Up until that time I thought it was enough to meditate regularly. (I have had a morning practice for twenty-years.) However I sensed that my Soul needed more so focus on sacred music, walking in nature and beauty, poetry, journaling, dance, even play became essential nutrients for the soul. So now I commit three segments of the day to my soul – morning meditation, afternoon walk and evening contemplation listening to sacred music, and reading or learning poetry.
The spiritual warrior is an aspect of the archetype that I treat with great deference. Anyone who shares the dominant elements of fire and air knows the danger when air blows on fire – spontaneous combustion followed by conflagration so my challenge is to use great discernment before following the warrior, it can all too easily become “messianic” as an ex-wife described my enthusiasm for a particular spiritual path.
In my work with clients I frequently find myself representing three of the four archetypes. The reminder often comes through the sharing of soul stories; I have been blessed by a wide variety soul experiences through dreams, synchronicity, serendipity and intuition and these represent a reminder of the soul’s great power in controlling events when we both set intention and pay intention.
As I listen to the client’s story I am often able to become the reflector and put the pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle. For example recently a client experienced a series of events over a six month period that resulted in her discovering her need to feed her Soul by spending time in the country overlooking a serene vista of fields, a farm and amazing flora and fauna. I was able to reflect the wonder of her amazing Soul journey: “ the recovery of a long lost e-mail connection, a song – “the answer will come on a blossom covered breeze”, the dream of the lost bag, followed by losing the bag, the dream of the visa, culminating in seeing the four blossom covered cherry trees cherry trees. Putting these experiences together like a puzzle enabled her to capture the awe and wonder her Soul’s journey.
Another aspect of this archetype that shows up in my Spiritual Coaching concerns cultivation of the Soul. An essential element of the work I do is to encourage clients to live a balanced life between mind, body, soul and spirit. This often introduces the concept of Soul Time. I encourage them to find activities that they consider feed the deeper aspect of who they are. I normally start by suggesting some form of meditation then begin a journey of exploring what feeds them at a deeper level. Each one has to find their own unique path and passion. Then my continuing role as advocate is to check in and see how they are doing. Normally the advocate is one who speaks on behalf of another who lacks the knowledge to speak for themselves however as a Soul Advocate I think my role is to remind them of that they already know through the tools of reflection and cultivation.
Posted by ta44 
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