Surviving Trauma to the Soul

I’m sitting here in front of a computer, wondering how to write about this sensitive and deeply personal experience—surviving trauma to the soul. There have been moments in my life when I felt a deep, burning sensation in my heart and body as if undergoing a metaphorical death. It wasn’t just emotional or psychological; it felt like my very essence was unravelling. At the time, I could only grasp the sheer depths of the pain.

These experiences were often triggered by external events, yet they felt as though they were meant for me. Unfortunately, in those moments, the pain was psychically unbearable and physically unmanageable. My heart ached, fragmented as if my identity itself was dissolving. Who was I? An existential identity crisis overtook me, stretching out over three months. The separation from God—or my higher self—became undeniable.  During one crisis, I walked away from God, but I blamed Him for abandoning me because the internal conflict was too great. The further, I walked away from my higher self, God the further I shattered. Looking back, the separation created a deeper wound, revealing that my very sense of self was intertwined with the divine and to me that was evidence God existed.

The Soul and Its Wounding

What does it mean when the soul is injured? My understanding is that the soul is inherently earthy, made up of both light and shadow—much like the yin-yang symbol, where opposites coexist and define each other. This means that when we encounter deep suffering, our souls absorb the impact, responding in ways that can feel like a kind of spiritual PTSD—a wounding at the deepest level of our being.

"Soul injury" is a deeply personal experience. For some, it may manifest as a loss of faith, going through a dark night of the soul, or facing a profound crisis of meaning. Others might relate it to the loss of a child or parent, or to the abuse we inflict upon ourselves or that others inflict upon us. At its core, soul trauma disrupts the very foundation of what it means to be human.

Fire transmutes what was never truly yours, helping you to embrace new beginnings.

Anima Mundi

I've spoken about the individual soul, but what about the world? Anima mundi (Latin), or world soul, refers to the soul of the world.  From primal eras, the world has been beguiled by good and evil, as written in scriptures, ancient myths, and folklore. There is no escaping the collective splitting that generates raw impulses, traumatising communities and cultural norms and values, potentially coining the term intergenerational trauma.

 Religion and science are primary culprits, particularly dogmatic religion, which has moulded the soul of humanity into an abyss that strives to be all-powerful while culturally undermining and creating subservient societies that embrace power and greed, resulting in wars and the abuse of the mind.

My understanding of God is that of a higher, pure energy that is universal and singular. This conception does not adhere to any specific meaning or dogma but instead seeks to be inclusive of various personal beliefs. Different cultures have often created God in their own image, possibly tainting the pure energy with dogmatic ideas about what God is or isn't.

We are witnessing an era where Anima mundi has accelerated its destruction against the heart of the world soul, leading to societal fragmentation, global fear, dehumanisation, collective violence, manipulation, and exploitation by world leaders. History has left a dent in the world soul, sinking deeper into an abyss. To heal, we must start with ourselves and project healing and compassion onto others to diminish the prominence of the “false world ego”.

Science and the Spiritual Dimension

For centuries, the existence of the soul has been deeply embedded in human experience and tradition. Even some scientific theories acknowledge a spiritual dimension to life. While mainstream science often avoids metaphysical claims, fields like consciousness studies, quantum physics, and neuroscience have explored ideas that resonate with the notion of a soul—suggesting that our existence may be more than just material.

Although science has advanced to acknowledge the existence of a soul, I believe modern technology has caused young minds to develop their brain connections in a way that neglects our instincts, the life force, and the three brains: the gut, the heart, and the brain. One way to access our soul—our authentic self—is by learning how to connect with all three of these brains.

The gut-brain connection is the first brain being formed in the womb. The ego or the sense of self is symbolically located in the gut – the solar plexus or the third chakra. Hence, the personality of the soul is also known as the “Seat of the Soul,” an energy centre of spiritual connections.

Finding Wholeness Again

If trauma to the soul represents an existential rupture or an attack on your mind and body, then healing must involve methods that resonate with you. I found reconnecting with God, my higher self, or the deeper truth of my identity. Through therapy, I discovered that confronting my shadow – the dark side and suffering- was an essential part of healing, allowing me to reconnect with my soul and creative energy, which no one can take from you.

A stronger sense of self emerged, cultivating an authentic way of being. This self-introspection was fundamental to finding wholeness, regardless of what I learned about myself.  Most importantly, it requires discovering your own path toward healing moving beyond societal norms to find authentic meaning.

These approaches to addressing soul injuries have been part of my journey, depending on the severity of the trauma. At times, I have withdrawn from daily activities to heal until I felt strong again. During those periods, a sense of renewal emerged: I developed a stronger sense of self, a calmer demeanour, and established healthier boundaries. The involuntary submission to the transformation process since it seemed life events pushed me to be in a “psychological crisis” to transcend the ego. These changes enabled me to grow and evolve as a person.

I’ve come to see that the soul, much like the yin and yang, is made to hold both light and darkness, creation and destruction. In surviving these moments, I have learned that suffering, though painful, is also an initiatory force, stripping away illusions and revealing what is real. Perhaps the path to wholeness is not in escaping pain, but in learning to integrate it—allowing it to refine us rather than define us.

Conclusion

Soul injury refers to a deep pain that affects our very essence, leading to both personal and global consequences that impact our minds, bodies, and communities. The soul is a fundamental aspect of humanity, representing a natural connection between the individual and the world, often referred to as Anima Mundi. We are interconnected with our surroundings, and how we treat ourselves and others reflects our projection of malevolence onto the world. This creates a division of good and evil within the layers of our internal and external existence.

I believe that ancient scriptures have evolved into dogmatic religions that manipulatively restrict our choices regarding how we view and connect with our higher selves. Conventional science and rapid technological advancement, along with orthodox religion, can lead many people to overlook their innate instincts and diminish their reliance on their creative minds, particularly the right hemisphere of the brain. Modern technology has advanced to such an extent that we have forgotten the primal instincts that can serve as an inner compass in our relationship with the external world. This inner compass is a powerful tool that protects and guides us, acting as a connection to our spiritual selves.

Healing the body and mind is a complex and delicate process, so it is important to find methods that resonate with you. Experimenting with different approaches or combinations of techniques—such as talking therapy alongside yoga to open the chakras and release body tension—can be effective.