The language of soul is meaning. Meaning helps us to see in the dark. It strengthens the will to live in us. Finding meaning does not require us to live differently. It requires us to see our souls differently. Soul is not just a human capacity, it is a human need. In ancient times illness was defined in terms of "soul loss," that is a loss of direction, meaning, purpose, mystery, and awe. To have meaning in our lives keeps us healthy. Meaning heals many things that are beyond cure. Meaning is a form of strength. It has the power to experience, to open the most difficult of work to the dimension of joy and gratitude. Few works of service can endure unless they are sustained by a lived sense of their meaning and purpose.
Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.