Stardust to Soul: The Science & Spirit of Who We Are

In this deeply reflective episode, we explore healing, consciousness, miracles, and the soul. Through personal insight, science, psychology, and spiritual reflection, we look at how awareness, compassion, belief, and the human spirit shape healing and transformation. At its heart, this episode asks us to consider that miracles may be far more natural to who we are than we realize. After all, our very existence is a miracle.

Transcript

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Welcome to episode 19. Stardust to Soul, the science and spirit of who we are. Why am I talking about miracles in a podcast focused on healing, trauma, grief, and even physical illness? Because miracles may be one of the clearest windows into the deeper part of ourselves. They are one of the most powerful ways that reveal to us that we are more than stardust and sea. We all know in our hearts that something within us engages in healing, transformation, and the extraordinary. There exists the consciousness that goes beyond the realm of biology, establishing a connection with our subconscious, healing, and placebo effect, and the individual experiences of the soul and spirit. Awareness itself plays a major role in this dynamic. And this is where science approaches the edge of the mystery. In fact, science fiction stories often reveal what is happening behind the scenes or right under our noses, though we may not see it, or in some cases may refuse to acknowledge it. So with that said, I will start today with this. It's from a blog I wrote years ago titled Into the Abyssal Realm in Search of the Soul. Diving into the depths where oxygen is scarce and pressure is immense, I'm exploring what might make humanity worth saving in the face of an alien being intent on our destruction. This alien is determined to annihilate us and all evidence of our existence, because we have become a deadly contagious virus that is suddenly invading their world that exists in a different dimension, one that we have unwittingly entered into with our insatiable curiosity. Many popular science fiction stories share similar themes. For example, the 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still delivered a powerful message about the need for humanity to change its self-destructive behaviors. Have we listened to this warning and altered our roaring waves? I think not. So do we deserve any more chances? I am wondering why we would even want to save ourselves sometimes. Beyond our primal drive to survive, what compels us to fight back only to prolong our existence in a world filled with so many horrors? Why? From my observations through my long life, most people don't truly see or want to acknowledge these horrific issues unless they are directly in their path. You know, those dreadful realities like drought, starvation, plague, or warfare with this relentless bombing, obliterating any semblance of human decency, kind of things that seem far removed, depending on where you are at the moment. While some people endure nightmares far away, others continue with their lives. They pursue an education, get married, raise families, buy homes, hold good paying jobs, own two cars, take yearly vacations, and build investments and savings. They secure health insurance and hopefully plan for retirement. What's truly astonishing though is how some people can seem so unfazed and unsympathetic. I understand it's happening far away, and they tell themselves that nothing like this occurs in their corner of the world. But then out of nowhere, six tornadoes sweep through your small town, uprooting your trees and turning your hard earned home into a pile of splitgered wood. We all engage in the denial of impermanence, of our mortality. It's always about them rather than us, or if it involves them, then it certainly excludes us. In trying to understand the magnitude of these serious life issues, some individuals may come to believe that these dilemmas are constructed by the media or politicians, aided by extremely wealthy corporations that profit from their fear. You might wonder why I'm bringing up the most negative aspects of our lives on earth. What does this have to do with our souls? How does this darker side of life influence our healing from trauma and grief and assist us in achieving prosperity and living a fulfilling life? The nature of our existence is fragile, hit or miss, like Russian roulette or random acts of violence that leave no survivors. There are countless ways we can suffer and lose everything, including life or limb. It's only a matter of time before your cozy Sunday dinner of pot roasts with mom and dad could disappear forever in a merciless carrot ranch. And yet, despite it all, human beings continue to live life to its fullest, make love, have babies, protect children, comfort strangers, and seek meaning. This is what truly matters. The long held belief in a soul and an afterlife appears to provide answers to many of our deepest concerns, doesn't it? Our earliest hominin ancestors embraced their experiences of the soul, a higher power, and an afterlife. The physical traces left by early humans, carved figures, painted cave walls, carefully arranged burials, offer some of the most compelling clues we have. These artifacts point to a spiritual life that was deeply intertwined with nature, fertility, death, and the mysterious forces that governed daily survival. These beliefs greatly helped to alleviate feelings of hopelessness, just as it does today for modern humans. Now back to the abyss, a world of crushing pressures, no light, and freezing temperatures. A nihilist leaning, late nineteenth century German philosopher Frederick Nietzsche once quoted Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process they do not become the monster. And if you gaze long enough into the abyss, the abyss will gaze back at you. For Nietzsche, there was no objective order in the world except what we give it. At this extreme, all values are baseless and reason is impotent. Ugh. I am not a nihilist by any degree, but I do tend to travel to the depths for answers, to only find more questions. Until I set aside my ego to communicate with my soul and my higher power. We are made of stardust and carry our ocean within us, but this is only the temporary body of what and who we are. The familiar proverb, we do not live by bread alone, means we need to feed our immortal souls. Humans need more than basic necessities or the riches of a king to keep us biologically alive. We require things that nourish us mentally, spiritually, and aesthetically, and we need things that give our lives meaning. I think this might just be what makes us stand out among all earthbound creatures. Oops, I'll tread lightly here. There are many non human beings that can feel, perceive, care, love, protect, and serve their communities. They have meaning. They know sorrow, grief, and fear, but I have not yet seen any of the documentaries on wildlife living in the sea, air, or land that show them practicing belief in a higher power or a life hereafter, like we do. I think they are so in touch with their souls that they don't need religion, prayers, or images of God. Would this be our saving grace to be one with our soul, to always have awareness of this part of us, the connection to our Maker? The soul is believed to be immortal, right? To me that points us in the right direction. Let us invest in the future of our immortal souls by all means. Rumi practically needs no introduction. His presence is all over the internet, or stumbled upon during attempts to heal ourselves. Rumi was a thirteenth century Persian scholar, theologian, mystic, and poet who composed the following Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing, there's a field. I'll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase each other doesn't make any sense. I feel much better now. It's so warm and cozy when I stop battling with my ego or someone else's ego. Yes, when I release the need to ask and only rely upon the field, the graphs, it frees my soul. These days I imagine many of us are mourning the loss of a normal life and public civility, both of which feel like they might be lost for good. But then there is always the angels. A good old fashioned battle of angels, nothing less. So maybe all is not lost. So we dive deep and ended up with this life is a tenuous existence and that we must rely upon all aspects of ourselves to navigate it, not only to survive but thrive. Ah yes, science. Well, science can be quite amusing. Grants are often allocated in a clinical manner, favoring those who already establish what they deem as factual before they even begin their search for a deeper truth. But modern science is beginning to examine how belief, expectation, consciousness, and emotional states affect the body through stress hormones, immune responses, neuroplasticity, and the placebo effect. Healing is not merely mechanical, it is intimately connected to our consciousness and meaning. I believe that everyone knows their own reality. What you want, what you hope for is possible. Otherwise, you would stop looking. For those listening to this podcast right now, I encourage you to check out or revisit episodes 1 through 17. With the insights and steps to take, I offer you a chance to fearlessly explore your inner self and free yourself from trauma and its negative effects. It's with more understanding that will provide you with all you need to open up to new possibilities. Understanding involves knowing the science behind the body, mind, and psyche, while also recognizing that the soul is just as real. Most feel, sense, know, and believe they have a soul. It is here that I stand my ground with mind over matter. What we believe becomes our reality. What we believe is our reality. What more can we do but practice faith through our personal experiences? We have all been in contact with our soul, our higher power, our angels, and our belief serves a purpose. It reveals to us that throughout time, there has been an intelligence that has guided us, that we have communicated with, that we taught our children about. And it's more than just survival on earth, it's about our moral compass, our community, our compassion, our care for others, our love for nature and ourselves. After all I have experienced in my life, loss, healing, unexpected moments of grace, and transformations I cannot fully explain. I no longer see us as merely biological accidents. However, maintaining this awareness is not always easy. Human beings are still driven by instinct. Many of our behaviors, reactions, fears, and impulses are hardwired for survival. Responses like fight or flight, social grouping, reproduction, fear, and attachment often operate beneath our conscious awareness. We possess something extraordinary, the ability to become aware of ourselves, to reflect, to choose, to override destructive patterns, and create meaning beyond survival. So the more you understand the science of us, the more conscious you become, and the better you can manage the drama, fear, trauma, and distractions that pull you away from what you truly want. And perhaps our merely fixing the problem or removing symptoms is not as important as our journey towards self-awareness, of understanding, accepting, and integrating all parts of oneself. Perhaps this is what healing truly is. Join me next time for episode 20, When Consciousness Meets Miracles and Why This Matters to Us. I invite you to follow the HeartLady Podcast so you don't miss any episodes. And please send me a message, text, or email, and leave a review or rating on the podcast hosting site where you listened. I'm very interested in having your thoughts and ideas about the subject matter of my podcasts. Please share the Heart Lady Podcast with people you care about if you believe they would enjoy and benefit from the information I share. To learn more about the power of our thoughts and the science behind them, visit our website, the Heartlady Podcast.com. Goodbye for now, and remember, at the heart of the matter, thoughts shape our reality.