4 Tools for Connecting to Your Soul

Along my journey I have come across many different tools and practices that have allowed me to understand myself a little more and ask different questions. One reason I turn to many different tools is because I see them as just that, tools. No one system or approach is complete, they are simply different perspectives that can challenge our assumptions and cause us to ask different questions that can help us dig deeper into our soul. The process of learning about oneself is a lifelong journey, one that will change as we grow and gather more information. We ultimately have free will, which means we choose from moment to moment how to progress on our path.

In my opinion, these tools can guide us to make choices, but we also must remain aware of the outcomes of those choices to shape how we continue to use these tools. Think of it like a grand experiment where we use information gleaned from these tools to form a hypothesis about ourselves, and then continue to experience life and test things out to evaluate the outcome. As we progress, we adjust our hypothesis based on the new information we discover. As I learned to broaden my perspective, I discovered that these tools aren’t predictive in nature, but rather expansive. I found they are able to guide me in the moment to assist me where I might need it, but ultimately I am empowered to direct the course of my experience. 

This article will outline 4 of those tools and explain what they are and how I use them in my own practice.

Astrology

Astrology is an ancient practice that studies celestial objects in the sky within our galaxy and tracks their movement to understand the energetic impacts of their alignments to each other and to the earth. Astrology originated in ancient Mesopotamia around the 2nd millennium BC. The earliest evidence suggests that astrology emerged alongside the science of astronomy and the development of different calendars. Many cultures used the stars to track time, determine when to plant crops, and learn how to navigate the earth. This study provided a window into the patterns that eventually proved that the earth and planets orbited around the sun in predictable ways. Astrology was tightly intertwined with Astronomy until the 17th and 18th centuries with the development of scientific methods which allowed for more rigorous “proof” of what was happening in the skies. Astrology began to be seen as more of an esoteric or occult practice because it was seen as more of a belief system than one that could provide empirical evidence.

I’ve seen some people take astrology so literally that they feel it is a predictive tool that can determine the course of their lives. There are many that use it to schedule meetings or events to get the ultimate result. Although I believe that there is an energetic influence at play, I feel it is a supporting actor rather than the lead role. The moment we give away our power to a tool someone might advise can predict our future, is the moment we lose the ability to create our life. Astrology is a general description of the energy at play that can influence us but not a strict encapsulation of our individual character. Descriptions are guidelines to identify tendencies and as we grow throughout our lives, we evolve and show more or less of these tendencies based on a number of other factors present in our lives.

The gift of astrology to me is that it is a great starting place for gaining a sense of self in general terms and asking certain questions that help us identify how we see ourselves. This can form the foundation of our energy and then allow us to understand how we navigate the world and interact with other energies. Astrology also helps us to understand cycles better. As the planets move through regular patterns, we can begin to learn more about our own cycles and how they impact how we develop over time. The energy of the planets are there to support us so understanding them can just help us to experiment more with how we like to move through life.

The Chani app is a great tool that shows you your chart and provides some basics and fun resources. A premium subscription gets you more in-depth information.

Tarot

Similar to Astrology, the tarot has always been looked upon as an occult tool with a lot of bad press. While some view them as a tool for divination or self-exploration, others see them as a form of entertainment or a trend. Growing up in a strict Catholic home, tarot was seen as evil because of the claim that it could divine information from unseen sources which went against the belief that only priests and those “worthy” could speak directly to God, and only the bible held the truth. There are also many misunderstandings related to various cards within traditional tarot decks, like the death card, where people take this symbology literally so it is feared and considered a bad omen. Once you actually learn what the cards are about, you come to realize that it is a representation of what is referred to as the Fool’s journey. Many of you may have heard of the Hero’s journey in modern times, which is a widely recognized archetype in mythology and storytelling encompassing a common pattern of development that involves a hero's departure, trials, and triumphant return. This pattern can also be seen in ancient Mesopotamian mythology in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Tarot simply takes this pattern and provides a tool for helping us to identify where we are within this journey and give insight for moving forward.

Today there are many different variations of tarot, or in general terms, oracle decks. The word oracle originates from the Latin word "oraculum," which means both a prophecy and the place where it was given and comes from the verb "ōrāre," meaning "to speak" or "to pray," reflecting the idea of divine communication. I personally use both traditional tarot and various oracle decks to connect with my higher self for guidance. With the amount of distractions and chaos that surround us every day, it can be difficult to calm the mind enough to really connect with the unconscious or higher self. I find my oracle cards a really helpful tool when I feel I need some assistance to connect with my intuition and gain better insight into my current experience. Oftentimes I simply ask the question “what do I need to know right now?”. Then when I shuffle my deck (or use multiple decks) and pull cards, I am able to see the patterns of the information.

As I have practiced working with the various decks I own, I have started to focus more on the imagery in the cards rather than reading directly from the general interpretation available with the books that accompany each deck. This allows me to see what my unconscious is trying to show me because the unconscious tends to communicate more in imagery and subtle energy. As I listen to my intuition and pay attention to the words or thoughts that enter my mind when I see a card, I begin to soften and relax to better hear the wisdom of my soul.

Angel is a great tarot reader that I follow. Her general readings provide 3 options so you can practice using your intuition, pick a pile, and see if it resonates with you in any way.

Numerology

Similar to Astrology, Numerology is a practice that uses numbers and their associated energetic symbology to understand one’s general character. The system uses the exact date of birth, along with the birth name to establish a general life path, soul urge, personality and chart of numbers that helps form a foundation for general understanding of oneself. Some systems also believe the numbers can be used to understand karmic lessons for the current lifetime as well as a blueprint for the general energy present throughout one’s life as you progress through the cycle of life denoted as youth, power (maturity) and wisdom (old age). Most systems are based on the work of Pythagoras, a famous and influential Greek philosopher and mathematician.

Numerology sees each single digit number from 1 to 9 as having a unique energy signature representative of a cycle from beginning to end. The meaning changes slightly based on the context, whether you are speaking of the life path or looking at a yearly cycle. These energies are generalities that are still influenced by free will but can be used to understand personality and the energy present at the time of birth. This energy influences an individual’s life and can help to guide decisions on how to use the energy present to move through the natural monthly and yearly cycles present throughout one's life.

Human Design

Human design is a system developed by Alan (Robert) Krakower, known as Ra Uru Hu, who channeled this very complex system which uses many different traditional and modern systems. The system combines astrology, both eastern and western, the Hindu-Brahmin Chakra system, the Zohar or Kabbalah, and the I’Ching. 

Human Design uses your birth data to calculate your design chart, or Bodygraph, which determines your Type and Definition, the key components of the system. This information gives a general understanding of how energy moves through your body’s main centers (which act like a vortex or chakra) and channels (which act like meridians or lay lines). 

The energy flows along channels and interacts with centers through gates. Each of these gates holds a unique energy signature that represents a gift or innate trait. By studying these gifts, we can get a better understanding of how we can apply these strengths to our work and life and gain a different perspective for how they show up and how we can see them in a supportive context. We often sense our strengths but it can be helpful to really dive deep into their meaning to understand better how to leverage them and accept them as a unique part of our design.

For me, Human Design has helped me to appreciate the differences in each individual and accept it is OK for me to see the world the way I do. I have gained a greater appreciation for the fact some people just aren’t designed to see the world as I do and that’s just fine. I have more compassion for those designed for a different purpose and there is a beautiful complement in that. It can be difficult to see ourselves the way others see us so the Human Design system can help us to embrace the power in our unique design and give us confidence in those gifts we have to share with the world. It can also reveal those blind spots we have where we have grown to accept other people’s interpretation of who we are and how we show up in the world based on their own wounds or insecurities.

This site allows you to generate a Human Design Chart. It is highly complex but gives you a sense of the information provided. Soulwise offers support in reading your chart and understanding the basics of the key elements.

Using these tools

So what does it all mean? There are tools available that can help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your own uniqueness. If you are searching for a way to embrace your power, or connect more deeply to your soul, these tools really can provide a great starting point. You may resonate with some or all of these tools or you may just be a bit curious. If you want to learn more, go ahead and dig deeper. If you want some guidance on your path, feel free to reach out and book a free consultation to see if I might be a good fit to assist you on your journey of discovery.