Perhaps it’s the vastness of the ocean, the rhythmic ebb and flow of the waves or just grounding through the earth as you walk barefoot in the sand —it all speaks to something deeper, something soul-stirring.
S-E-O-L-A is an etymological term related to the old English word sawol, origin of the noun ‘soul’. Sawol is the ‘spiritual and emotional part of a person, animate existence’. In today’s Century Dictionary, the noun soul is defined as ‘A substantial entity believed to be that in each person which lives, feels, thinks and wills’.
Seola and its origin terms are sometimes said to mean originally ‘coming from or belonging to the sea’ because this was considered the stopping place of the soul before birth or after death (Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology). I also find that strangely poetic.
For some reason this stuck with me. Yoga is a practice of union, it brings us closer to our true inner essence, the soul. The only part of us that is eternal, blissful and divine. We enter a lifelong journey of uniting mind, body and spirit.
Through a consistent and continuous yoga practice we are able to see a clearer reflection of the true self, referred to as Puruṣa in the Yoga sutras, which is otherwise continually clouded and troubled by the external world. Within us all there exists a spiritual force that draws us towards particular thoughts, intentions and actions which are in harmony with our divine purpose.
Seola reminds me to pursue what brings me harmony, joy and peace. Be it through connecting with the sea, the ocean and nature or through my yoga practice, it feels like a homecoming. I hope this can be a little reminder for you to do more of what feeds your soul. BTW – not to be confused with the South Korean singer Seola! (Though our birth dates are exactly 2 weeks apart…)
Seola reminds me to pursue what brings me harmony, joy and peace. Be it through connecting with the sea, the ocean and nature or through my yoga practice, it feels like a homecoming. I hope this can be a little reminder for you to do more of what feeds your soul.
PS: Not to be confused with the South Korean singer Seola! (Though our birth dates are exactly 2 weeks apart…)
