Written by: Erlinda Vo, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Soul care is very critical right now. We are in a powerful time where soul elevation is vital to help vibe up the planet. When one individual up-levels their soul, we help to elevate the whole planet. When we heighten our self-care and give it spiritual purpose, we contribute to the wellness of everything and everyone around us. This is why it is important to learn the difference between self-care and soul care.
The origins of the Self-care Movement
Self-care can be understood as a means of rewarding and preserving ourselves. It can manifest in the form of a carefully planned exercise routine, a healthy diet, a relaxing massage session, or even a mani-pedi in a luxurious spa. Nowadays, self-care is a mainstream brand that has transformed into an industry filled with hashtags and influencers promoting products and skin care habits as “the answer” to everything from physical ailments to emotional malaise.
Looking back to its origins, self-care was more about ownership and self-preservation than an instagrammable hashtag. In the 1960s, the medical idea of “taking care of oneself” started in psychiatric institutions where patients with little to no autonomy had to learn to care for themselves utilizing activities of daily living (ADLs) like grooming and eating regularly.
During the civil rights movement and after the women’s liberation movement, self-care became a radical political act of body ownership. Black female activists used it to promote self-preservation and agency over their health. Historically, women, no matter their race or socioeconomic status, were mistreated by doctors who underestimated their symptoms or even denied them access to certain procedures. The women’s movement used self-care to set boundaries and protect women.
In the 1980s, the idea of self-care collided with the wellness movement where people started to understand the importance of creating a good quality of life for themselves. Being healthy became more about feeling content and happy than being illness-free. Self-care was a critical part of that process: people started to engage in activities to nourish their physical, mental, and emotional health. Wellness and self-care gave the medical notion of health a holistic approach.
Since then, self-care has been a popular concept for over 70 years. It has become a mainstream concept and a luxury for most people. Meanwhile, spending three hours at the beauty salon leaves us looking good but does nothing for the soul which has been neglected. Self-care is about centering yourself (in the western world we do yoga and meditation), investing in relationships (paying for a membership to groups or following your favorite influencer), and lastly, prioritizing your mental well-being (therapy or energy healing).
We are in the middle of what I am calling a massive destructive group of consciousness called soul sickness. This is due to profound negligence on our behalf, in which we have ignored, suppressed, or eradicated parts of our soul over a long time. We have been completely distracted from our original soul's purpose for incarnating here. The implications of this soul sickness are more present in our current cultural and environmental climate. People are awakening to something they do not know how to navigate or embrace and can find themselves dislocated, lost, depressed, sad, anxious, or in tremendous resistance. I call these soul disturbances.
Self-care beyond the body: the Soul-care Movement
Caring for your Soul is a radical act too. It is about embracing our autonomy not only as physical beings but as incarnated souls. Soul-caring is a step toward taking ownership of who we are and what we can achieve. Imagine if we took care of our soul as we take care of our appearance. What amazing things could we achieve then? We are a soul, and therefore, we have a body.
Our character and autonomy on earth are certainly supported by our spiritual presence. This dimension of our existence is much more powerful than we can imagine, and because of this, it needs to be taken care of with immense love and gratitude.
Even if we use traditional methods to nourish our physical, mental, and emotional well-being, this underlying soul sickness is still there. This, in no way, should give us permission to ignore traditional practices of well-being. It means we include, embrace, and allow for new practices or modalities to arise.
By raising our frequency and nurturing our awareness we can protect our soul from these disturbances. Vibrating at a high frequency can help us transform our physical world as well, but most importantly, it will make us feel happy and fulfilled, aligning us with our purpose and allowing our soul to evolve.
Right now, we are at a critical juncture, taking care of your soul will be beneficial, not only for yourself, but a wonderful tool to help Vibing up the Planet.
Join the movement and discover how you can unlock your soul’s potential and take ownership of your journey!
Erlinda Vo, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Erlinda Vo, the Energy Alchemist, is a visionary leader. A leading expert in personal motivation and breakthrough technology. As an experienced business and success coach, aka an Energy Vibe coach, she has developed a new modality called "Energy Alchemy" — a tool to empower others to produce life-changing results and to live a life that lights them up. Her mission is to Vibe Up the Planet. Join her community today to actualize career, romantic, financial, and self-expression goals using business and spiritual techniques.
