Old Souls in a Young Soul World

[Anonymous]

Could you provide a strategy to help old souls navigate a young soul world?

[stefan]

In my experience, young souls are focused on a functional, practial, factual-oriented perspective. They are interested on the know-how - what someone has to do for achieve a specific result. About such things you can best talk with them (and have access) - and learn from their experiences and expertise.

[John Roth]

Keep your eye on the context!

Old souls are pretty individualistic, and usually have no problems with an achievement orientation, as long as it's in moderation and keeps the social context in view. Young souls, unfortunately, tend to rip up the societal support structure while they're chasing the brass ring.

HTH

John Roth

[KarenH]

I think, though, that sometimes we do need that young soul energy.  I'm thinking of Florence Nightingale (who was channeled by the Yarbro group as being young souled), who majorly upset the medical establishment by introducing sanitary practices and statistical analysis to the medical profession, as well as increasing the status of nursing and women in that field.  That brought great strides to the field of medicine in general, not to mention saving lives.

And then there is Joan of Arc, a young priest.  What is mind-blowing to me is that this young woman--in an era where women most definitely did NOT have the freedoms or rights we do now, and were pretty much not more than chattel--almost single-handedly solidified the concept of nationalism (instead of tribalism, which had been prevalent in Europe until that time), as well as military strategy via the use of artillery, thereby actually decreasing the number of casualties during war, and pushing France toward a more cohesive group identity.  Plus giving women in the future a feminist role model.  :-D

(Yes, Joan was my role model when I was a child.  When people would tell me girls "don't do that," I'd look at them and say, "but what about Joan of Arc?" which effectively stymied them.)

So young souls do have their function, because society does need to be jolted and institutions even torn down from time to time to bring in fresh ideas and new growth.

--Karen H.

[Chiara DB]

Thanks for that, Karen! As you have shown, we have an incredible lot to thank young souls for. Yet they are continually denigrated by "wiser" souls, like the crazy aunt we keep locked in the attic because we don't want to admit we are related to her. Young souls freed us from the stifling grip of baby soul society, got us out of superstition and into science. That's all I need to hear to think they've done something freakin' awesome and to be grateful. We are at our most separate from the Tao as young souls, and that causes a lot of things we consider problems once we're past that stage and start thinking about how we're connected instead of how we're separate. But how were we supposed to know they were problems until we experienced them, and gained the perspective afterward? Let's welcome young souls back in the family fold

As for navigating a young soul world, I think old souls just have to find their own niche with other older souls and/or the arts and get their spiritual sustenance there.

[Lori]

Karen and Chiara, great posts!  That's a great way of looking at it.  I'd like to throw my two cents in.  When I get frustrated with people, I try to remember that I was once there too and just as I had to go through things in order to grow, so do they.  One of the things I have had to work through is allowing others to have their experiences and respecting where they are, which teaches me patience.  I think that has been a big one for me.  When I see the growth that others go through, afterwards, it is worth it.  It's like a weight being lifted off my shoulder, knowing that I helped them work through it.

[KarenH]

As for navigating a young soul world, I think old souls just have to find their own niche with other older souls and/or the arts and get their spiritual sustenance there.

I wonder--and I'm speaking only as a 7th level mature artisan--whether old souls might be just fine blending in one way or another, just as long as they don't get pulled in by younger souls' fears.  Fear is infectious, after all.  Kind of like how a mother or father might get agitated when their toddler or teen starts throwing a tantrum.  You know their fears are baseless or short-sighted, but you're frustrated/agitated nevertheless because you care.

From what I can perceive, old souls in general have the advantage of versatility and long-distance perspective because of all the things they've learned over their many lifetimes.  So, let's say you're an old warrior.  You've been through thousands of campaigns in your past lives, you know how to think through strategies, pull in the resources, and get things done.  You're like a seasoned master sergeant or chief bosun's mate.  :-D  You know how to lay down the law, and people will hop to it.

As an old soul, you know how to do it better than anyone else, and not only that, make people feel safe and secure when you do.  You're going to be sensitive about when to walk and talk quietly and when to barrel through in a no-nonsense way.

In a young-soul world--say, in business or entrepreneurial efforts--these are invaluable skills.  Maybe you don't want to be a corporate CEO (unless you like that kind of thing, which some old souls might with the appropriate overleaves).  But as a mid-level manager in a mid-sized company, you might end up being well-loved and respected by your younger souled employees and proteges.  In retirement, you might even go into small business counseling and advise younger souls how to succeed in their enterprises in wise and enlightened ways.

An old-soul warrior's long-distance perspective in a young soul economy would do a great deal of good in helping people keep companies going in a healthy, sustainable, and deeply practical way, thereby employing more people.

That would be a great way of "fitting in."

[Jon]

This is a great discussion that ended too early... Apologies for the necropost.

I worked within the industry of my major for 8 years, then spent about 7 years doing fun/weird things for a living, and went back to the old work again--typical office environment. I have an MBA but have no desire to manage others, not even if it would open an opportunity to be a mentor. Instead, I keep to myself, as it's a very quiet, individualistic job, and have good relationships with fellow co-workers, where we do fun things together on certain days, go out to lunch often, and it's fairly low stress. Which suits me just fine.

But, I do have a tendency where the Sage will demand to be heard, and basically on Facebook, etc, no one "gets me" at all, not even remotely. They don't get my jokes, the innuendos, nothing, which can be fairly lonely at times, like living for years in a foreign country without properly learning the language and customs.  It's not for lack of trying, just somewhat hopeless. LOL! However, I will say, an interesting effect is that soul ages seem to reveal themselves very quickly in social media. The baby souls will rally around each other. Oh, I have some friends from childhood who are in a baby enclave, and they just don't get my religious humor, which is not meant to offend, it's just, maybe too layered, and they see only the literal, not the figurative.

One really obvious solution is to break contact with people who tend to grate with you. Sad but necessary. Baby and young souls have powerful egos who are intolerant of any foreign idea that threatens the status quo. Whereas, swapping jokes or stories with a stranger or old friend who happens to be mature/old, AND who is manifesting it, AND in 4th IM (that's a pretty significant factor), you won't run into that blowback.

[Betty]

Like most of you, I think young souls have their place--in fact, every soul age has its place and function.  And, like you, I surely do appreciate all the technological and other inventions young souls have given us!  Even the TV shows are appreciated.  (well, except for the zombie craze, which I avoid at all costs)

As an old soul, I often feel out of place in our young-soul society, but I'm also very individualistic, so I'm okay with that.  As long as they don't try to force me to participate in their dramas and other scenarios, I'm fine.

I don't know whether it's from being an old soul, or just the physicality of this lifetime, but simply witnessing all the seemingly limitless energy of young souls makes me tired.