The Simmonds Signal

Weekly insights for artists, writers, and storytellers to turn art into a fulfilling, sustainable career.

For most of my life, spirituality felt like an exclusive club I didn’t belong to.

People would talk about crystals, “raising vibrations,” or being “one with everything.”

They’d say spirituality is something “you just feel.”

To me, this always sounded vague, ungrounded, and, honestly, ridiculous.

The way people talked about spirituality didn’t inspire me—it pushed me further away from it.

It made me feel like it was only for people willing to leave logic and reason at the door.

But while under the influence of ayahuasca, I had my first true spiritual experience.

And it didn’t feel woo-woo at all. It felt real, clear, and grounded.

I realized that spirituality doesn’t have to clash with logic or truth. They actually work together.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated, alienated, or even repelled by the way people talk about spirituality, maybe this path will feel real to you too.

It’s not about abandoning your mind—it’s about opening it.

The Common Religious Idea of the Soul is Wrong

I’ve never bought into the common religious idea of the soul—that it’s some eternal spirit placed in your body, destined for an afterlife when you die.

To me, my soul isn’t something mystical floating inside of me.

My soul is simply me—the sum of my experiences, knowledge, and beliefs.

It’s everything that makes me who I am.

If I had the same physical body but lived completely different experiences, I’d have a completely different soul.

Think of it like those multiverse stories where every version of you is shaped by the choices they make and the life they lived.

When I die, I don’t believe my soul lives on in some literal, eternal sense.

But my spirit? That does live on—in the memories of the people I’ve touched. (More about this in a minute).

Your soul isn’t something you’re given—it’s something you build, moment by moment.

And the best way to nurture it is by creating space for it to grow.

How to Reconnect with Your Soul

Your soul is the essence of you—the sum of your experiences, memories, and truths. But life has a way of pulling you away from that essence.

When you go against what you know to be true—when your words or actions betray your inner beliefs—you chip away at your authenticity.

Like when a friend asks you to go out drinking but deep down you know you're better off writing a newsletter… and you say yes anyway.

When this happens, you start to feel disconnected from your true self, like you’ve lost a piece of your soul.

But the good news? The opposite is also true.

When your beliefs, words, and actions align, you feel whole.

Dr. Joe Dispenza calls this “brain and heart coherence" - alignment of body, mind, and soul.

It’s that sense of peace and connection you feel when you’re being your real, honest self.

For example, let’s say I value honesty.

If I lie to avoid being judged by my friends, I betray that belief.

It might seem small, but it creates a crack in my soul—a quiet unease I can’t ignore.

But if I choose honesty, even if it’s uncomfortable, I stay true to myself.

In that moment, I reclaim a part of me that was lost.

That’s how you strengthen and reconnect to your soul: one truthful choice at a time.

Spirits Aren't Ghosts—They’re Embodied Souls

A few years ago, my grandfather passed away.

But every holiday, we bring him back to life...

We tell stories about him, imitate his quirks, and even speak like he did.

In those moments, we’re embodying his spirit—it’s not spooky or supernatural; it’s us carrying forward who he was.

In other words, a soul acted out creates a spirit.

Nature has spirits, too, much like in ancient myths.

Think about a tree.

When you stand strong and steady like a tree, you’re embodying its spirit—its essence of resilience and stillness.

If you've had the pleasure of attending a few yoga classes you've probably heard them reference this idea.

The idea of spirits has been twisted by myths and “woo-woo” thinking into something mysterious, like invisible ghosts interacting with the world.

But in reality, spirits are just the essence of something or someone being carried on through us.

For example, when people do something selfless and kind, you might say they’re embodying the spirit of a saint or hero.

On the other hand, when someone commits a terrible act, it’s almost like they’ve taken on the spirit of something darker—what some might call a demon.

Spirits don’t float around—they live in us.

We keep them alive through our actions and memories.

They die only when no one is left to remember or embody them.

What I Believe Spirituality Is…

Spirituality is about living out ideals.

An ideal is a perfect state you aim for—something like truth, presence, or self-knowledge.

When your actions change because you’re striving toward an ideal, you’re practicing spirituality.

It’s really that simple.

Take presence as an example.

Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now, built his teachings around the ideal of being fully present in the moment.

No one can achieve that every second of every day—it’s impossible. But striving for it, even a little, changes how you live.

When you practice mindfulness to stay more present, you’re embodying the spiritual ideal of presence.

It’s not about perfection; it’s about pursuit.

And that effort is what makes all of us deeply spiritual.

Do you agree with my approach to spirituality? Or do you have a vastly different take?

-Taylin John Simmonds

PS. This is what the moments before a spiritual breakthrough actually look like.

No fancy meditation techniques. Just a man embracing the ideal of the coconut.