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I was thinking about soul. what is soul? a jazz or blues musician speaks of certain music as having soul. some music is catergorized as soul music. recently I walked into a room and felt that it had soul. pieces of art can have soul. some people or perhaps most people in certain circumstances are soulful. what is it that makes these things soulful? why do they connect with people at deep levels? Is it the connection to our common humanness? do these art forms and expressions resound in our personal experience of life? I was thinking that it is soulful because it tells a story somehow. A very human and earthy story. It is common to all, yet as one communicates this story, in art or space or music, it is unique somehow. It seems to me it is the authentic gripping of reality, whatever that may mean -good and bad, and being present in the moment enough and having enough guts to share it with others somehow, which makes something soulful. maybe we can somehow sense this authentic gripping of reality in the present moment, which is why soulful things and people are attractvie. Just my thoughts- I'd be interested to see what others might think about this.
-Joel

Tags: attractive, soul, soulful

9 Comments

Scott Abel Comment by Scott Abel on March 28, 2008 at 7:30am
In the words of former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, from his opinion in the obscenity case of Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964)...

Soul is hard to define, but "I know it when I see it." Or, in this case, feel it or hear it.
Erik Deckers Comment by Erik Deckers on March 28, 2008 at 11:48am
If it moves you emotionally, whether to joy or to pain and sadness, I think it's soulful. If I can hear/see the artist's own joy or pain, that's soulful.

Music by teenyboppers doing things one more time is not soulful.
Scott Abel Comment by Scott Abel on March 28, 2008 at 1:15pm
Soulful is Jennifer Holiday singing "And I am Telling You"...
Joel Phillips Comment by Joel Phillips on March 28, 2008 at 1:16pm
Good thoughts. thanks for sharing. wow - a quote way back from 1964- impressive.
It seems to me that soulful is something we all search for in small ways and big ways... maybe i'll try to flesh that out in a later blog post.
Ross Burdge Comment by Ross Burdge on March 28, 2008 at 1:23pm
Having a certain awareness for your surroundings allows you to experience things on a more emotional level. A song, a photograph, the theme of a persons decor, can all connect with you on a personal level if you can relate a point in your own life to it. I measure my own success on what I've taken from my experiences up to the present time. In being passionate about life and taking the most from every encounter, I consider myself a wealthy soul.
Scott Abel Comment by Scott Abel on March 28, 2008 at 1:34pm
Ross:

That's a great way to think about life. I agree with you 100%.
Joel Phillips Comment by Joel Phillips on March 29, 2008 at 8:18am
Yes, awareness of your surroundings is sometimes difficult to do since we are often very self centered and operate as if we are the star in a movie about our life. Awareness requires recognition of others, and what I called being present in the moment. Passionate about life and taking the most from each moment, each encouter, each personal experience, is a great life philosophy. For me it is often easier said than done, but it is a great goal and beacon to keep returning to.
Emily Sutherland Comment by Emily Sutherland on May 19, 2008 at 10:16pm
I think transparency is a huge part of soulfulness... allowing your humanity to show between the lines of a song or piece of art is to reveal something that other humans can connect with and feel a part of.
Nicki Laycoax Comment by Nicki Laycoax on May 19, 2008 at 11:54pm
For me, soulful is definitely a musical term. It's hearing music that makes your head, legs, and feet move uncontrollably... your fingers snap.. your eyes close.. your lips pucker out then smile the very next second... Laugh out loud when you hear a certain portion of the song that's either a connection with your life, or just something that is flirtatious or maybe even sexual in context...

Soulful just makes you say.... mmm hmmppphhh.. oh yeah... :) and totally gives you goosebumps when you hear it...

These artists get my vote:
Joss Stone, Macy Gray, Ray Charles, Muddy Waters, Billie Holiday Mary J Blige, Aretha Franklin, BB King, Alicia Keys, Barry White, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, John Mayer, Martina McBride, and even Patsy Cline

Perfect example heard here(Billie Holiday-Stormy Blues):

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