What's good for the soul...

...so you do anything that's kinda...wholesome and enjoyable?

I don't mean drinking all night and partying, which might be good, but not exactly fulfilling. What do you do that really means something that's not vacuous and inane?

For me it's running trails and mountains. In company. You can't run through the mountains of West Cork and South Kerry and not feel good about it...

Painting, writing poetry, helping out in a soup kitchen...what makes you feel good about life?

Stheno

Sailing, going out with my oh and his children, reading and enjoying some good music or tv

Oh and rugby

Rumpy Pumpy

Meditation.

Once was sceptical, but it really does work if you practice it daily.

poo poo

I fish - I get lost in woods and forests and walk on beaches and follow streams and rivers often for miles. Watercraft and nature instill a massive respect for ones surroundings and the beauty that is everywhere while instilling a hardened sense of conservation for all wildlife.

AllForIt

I'd agree Conor that being in the outdoors is good for the soul. I cringe at the oft used phrase 'at one with nature' but in the last few years I got into long walks and long distance leisure cycling and I don't think any other activity is more worthwhile for my general well-being.

the_pen_turner

sometimes standing up for yourself and telling someone to f off can be great. building up emotion is bad. let it out

qwerty ui op

Deleted User wrote: »

...so you do anything that's kinda...wholesome and enjoyable?

I don't mean drinking all night and partying, which might be good, but not exactly fulfilling. What do you do that really means something that's not vacuous and inane?

For me it's running trails and mountains. In company. You can't run through the mountains of West Cork and South Kerry and not feel good about it...

Painting, writing poetry, helping out in a soup kitchen...what makes you feel good about life?

Show us a poem and we'll see if your any good.

Oldtree

Looking at the stars on a clear cool night. Puts things into perspective.

Lorelli!

Being organised and on top of things is good for you so you don't have to set the alarm for 2am disturbing your sleep and get up in the middle of the night to sort out work clothes!

worded

Sitting near a log fire in winter

A walk in the woods or nature

To rid the Jan blues A bank robbing rampage with a good friend as the get away driver, burns those extra few calories as well

PowerToWait

worded wrote: »

To rid the Jan blues A bank robbing rampage with a good friend as the get away driver, burns those extra few calories as well

An adrenaline dump is a vice of mine. I love to sea kayak. It's akin to mountaineering; wilderness, self reliance, trophy paddles and on the edge (at least it often feels that way).

_Dara_

Deleted User wrote: »

...so you do anything that's kinda...wholesome and enjoyable?

I don't mean drinking all night and partying, which might be good, but not exactly fulfilling. What do you do that really means something that's not vacuous and inane?

For me it's running trails and mountains. In company. You can't run through the mountains of West Cork and South Kerry and not feel good about it...

Running in mountains - let me count the ways I would not feel good about that.

Solomon Pleasant

Personally, I’ve found drinking green tea with a pinch of cinnamon to be a great release.

This, along with meditation, has really helped to control and limit stress in my life recently!

Another great way of doing something that’s stress relieving but also kind of soul-nourishing is running. Just you, your runners and the road beneath your feet. One of the things I disliked about living in Dublin City centre was that there was no where quiet to go for a brisk 30 minute jog. This is a stark contrast to the rural area where I come from where I can run for miles and miles and might not meet a car! The scenery makes it all the more enjoyable

Manach

Cats, they remind us who is really in charge. Them.

mad muffin

Murder… sweet, sweet murder! MUAHAAHAHHAAAA!!!

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

For me it's running trails and mountains. In company. You can't run through the mountains of West Cork and South Kerry and not feel good about it...

I have a girlfriend who loves doing that periodically. Like 3 or 4 times a year. She will put on a pack with a small tent and some minimalist requirements for survival and she will jog/run a mountain trail somewhere in Ireland.

I find Brazilian JuJitsu good for the body and mind. It is almost a philosophy and a way of mind as much as a combat form.

I also got given something I do not know the English name for. It is from China. It's this system of hanging pressure points that you surround yourself with and you do a form of Tai Chi where your fingers etc have to gently touch the pressure points during your "dance". Touch it too hard or not at all or out of sequence and it gives you an angry beep.

Its really frustrating sometimes but very fulfilling at other times. Like an all body electric ring game. And leaves you really in tune with your body and range and form and balance and so forth.

Other than that I hunt and kill rabbit for food. Nothing more fulfilling that killing your own dinner

AllForIt

AllForIt wrote: »

I'd agree Conor that being in the outdoors is good for the soul. I cringe at the oft used phrase 'at one with nature' but in the last few years I got into long walks and long distance leisure cycling and I don't think any other activity is more worthwhile for my general well-being.

The phrase is awful, but I fully understand the sentiment.

_Dara_ wrote: »

Running in mountains - let me count the ways I would not feel good about that.

It's not for everyone. Though a group of us did a run on New Year's Eve around Allihies and on to a wild and windswept Dursey Island off the far south west of Cork, all cliffs and abandoned houses, and I think it would convert even the most hardened cynic!

xzanti

Baby sleeping through the night.

Omackeral

Decluttering your living space. Thereputic as f.

suicide_circus

Getting out into nature

begbysback

Give something away for free, and don't tell anybody it was you - do this a few times and the true meaning of soul cleansing can be found.

Meditation, affirmations, self-hypnosis.

I'm really enjoying taking photos of everything and then redoing them in Blender as 3D modeling with a twist. Being creative at something (without caring about money) is really helping me to feel positive on stuff.

Malari

Bird-watching on the coast.

js35

My autistic son sleeping for more than 20 hours a week so so tired all the time....

Wanderer78

Spending your time trying to accumulate materialistic wealth and goods is a complete waste of time, and so to is working long hours trying to achieve that. Life's too short, don't put all that time and energy into feathering someone elses cap

cantdecide

Making your bed when you get up.

A nice walk.

spurshero

js35 wrote: »

My autistic son sleeping for more than 20 hours a week so so tired all the time....

Can't be easy . Seen a programme a while back about parents with autistic kids . I know they don't want it but they have my sympathy .

s4uv3

A good strong coffee in one of my favourite coffee shops with a good friend. The kind of coffee where you go to leave and realise you've been there 2.5 hours and it felt like 30 mins.

Wanderer78

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Spending your time trying to accumulate materialistic wealth and goods is a complete waste of time, and so to is working long hours trying to achieve that.

Ah I remember meeting this goon who believed the exact opposite. That life was defined by accumulations and having more toys than the next guy. Last I heard of him though was he was running to china to produce his ice pops and chewing gums - before being chased by the Irish Taxman for tax dodging and owning all his firms through Malta and Isle of Man accounts. Wonder how many toys he sold off to pay off that little settlement

Of course we all find meaning in life where we have it. Those with lots of toys find it there. Those of us with bugger all find it elsewhere Once yer happy I guess.

donegaLroad

Either playing or listening to music, and painting.

I have tried self hypnosis from a few youtube videos and it really works, but you have to find the right one.

valoren

I play golf. I play it alone. The local club is two minutes away.

For me, there is no greater soul than being out on the course alone on the long stretch of a summer's evening.
It is particularly heightened when I am playing well.

When you're hitting your shots where you want, hard and crisply, it's like a tuning fork going off in your soul, like heaven on earth if there is such a thing. You make impact, you implicitly know the ball is going where it needs to, and then you look up and seeing the ball streaking to your target all is well with the world.

razorblunt

Tayto and Ham sandwiches and a cup of tea.

Long shower/bath, fresh bedsheets, new pyjamas on the radiator and an aniticipated lie in, in the morning.

Oranage2

Cooking a meal. Might not sound like a big thing but my work has a canteen that I can get free food, and dinner I usually go to a restaurant. So to actually cook something fresh tastes and feels so wholesome.

Oranage2

Oranage2 wrote: »

Cooking a meal. Might not sound like a big thing but my work has a canteen that I can get free food, and dinner I usually go to a restaurant. So to actually cook something fresh tastes and feels so wholesome.

Can agree with that. I'm not the best at it, but if I follow a recipe and it turns out well, it's a little kick.

Ush1

Fighting.

Your Face

I like being well-dressed

LadyMacBeth_

The more my body lets me down, the more I come to appreciate the little moments.

Feeling nice and clean after a shower, getting into clean bedsheets, sitting outside on a warm day and listening to the birds in the trees or the waves on the beach. The cool crisp air of winter, a warm cup of cocoa on a cold day. Curling up on the couch reading a gripping book, watching a long anticipated film. Listening to a song that puts me in a good mood. Doing something for someone else that will make them happy. Doing something for myself that will make me happy. Going out for a walk, it's a struggle and it's exhausting and it makes me sore and breathless, but the satisfaction afterwards makes up for this.

bodhrandude

Playing the bodhran when I'm in trad mode, like tonight at Tigh Cholis in Galway.

Solomon Pleasant

LadyMacBeth_ wrote: »

The more my body lets me down, the more I come to appreciate the little moments.

Feeling nice and clean after a shower, getting into clean bedsheets, sitting outside on a warm day and listening to the birds in the trees or the waves on the beach. The cool crisp air of winter, a warm cup of cocoa on a cold day. Curling up on the couch reading a gripping book, watching a long anticipated film. Listening to a song that puts me in a good mood. Doing something for someone else that will make them happy. Doing something for myself that will make me happy. Going out for a walk, it's a struggle and it's exhausting and it makes me sore and breathless, but the satisfaction afterwards makes up for this.

Beautiful post!

Greyfox

Playing Zelda breath of the wild, a place were you get consistently rewarded for exploring and been curious, oh how I wish I didn't have to go to work tomorrow

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

If I need to feel better it's always a long shower into fresh pjs and hopping into a fresh bed.

I find spa days, thermal rooms and treatments amazing to reset myself and my dogs, they always cheer me up

Feisar

worded wrote: »

Sitting near a log fire in winter

A walk in the woods or nature

To rid the Jan blues A bank robbing rampage with a good friend as the get away driver, burns those extra few calories as well

Hard to beat on open fire, log one especially.

Others:

A pot of Shin Stew
A few beers with mates
Helping someone out and seeing the profound difference a little help makes
A car full of diesel and the road and no digs booked for the night cause you don't know where you are going. (Not so much in Ireland as she's not that big but on the continent).

Chrongen

Deleted User wrote: »

The phrase is awful, but I fully understand the sentiment.



It's not for everyone. Though a group of us did a run on New Year's Eve around Allihies and on to a wild and windswept Dursey Island off the far south west of Cork, all cliffs and abandoned houses, and I think it would convert even the most hardened cynic!

"A" run?

We all did "a" run.

Why does it sound like a chore? You organise a fcuking event that involves running and call it a run.

JupiterKid

Listening to classical music or calm music.

The sound of a stream flowing.

Walking in a forest.

Beef casserole stew and piping hot tomato soup.

Sitting by the sea.

A natter with good friends.

Warmth from a real home fire (oh, how I miss that!)

Meditation and mindfulness.

Tell me how

A very rare cigarette. Late at night. Zero light pollution. Stars gleaming. On your own. Silence.

Jesus Wept

donegaLroad wrote: »

Either playing or listening to music, and painting.

I have tried self hypnosis from a few youtube videos and it really works, but you have to find the right one.

Any suggested links?

lazeedaisy

Walking the dogs

Watching the sun rise

And taking photographs of nature,

Oh, lastly,

Growing some of my own food, amazing when you can eat a meal you grew, picked and cooked

The touch of my healthy little baby. It just melts me, a grown man. So soft. His smile and his crazily cute giggle - especially when he puts something out for me to take off him and pulls it back with a brilliant giggle as soon as I put my hands out excitedly for it. He adores hugs, and gives the best little ones in Ireland, especially his tight koala-like grips out of my neck. Those beautiful little hands around my neck. I could never, ever have imagined how ineffably moving the physical touch of that little life is. The best days life can give the soul are right now, I sense.

rekluse

Being nice to people.

Jogathon

Paddle boarding, especially when the sun is rising. Then out for a relaxing breakfast. Heaven.

Sky King

To crush my enemies. To see them driven before me. And to hear the lamentations of their women.