We appreciate all the love and support! — Dear friends and writers, Soul Magazine would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to everyone for your precious presence within this ever-growing community. When Soul Magazine was launched over a week ago, we could not have imagined the overwhelming outpour of support and encouragement from the Medium community…

A soul capturing life in words. — We write to be seen. We write to be heard. We write as a way to know ourselves better. We write on Medium to build community and to connect with peers who validate our feelings — Toni The Talker Sue S.A. is my pen name on Medium. I didn’t think…

How a small island called Vanuatu changed my perspective on traveling and tourism. — Many of you might have yet to hear of Vanuatu. It’s a small island in the South Pacific region, about 2 hours from Australia. You might have heard of Vanuatu’s neighbors; Fiji, Solomon Island, New Caledonia, and Papua New Guinee. Somehow Vanuatu is always left behind. I moved here right…

My journey away from people-pleasing — At the end of 2022, I felt miserable, utterly lost, and grappled with depression. I knew I needed to change, or I would continue to spiral and probably wouldn’t make it another 5 years. Several years ago, I read 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do and recently decided to…

A journey into the subtle forces influencing our thoughts, choices, and reality. — One of the joys of living in different countries, communities, and beliefs is learning new things that help me make sense of the world—case in point — the title of this article. Modes of material nature, or Gunas in Sanskrit, is a new concept I learned after being a part…

A tale of living abroad and homesickness — “Where did you learn to cook like this?” That’s the question people often ask me, and my answer usually surprises my friends — living abroad and homesickness. I moved from Malaysia at 18 to Toronto, Canada, for my degree. Since then, I’ve hopped from one country to another, experiencing sweet…

A personal reflection of life from musical lessons. — I recall my first violin lesson like it was yesterday. I was 12, and that was over 20 years ago! Contrary to popular stereotypes, my parents didn’t force me to take up music. I was curious, and it led me down this melodic path. So, I mentioned it to my…

An unforgettable retreat of ethereal peace and divine joy. — I’m excited to be here. The Recharge Festival is cherished among the Hare Krishna devotees around New Zealand. It happens every year during Christmas. …

Personal insights and realizations about life from a vegetarian. — Time flies, and I can’t believe I’ve been a vegetarian for eight years. I remember it was in 2014 when I considered being vegetarian seriously. After attending many talks with the Hare Krishnas and reading the Bhagavad-Gita, my heart urged me to change. So I stopped eating red meat. Then…