Understanding Soul Hunger: The 4 Core Causes Of Spiritual Stress

When we think of stress, we often think of those things outside of us that cause us to feel stressed – our partners, children, families, jobs, health issues, lifestyles and the like. But the truth is that soul hunger is a type of stress that we rarely hear about that also impacts our health, relationships and sense of purpose.

Soul hunger refers to a deep, spiritual longing or missing something essential. It is frequently associated with feelings of emptiness or a lack of fulfillment that material possessions or external achievements cannot satisfy.

Inside each of us is the energy of our soul that is forever wanting and needing to be expressed through us. This deeper, evolving part of us knows we’re here for a reason and are meant to live in alignment with this more profound truth.

Ignoring this impulse affects our physical and emotional health. For example, the stress of my soul hunger impacted my stress hormones, resulting in sleep issues, hormone imbalances, and other areas of my health. It’s a powerful reminder about integrating our bodies, minds, and souls to flourish fully. The article, Why Women Need To Ditch Their Conditioning To Say Hello To Their Souls explores the impact that women’s conditioning is having on their health and well-being.

What often starts as minor inner discomfort, over time, begins to feel like our life force energy is diminishing and something inside of us is starving, not physically but spiritually. Our soul hunger becomes soul pain!

This sense that something may be missing amid an abundant life may subside for short periods when we’ve distracted ourselves with something exciting. The article, The Call Of Your Soul Hunger: 10 Signs Your Soul Is Speaking To You, identifies 10 key symptoms of soul hunger stress.

At some point, however, we realize that no distraction will alleviate these inner longings. I explore this further in Soul Hunger: The Silent Epidemic Of The 21st. Century.

Our soul is hungry, but not for more things or distractions; it’s craving a meaningful, purposeful life deeply connected to ourselves, others and the mysteries of life. It’s hungry for a new way of being that aligns with who we’re meant to become.

There are four core causes of soul hunger:

1. Lack of Meaning and Purpose:

Many people experience the stress of soul hunger due to existential questions about the meaning and purpose of life. Without a clear sense of direction or purpose, we may feel adrift and unfulfilled. Humans are meaning-making machines, and we suffer deeply when we think our lives are meaningless. In the article, Does Your Life Lack Meaning And Purpose? You’re Not Alone! I share more about this.

Misalignment with our values contributes to a feeling of soul hunger. When our actions, careers, or lifestyles are not aligned with our core values and beliefs, it can lead to a sense of inauthenticity and emptiness. I’ve heard it described as a feeling of being “two-faced” –  who we are on the inside does not match how we live on the outside.

2. Disconnection:

We are inherently social beings with a need for connection. A lack of meaningful connections with ourselves or others can lead to feelings of loneliness and soul hunger.

For many, a sense of connection to something greater than themselves—whether a higher power, nature, or the universe—is crucial for fulfillment. A lack of spiritual connection can result in soul hunger. This is becoming increasingly prevalent as people are awakening spiritually, and the trend is away from organized religion, which once filled this need. In the article, Embracing the Spiritual But Not Religious Path Of Awakening, I explore fulfilling our spiritual needs in new and evolving ways.

3. Unresolved Past and Emotional Issues:

We all have past and unresolved emotional issues or challenging experiences that can create a lingering sense of emptiness and yearning. Healing these wounds and integrating the wisdom gained from our pasts is essential for achieving a sense of wholeness.

Continuous stress and anxiety can deplete emotional and spiritual reserves, leading to a sense of soul hunger. With an increasing number of people, especially women, being diagnosed with depression, it’s important to view these challenges from a larger perspective. The article, What If Depression Is A Summons From The Soul For Awakening is thought-provoking.

4. Lack of Personal Growth and Self-Actualization:

When we are not growing or evolving intellectually, emotionally, or spiritually, we can experience a sense of stagnation, contributing to the stress of soul hunger.

Feeling that our talents and abilities are underutilized can lead to dissatisfaction and a deep lack of fulfillment.

Soul hunger, for some, has progressed to soul pain, which is a silent wake-up call that may manifest as physical or emotional health issues, relationship struggles, and jobs that drain our life force energy.

Our souls invite us on a personal and spiritual growth journey to cultivate new relationships with ourselves, others, and life’s mysteries. Entering this new way of being leads to a life with a deeper sense of vitality, meaningful relationships, and purpose.

We grow into our future best selves when we understand that the stress of soul hunger is an invitation to live more fully and love more deeply. We feel free to be who we were born to become!