The Art of Building a Healing Nest for Yourself ⋆ LonerWolf

The other day I was wandering around a local park early in the morning. The sky was uncharacteristically dark and a light sprinkling of summer rain gave off the sharp, sweet and earthy scent of Australian eucalyptus and wildflowers.

It was one of those peaceful atmospheric walks that remind you that all nature is trembling alive. I was used to landscapes bleached and dull from the harsh Australian sun, but this influx of rain clouds revealed soul of nature without (and within) me.

As I made my second lap around the park, my eyes caught sight of an empty bird’s nest hanging from a branch:

Suddenly I was struck by the thought, “That’s what I do. I help people in recovery build a safe nest inside and outside of themselves. Then take baby steps out into the world. I want to help them recover, feed and nurture their souls.”

It was one of those “Divine Intervention” moments where clarity suddenly hit me like lightning. Because the truth is, it’s often hard for me to define exactly what I’m helping people with in my work today.

I mean, I almost did 14 years old. I’m practically a centenarian on the internet, and very few people have been running a website or online group for that long. Most disappear.

I feel like I’ve been through so many deaths and rebirths and identity changes that I often wonder, “What now? What’s next? Who am I in all this?” But something inside me – the two of us, Mateo can attest – held on.

And it’s all related to the soul Loss of soul. Soul searching. Soul purpose. Spiritualization.

Correct me if I’m wrong, butI believe the soul is something humanity has lost touch with. Loss of soul it’s something that ordinary people like you and I struggle with every day because that’s what society is designed to do to dissociate, to isolate, and to dissociate us from ourselves (and each other + nature).

The hungrier we are, the easier it is to control us.

This is an important reason why we created the compass of mental work – to help you come home to yourself and find basic truths of who you are so you can live an authentic, purposeful life. Check it out here if you are interested in learning more.

But the restoration of the soul is also simple, modest and everyday. Below I am going to offer you some inspiration.

40+ little things that help me restore my soul…

“…there are at least two ways to take care of your soul: discover moments in the past when your soul was stuck on a particular issue and try to work through it. The second way is to find activities and resources that will feed your soul in the present: crafts, art, games, friends, animals, travel, gardening, service…” – Thomas Moore

The recovery of the soul, as noted by the brilliant psychotherapist and former monk Thomas Moore, has two sides. One is more serious”mental workside (self-love, domestic child labor, shadow worketc.). The other is more playful and embodied. I will explore the latter here.

Soul means many things – but here I mean it as vitality, energy divine spark.

When the soul is sick, hungry, empty, or lost, you experience it as anxiety, depression, fatigue, sickness, and all kinds of “evil.”

When the soul is restored, you feel alive, fresh, free, joyful, peaceful, creative, expansive, and connected to yourself, others, and life.

Trauma disconnects us from our souls, as does modern life. This is why soul restoration is so important – we need it to restore a sense of health, joy and wholeness within ourselves.

To inspire you, here is a list of small things that help me restore my soul in hopes that it will help you take steps to restore yours:

1. Handwriting stuff (yes, old-fashioned pen and paper!)
2. Looking at stars at night
3. Soft words be kind to yourself
4. Micro meditation 5-10 minutes
5. Small cat nap
6. I’m going leisurely walks in nature
7. Old things: old books, old music, old objects
8. esteeming small beautiful moments like a drop of dew on a needle, the sun shining on a leaf, someone’s laughter or a child’s smile
9. Hand baking food like pizza or pancakes
10. Smells freshly baked bread
11. Micro-rituals like hot tea after dinner or reading after breakfast
12. Focusing on a whimmagic and mystery
13. Reading second-hand books
14. Rests further the earth or land
15. Go outside and let the sun shines on my face
16. Watching the trees sway and the leaves tremble in the wind
17. Pause and just breathe
18. Walking barefoot on the ground
19. A deep breath freshly ground coffee beans
20. Accepting slow, indulgent sips herbal tea
21. Stupid dances to music alone or with a loved one
22. To pull tarot or oracle cards
23. Soft things: blankets, wool, pillows
24. Cloud and bird watching
25. Smiling at strangers
26. Saying kind words yourself in the mirror
27. Playing in the village public library
28. Look crackling fireplaces
29. Flowers of any kind, especially wildflowers
30. esteeming beauty items: stained glass windows, vintage wallpaper, decorated lampposts
31. Lighting a candle before journaling
32. Compassionate self-hugs during meditation
33. Slowing down and body tuning
34. Writing in the early hours in the morning
35. A warm shower or baths with scented oils
36. Drops of rain windows roll down
37. Inhaling beauty rainbows
38. Watching over month at night
39. Quirky and atmospheric music
40. Hugs on the couch with a pet or loved one
41. Humming or chanting of ancient mantras
42. Silent prayers to higher powers
43. Hiking and walks in wild places

Obviously, this list is not exhaustive – it is just a taste of the humble but beautiful art of soul restoration.

Reconnecting with your soul and healing of the nervous system go hand in hand, so if you are familiar with somatic treatmentyou’ll find that many of these small practices help you stay in a “calm” parasympathetic mode.

Next, note that almost everything I’ve shared here is free or mostly readily available. You don’t need to be financially or emotionally privileged to benefit from most of these practices.

Me too turned off things like “looking into my baby’s eyes” or “sniffing my toddler’s hair” because they likely won’t be relevant to most people reading this (although they are relevant to me at this point in my life).

Finally, take note that does not appear in this list, namely technology. Spending time in different ways with “loved ones” is also on this list, but for those in the healing cocoon stage (where you crave a lot loneliness), it is not always desirable and available. Treatment alone is still valid at the moment, so I hope you still find a lot of ideas here.

Tell me, what helps you make a nest and heal your soul? In other words, what tiny experiences or practices bring you back in touch with your energy, vitality, and inner self? I would like to hear below. You never know who you might help or inspire by sharing!

🪺 Building Your Healing Nest 💜
Soul recovery is both simple and profound – it's the art of reconnecting with your life force when trauma, loss, or the chaos of modern life has severed you from yourself. If the practices in this post resonated with you and you're craving deeper guidance on your healing journey, I want to introduce you to our Supporter Membership.
For over a decade, the two of us have been creating a sanctuary for souls navigating their own Dark Night – offering practical wisdom on shadow work, inner child healing, and soul recovery without the spiritual bypassing. By becoming a supporter (starting at $9.99/month), you receive weekly soul guidance, shadow archetype insights, and direct access to ask questions as you build your own healing nest. 
And here's the beautiful part: your support keeps LonerWolf free for the thousands searching for hope in their darkest hour. It's healing that ‘pays it forward,’ creating a circle of support that flows from you, to us, and out into the world. Learn more here.