The Soul is the meeting place between Heaven and Earth - the original 'Garden of Eden'.
The stresses and strains of the modern world have forced serious spiritual seekers into paths of accelerated transformation - such as the "The Work" brought by Gurdjieff. However, the difficulties of creating a Soul - much needed in the work of transformation - can also bring with it 'symptoms' of this action within the artificial conditions of life today.
Happy is he that hath a Soul, and happy is he that hath none. But woe and grief to him who hath it in embryo. Gurdjieff.
These symptoms, which can manifest as excess body heat, palpable energetic responses within and around the body, erratic emotions, unusual perceptions, unidentifiable pain or strange sensations, depression, depletion, or hyper-activity, are often attributed to medical or mental health issues without explanation and treated as such.
We should not be afraid of the rigours and turmoil that can pervade the body through conscious work on oneself. Like any 'birthing' process, pains and discomforts, as well as ecstasies and joyousness, are inevitable until the possibility of the higher part of the Soul and the actuality of the lower part of the Soul integrate and harmonise to 'crystallise' the middle part of the Soul.
A discerning attention is needed to differentiate symptoms from genuinely physical-organic sources to those that are a result of transformations from a conscious integration of qualities of energy beyond the organic. This discernment must occur from an inner 'taste' or 'seeing'.
Mis-diagnosis on physical or spiritual grounds could be debilitating or disastrous, and yet, it is only through the experience of these symptoms that discernment grows. Therefore, proceed only when you have practically understood, for yourself, what is needed.
Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder....Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Matthew 26:36-39 KJV