What is the Soul

Plato  said,

"Knowledge of the soul is the only universal truth and the only wisdom - all other knowledge is transient." 

We’ve been talking about and writing about this thing we call the Soul for tens of thousands of years. If you haven’t listened to the first eight episodes, go back and check those out -and you’ll understand why I can make this claim with confidence. And yeah, we’ve known about the Soul since very ancient times… possibly much longer. 

People that lived during what we’d consider cavemen times, were burying their loved ones with grave goods. So, even way back when the Woolly Mammoth existed alongside humans, people understood part of us survives the death of the body. 

So, for tens of thousands of years we’ve had a deep knowing that we are more than just the body. Every culture has a place for it and a word for it. Religions have adopted the idea of the Soul into their doctrine. Some religions have even gone so far as to say they are the gatekeepers of our Soul. 

And throughout history an un-countable number of religions have come and gone. We are now in a time where we see many regions shrinking. We see attendance dropping and churches closing. I recently read an article written in November 2022. It was titled, "Archdiocese of New Orleans seeks court approval to sell off properties in bankruptcy case." This included more than $242 million in assets up for sale. New Orleans was once a powerful hub of Catholicism in the new world. Today it is crumbling under the weight of its former member's lack of interest. And this isn't an isolated case. We’ll touch on this in future episodes. 

There is a shift happening. I believe it’s a shift back to what we always knew – We are Souls, and we don’t need a church, or a mosque, or a synagogue to be in touch with this deepest part of ourselves. 

And we want to understand this thing we know is real. But how do we figure out the great mystery of the Soul? Many people turn to ancient practices like yoga and meditation, to slow their busy minds and practice being present. These things were part of the process of my Soul reunion. For many it is a challenge, getting back to this deepest most sacred center of ourselves.

I’ve got to pause and acknowledge that I just gave you my definition of the Soul. I have to say, I understand this may not be your definition. And it shouldn’t be, if it doesn’t fit for you.

My complete definition of the Soul is, “The thing that we are before we are born and the thing that will still be when the body dies. It is eternal and the core of who I am.”

That’s the short version. Clearly, I’ve got a lot more to say about it. I mean -I launched a podcast just to talk about it. 

Earlier this year I attended TCCHE in San Diego, also known as the Consciousness Conference. And I asked dozens of attendees for their definition of the Soul. I got a lot of different answers and they were all beautiful... though none exactly the same.

Here’s a collection of some of the answers. The audio is a little rough because I was interviewing people between sessions, so there’s a bit of background noise. But listen to the responses and you’ll notice something beautiful.  

SOUL quotes HERE 

Thanks to all of you who took time to talk with me and share your perspective at the conference. I enjoyed every conversation I had there. 

When we listen to these, we hear there’s a lot of different ways of looking at the Soul. But when we break it down, we see a lot of recurring ideas. Beautiful ideas. Ideas like, the Soul is eternal. That we are eternal. That the soul connects us to source or God. 

Soul=

source of Joy

source of intuition

It is the power or energy source of our being

The Soul is Love

The thing that connects us to each other

It is our higher self or true self

So, there’s a lot of ways people answered the question “What is the Soul.” And none of them are negative. 

I believe that having a belief in the Soul is good for you. That it’s good for society as a whole and it is good for the entire world. Believing in the existence of the Soul makes us: 

Fear death less, feel a greater connection to others, feel more love, and feel connected to a higher power… which lead us to feel less lonely and more empowered. 

Because you see, once you see and accept that you are a perfect soul, it is impossible to go through life without seeing others as the same. It forever changes the way you see your place in the world.

And it’s not some big secret that a Soul reunion is beneficial. I’ve read countless quotes from dozens, hundred and even thousands of years ago, talking about the great benefits of connecting to our Soul. 

This one’s only just over a hundred years old. In 1902 Amory H. Bradford wrote in his book, The Ascent of the Soul…

“A study of the soul, like a study of history, inspires optimism. It is hard to believe that it could have been intended first for perfection and then for extinction. It is equally difficult to believe that any soul will, in the end, be ‘cast as rubbish to the void.”

There’s so much to be gained from a belief in the Soul.

Can you think of any other thing we might have a belief in that could lead to such positive benefits?

You might argue that a belief in God or having a deep religious belief could do the same. And I’d point out how many bad things have been done throughout history by religious institutions and by religious zealots and how countless wars have been fought in the names of gods. We still live in a world where religions and even sects of the same religion fight over whose God is the “real” God. 

Can you think of any war fought over the Soul? Does anyone fight over whose Soul is the “real Soul.” No, of course not. I can’t think of any terrible things done in the name of the Soul (except by religions). The answers we heard show that we can all define the Soul in our own way and it’s all good. Thoughts and opinions don’t compete. No matter what angle we approach the topic; everybody gets to define the Soul in their own way. 

And isn’t a great way to see the world?! If you believe you are a Soul, that means everyone else is as well. That means….

We’re all connected, and we’re all loved by an un-named source.

It’s where we all come from and where we will return someday. 

The Soul is beauty and love. 

If you are a Soul…

You are beauty and love.

And you are loved.