Can Soul and Spirit be used interchangeably?

Originally Posted by Bluegreen

I have often noticed that Soul and Spirit are used interchangeably.

I have come across two instances (and I am sure there are more) where a distinction was made between soul and spirit.

Any thoughts on the matter?

I have a rather random collection of thoughts that would seem to work in this situation. Many in here would make the distinction between self and True Self, perhaps this is synonymous with Spirit/Soul. Lobsang Rampa talks of the Overself or Oneself, essentially like an octopus with a being on the end of each arm. Again, Spirit/Soul?

What makes me wonder is Past Lives. I remember a number of Past Lives where I was basically the same person but obviously in different bodies/situations. If there is no time then these Past Lives aren't past and all are happening right here, right now. What is the connection? If there was no connection then how could I possibly remember them or even be the 'same person'? We (as humans) have different aspects - mother/father, son/daughter...... As Above, so Below. My Soul inhabits this body and does the human experience part, each an aspect of my Spirit like father/friend/husband.

Originally Posted by skygazer

Bluegreen,
Hope this does not cloud the topic even further for you, but it's all new to me as well.
Soul and Spirit are referring to two separate components of our reality.
soul = unconscious = woman
spirit = conscious = man
We are all divided beings, in two equal halves.

I have to wonder if this is where the idea of twin flames and such originated.

I agree that Soul and Spirit are two components of our individuality.
The way you explain it, you see two polarities, one which you identify with soul and the other with spirit. In my view spirit encompasses all that we are.

I do not believe that we are divided beings.

I happened to read about soulmates and twin flames yesterday but I do not remember where It will come back to me. Another source (Shakuntala Modi in Memories of God and Creation) has it that at the time we were created, we were created as balls with two polarities.

My twin flame and I stood side by side, holding hands. We are from one ball of consciousness, created as two separate souls.

Michael Newton, on the other hand, says "what is so illogical to me about the twin soul theory is why would we have a primarym soulmate with whom we could not work out our karmic lessons with before reaching a perfect state? Primary, or true, soulmates exist to help one another achieve goals; they are not twins of ourselves."
He said this because there is a theory that says twins were created "at the same moment out of one energy egg [ called 'ball' by Shakuntala Modi--BG] and then separated, not to be reunited...until the end of their respective karmic incarnations."

misposted.......

Originally Posted by Bluegreen

Can Soul and Spirit be used interchangeably?

Soul & spirit are synonyms in regards to one’s life force even though both spirit & soul have separate non-life force meanings. They are also given the meaning of psyche, although this is really more tied in w/ individuality’s personality than the spirit. The meanings below of the soul that dies when the physical body dies is more in line w/ the psyche. The psyche really doesn’t as much disappear when the physical body dies athough it ceases to continue as that particular physical body's individual experience. It is part of the soul/spirit’s (life force's) experience here in individuality that remains a spirit memory that is then shared w/ the other parts of the extended energy field when it returns to the extended energy field in 5D (1-12D).

Soul tends to be a term that is used in organized religion. Spirit is often favored by those who would define their belief system as spirituality rather than identifying w/ one of the organized religions that uses the term soul.

The following is from Winged Pharao, a remembered life of Joan Grant.
The body ... is the outer covering of our soul and spirit, through which we gain experience on Earth; ...

Our soul is ... we have need of as long as our spirit must be re-born upon Earth, and that is until we have learnt to master our emotions, our thoughts and our will. And that leaves spirit, which is the only part of ourselves that endures for ever.

Our personal energy field/signature, the aura extends outside of the physical body. This is fairly easy to see is has been widely discussed by many. Rather than the physical body containing it, the physical body is a vehicle for the soul/spirit it to experience physicality & individuality. When the physical body dies the spirit/soul returns to the rest of its extended energy field to download/share their experience w/ the rest of its energy field.

Soul and Spirit according to Theosophy: Spirit is universal... It cannot know itself except as Soul. Spirit is the "power to become," Soul is "the becoming." Spirit is the power to see and know, Soul is the seeing and knowing. Soul is the accumulation of perceptions and experiences by means of which Spiritual Identity is realized.

Theosophy was an invaluable body of work for 1888 that moved metaphysical thought forward in the late 1800s. Some of its beliefs are still useful while have been further defined & added to considerably over the subsequent 123 years.

That this ‘power to become’ ‘cannot know itself except as Soul’ is rather human-centric. Spiritual identity is likely a human idea as we often identify primarily w/ the body although we are a spirit having an excursion in physicality. The reverse is actually true that the spirit is having a physical identity for this lifetime. This ‘power to become’ may be identified w/ 6D where we can work w/ our 1-5D aspects, however this is still firmly within the individuality experience. If it is considered an undifferentiated ‘power to become’ is likely the archetypical energies from which all Soul Families, SELFs, or Oversouls are derived. Much more on the Ds & how our energies change as we move through them at multidimensions.com.

There are Universal Oneness elements to our experience & energies, but this doesn’t mean that once one leaves the human experience that everything is potential, undifferentiated or not as the ‘power to become.’ Other Ds are just as real when we’re in them as this one is for us now. They & our experience in them vary considerably. Additionally, we have this ‘power to become’ as a creator power in this D as well. Everyone who has worked through their 4D issues such as fear & have begun to master their thoughts & emotions has manifested this potential. This undifferentiated potential isn't separate from us.

In 1880 the concept of ‘the power to become’ was a novel & wonderful one to introduce to a populace that was primarily oriented w/ the organized religion ideas of our being empty powerless vessels w/ no ability to become anything spiritually, dependent on being given energies by a parental deity. We have now moved into realizing that this ‘power to become’ isn’t a distant or future thing of a separate portion of our spirit that our current energies must wait for after physical death, but something we can easily & abundantly access in the Here & Now as we expand our consciousness.

Originally Posted by Bluegreen

...The spirit is that part of us which is eternal.

According to the Scriptures, spirit is indestructible, but soul is destructible. Obviously, then, they are not synonymous. It is clearly stated that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die," but "the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." — Manly P. Hall; The Secret Teachings of all Ag

I assume ‘the Scriptures’ is the Bible. Not a very good metaphysical source for many reasons. Many Christian biblical scholars have questioned MANY parts of this document for 2 centuries for very good reasons. This explanation of the division of soul & spirit follows along w/ countless other things in this work that I reject, all of which are intended to present anything human as highly flawed & inferior & everything heavenly as perfect, emphasizing separation.

Originally Posted by nightowl

So is the spirit the mind of the soul???

The mind isn’t autonomous. It is no more autonomous w/ a separate life force than the hand or lungs. It is the tool of the soul/spirit to experience physicality. The spirit/soul is the life force.

There is a bias that is quite pronounced from organized religion that our humanity’s life force is inferior from the heavenly energies. That denies that our spirit/soul could be here in our physicality in a way that isn’t compromised. We are an extended energy field of many aspects (of which we are one) in various Ds. Each of these aspects is a full respected portion of this energy being. It is the function of the aspects to explore different experiences in many different Ds. It does NOT compromise them as lesser or inferior because they are having these individual experiences.

All the aspects reunite as a merged energy field in 7D (1-12D) as the Oversoul, Soul Family, or SELF.

One can view this however they wish, or assign whatever name they choose, but it isn’t like our life force here is one energy while the other portion of our extended energy field is one set thing. We have multiple dimensional realities that our extended energy field experiences. They are ALL spirit/soul. 3D is where we experience duality, 4D is a fascinating transitional D where we deal w/ the lows of our fears & limitations to beginning to be creators w/ dealing w/ our own energies, reuniting w/ HS. 5D is where we move past meeting HS to our I AM presence, 6D is a flexible D of possible realities for the 1-5D aspects, & 7D is where our aspects merge. In 8D is a level Suzan Carroll calls the Archetypal Energy level form which all extended energy fields come that may well be a transitional level from individuality to Universal awareness. In in 9D we wish to experience physicality it is as a planet. 10D is a solar system, 11D is a galaxy, & 12D is a Universe.Our energies continue to be very changing & fluid. The extended energies aren’t a set thing by any means. The constant in the Universe is change & this applies to all energies at all times.

Originally Posted by mattie

All the aspects reunite as a merged energy field in 7D (1-12D) as the Oversoul, Soul Family, or SELF.

Thanks Mattie, 'techy' confirmation.

Originally Posted by mattie

misposted.......

That can happen.

I always thought the soul was the sort of pilot light and the spirit is the fuel. :)

Originally Posted by Greenslade

I have a rather random collection of thoughts that would seem to work in this situation. Many in here would make the distinction between self and True Self, perhaps this is synonymous with Spirit/Soul. Lobsang Rampa talks of the Overself or Oneself, essentially like an octopus with a being on the end of each arm. Again, Spirit/Soul?
I am sure that Lobsang Rampa used Overself and Oneself as synonyms of Spirit and Soul.

What makes me wonder is Past Lives. I remember a number of Past Lives where I was basically the same person but obviously in different bodies/situations. If there is no time then these Past Lives aren't past and all are happening right here, right now. What is the connection? If there was no connection then how could I possibly remember them or even be the 'same person'? We (as humans) have different aspects - mother/father, son/daughter...... As Above, so Below. My Soul inhabits this body and does the human experience part, each an aspect of my Spirit like father/friend/husband.

If we turn to Michael Newton (Destiny of Souls), we read that the soul uses part of its energy for a reincarnation. If this is true then the soul could divide the energy into different parts to incarnate at the same time. That, I think, is the connection.

Joan Grant more or less says the same thing. The soul has evolved to such a degree that one body cannot contain it: "During his first few lifetimes as a human-being the whole of his personality incarnates, so he is likely to have approximately the same capacities and perceptions whether he happens to be incarnate or excarnate. But as his consciousness expands it becomes too wide to be contained within the framework of a single personality." (Many Lifetimes)


I was reading about time in Barbara Brennan's Hands of Light only this morning but cannot find the section again. Time, linear time, does not exist except as a human construct. There are some who say that everything happens at the same time (in an eternal Now). I have even come across a statement saying that everything has already happened.

I am not sure how you use the Hermetic law of As above, so below.

[skygazer]

Originally Posted by Bluegreen

I agree that Soul and Spirit are two components of our individuality.
The way you explain it, you see two polarities, one which you identify with soul and the other with spirit. In my view spirit encompasses all that we are.

I do not believe that we are divided beings.

I happened to read about soulmates and twin flames yesterday but I do not remember where It will come back to me. Another source (Shakuntala Modi in Memories of God and Creation) has it that at the time we were created, we were created as balls with two polarities.




Michael Newton, on the other hand, says "what is so illogical to me about the twin soul theory is why would we have a primarym soulmate with whom we could not work out our karmic lessons with before reaching a perfect state? Primary, or true, soulmates exist to help one another achieve goals; they are not twins of ourselves."
He said this because there is a theory that says twins were created "at the same moment out of one energy egg [ called 'ball' by Shakuntala Modi--BG] and then separated, not to be reunited...until the end of their respective karmic incarnations."

I think there is a bit of truth in all that is being said, but each has missing elements. It is a shame that at this stage those of us who wish to know are left fumbling, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together again.

"On the day you were one you became two.
But when you become two, what will you do?"
- - - The Gospel of Thomas 11

The soul and the spirit of the Bible ARE the unconscious and the conscious. (Science simply hasn't figured out that they are immortal yet.)

[skygazer]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

What makes me wonder is Past Lives. I remember a number of Past Lives where I was basically the same person but obviously in different bodies/situations. If there is no time then these Past Lives aren't past and all are happening right here, right now. What is the connection? If there was no connection then how could I possibly remember them or even be the 'same person'? We (as humans) have different aspects - mother/father, son/daughter...... As Above, so Below. My Soul inhabits this body and does the human experience part, each an aspect of my Spirit like father/friend/husband.

I have entertained the same thought. It is a fascinating enigma that knowing time is not linear, how does past life fit in? It sometimes appears to me, from personal experience, that I can enter a 'past life' scenario in progression...