Souls vs. Spirits

[Papa Bear]

Originally Posted by 10:18

Can someone explain the difference to me? :)

Hi 10:18 and welcome to the forums.
As we may only define our own translation when answering such a question, my own understanding reflects less on the terms of separation, soul, Spirit, and more the significance of impermanence and permanence. The concept of totality as oneness relies on a state of permanence, all -encompassing order, the nature of all difference in balance. This `unchangeable` condition of completeness identifies in concept with the nature of the Spirit.

While impermanence defines the nature of all currents and flows of change within that permanence, and the varied interpretations of evolutionary direction those currents move towards. Within these currents and flows limited perceptions and understanding are termed, titled and individualized, as soul, ego, energy or mind consciousness and many other variations. And their commonality is the perception and translation of evolutionary change, because they all change in evolution.

So the fundamental principal of evolving and evolved conditions of existence, are the `whole` in a state of evolved permanence, and the `sum of its parts` flowing in ever varied currents of perceivable evolution. The Spirit is permanent, all else evolves `back` to its original condition in states of impermanent evolutionary change.

[Amilius777]

Your soul is your individual consciousness. The subconscious is the mind of the soul. Your spirit is your I Am, your eternal consciousness with God that always was. You are first and foremost a spirit projected out of God's mind and given a soul, body, and mind.

Spirit is your eternal son/daughter of God identity/consciousness

Soul is your evolving, growing, recording individuality through matter.

Amilius777, that makes things much clearer. Thanks everyone that responded!

[Nameless]

I look at it like this. Soul= We are all non-physical entities that choose to come into physical life to experience. As the "offshoot" of the Soul Entity, we are only one aspect of our Higher Self, our Soul Self, experiencing for our Soul, although we are all Unique in ourselves and infinite. As we "offshoot" from our Soul, we also have many reincarnational lives that are a part of us, so this one life is not the only one we experience, and the sum total of our reincarnational lives then make up what we think of as "me". This me, when done with our reincarnational lives, then goes off and explores other things in the non-physical realm. We are still a part of a larger whole (our Soul) but we will always remain ourselves. Having been created from our Soul, our Soul sets us free and we have free will to do or become whatever we choose.

Spirit, to me, means so many different things. It could mean ghosts, the Great Spirit (Mother God or Father God or both) it could mean that change in form that happens when we pass out of this life, back into the non-physical we would then be focused non-physically and then be "spirit", it could mean spirit form (those projections we send out consciously or not to explore an idea or a location).

I always thought of soul as what is present inside of you while you are living, and spirit as what you call someone who has passed.

Soul- individual who has not crossed over into Heaven.
Spirit- One who has crossed over and evolved to higher level



All The Glory Belongs To God Forever!

Greetings..

Still the mind, quiet the chattering voice in your head.. do this, and you will see that there is neither soul nor spirit.. there IS Life living itself, experience experiencing itself, and 'we' are 'that'.. "i" am not the chattering words in my head, i am 'that' which chooses to still that chattering or believe the noise it makes.. 'i' am the evolving experience of 'me', a uniquely manifested version of the Whole, experiencing its own existence through the creative diversity of the Cosmos...

In the stillness of a quiet mind that which 'is' is revealed..

Be well..

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by TzuJanLi

Greetings..

Still the mind, quiet the chattering voice in your head.. do this, and you will see that there is neither soul nor spirit.. there IS Life living itself, experience experiencing itself, and 'we' are 'that'.. "i" am not the chattering words in my head, i am 'that' which chooses to still that chattering or believe the noise it makes.. 'i' am the evolving experience of 'me', a uniquely manifested version of the Whole, experiencing its own existence through the creative diversity of the Cosmos...

In the stillness of a quiet mind that which 'is' is revealed..

Be well..

See to me, I love what you wrote here but then you do like everyone else and take it backwards IMO by defining what you are. It just doesn't sit right with me. Why not stop at saying 'Still the mind'?
Why define and limit the "i" that chooses to still the chattering by saying it is evolving and that it is a unique expression of the whole expereincing its own existence and so on?
I'm sure you have an answer and that would be part of what doesn't sit right with me.
I'm not attacking here, I am just watching and listening and it sounds like the same trap only different words that I hear so often here.

James

Greetings..

Originally Posted by WhiteShaman

See to me, I love what you wrote here but then you do like everyone else and take it backwards IMO by defining what you are. It just doesn't sit right with me. Why not stop at saying 'Still the mind'?
Why define and limit the "i" that chooses to still the chattering by saying it is evolving and that it is a unique expression of the whole expereincing its own existence and so on?
I'm sure you have an answer and that would be part of what doesn't sit right with me.
I'm not attacking here, I am just watching and listening and it sounds like the same trap only different words that I hear so often here.

James

Hi James: I am reporting what i experience, and.. i don't claim it is 'true', only that the report is consistent with my current understanding.. i am reporting some of the qualities of my experiences that are so sufficiently consistent with fundamental spiritual 'and' scientific principles, that i am hopeful of opening a simpler more inclusive discourse..

I do not intend to 'define or limit' the "i", i am describing my experience of it.. the statement, "i am 'that' ", is followed by my descriptions of qualities i have experienced as 'that', but.. it is my experience that 'that' is still creating and evolving, which is why i 'pay attention' without assuming my understandings won't change, and.. i do report my experiences and understandings, hopeful that open-minded discourse can further refine understanding for someone, including 'me'..

I understand some of the consequences from paying attention to, and believing, the chattering of the mind.. i also understand the 'mind' as a sort of sixth sense, a medium common with the 'parts' and with the Whole.. the mind is not confined/defined by any individual perspective.. and, the consequences to paying attention to and believing the mind's chatter, is that it distorts the awareness of what is actually happening..

The same mind that can conclude i am 'defining what i am' or that i am 'trapped', rather than ask.. is the same mind that can construct preconceptions about answers it is 'sure' that i have, a mind that will not 'sit well' without ever hearing an answer/reply.. which is the same mind that can become still and clear, that can wait to determine if a reply adds clarity or distortion..

I'm not defending myself from your observations, i am presenting my perspective.. hopeful that you will let go of the preconceived condition that "doesn't sit right"..

Be well..

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by TzuJanLi

Greetings..

Hi James: I am reporting what i experience, and.. i don't claim it is 'true', only that the report is consistent with my current understanding.. i am reporting some of the qualities of my experiences that are so sufficiently consistent with fundamental spiritual 'and' scientific principles, that i am hopeful of opening a simpler more inclusive discourse..

I do not intend to 'define or limit' the "i", i am describing my experience of it.. the statement, "i am 'that' ", is followed by my descriptions of qualities i have experienced as 'that', but.. it is my experience that 'that' is still creating and evolving, which is why i 'pay attention' without assuming my understandings won't change, and.. i do report my experiences and understandings, hopeful that open-minded discourse can further refine understanding for someone, including 'me'..

I understand some of the consequences from paying attention to, and believing, the chattering of the mind.. i also understand the 'mind' as a sort of sixth sense, a medium common with the 'parts' and with the Whole.. the mind is not confined/defined by any individual perspective.. and, the consequences to paying attention to and believing the mind's chatter, is that it distorts the awareness of what is actually happening..

The same mind that can conclude i am 'defining what i am' or that i am 'trapped', rather than ask.. is the same mind that can construct preconceptions about answers it is 'sure' that i have, a mind that will not 'sit well' without ever hearing an answer/reply.. which is the same mind that can become still and clear, that can wait to determine if a reply adds clarity or distortion..

I'm not defending myself from your observations, i am presenting my perspective.. hopeful that you will let go of the preconceived condition that "doesn't sit right"..

Be well..

Thanks for responding Tzu. I get it when it comes to a clear awareness of what is happening and a still mind being a prerequisite to that. However, what doesn't sit well is having a clear awareness of that awareness.
The stillness I speak of is silence. The silence is silent. (this is my belief, not my experience)
A clear mind allowing one to see what is happening is a great thing to pursue in order to see what is happening without prejudice but it is not what I am talking about. Where is the silence, in being aware of what is happening? Where is the silence in having a clear mind? If I need to let go of anything, it is the gut feeling that there is such a silence and the gut knowing that it can never come back and define itself.
I can't let this go because I don't understand it, so for now it acts as a warning beacon for me and I must trust it until I know better.
No offense to you, it's just the way it is. I seem to be able to know what isn't without really knowing what is. Maybe cuz of a lifetime of what isn'ts playing themselves out in me. Maybe cuz there is nothing else to know and I get that.