Spirit and soul ... What is the difference between these two concepts? For the average person, this question remains open. However, it is very important. In different religions and teachings, it is answered ambiguously. First you need to consider these terms separately. The soul is the intangible essence of personality that lives in its body. In other words - the "vital engine" of a person. Together with the soul, the body shell begins its life path, which cognizes the environment with its help. Without a soul there will be no life. Spirit is the highest degree of the essence of personality. He draws and leads a man to God. It is the presence of the spirit that distinguishes people as higher beings in the hierarchy of the animal world.
Philosophy and soul
Philosophers from ancient times tried to find the answer to the question of what is spirit and soul, what is their difference and similarity. The concepts of spirit and soul in philosophy denote the layers of perfection of our world and are most thoroughly embodied in people. They are the steps between human consciousness and reality. The soul is considered the aggregate value, combining the mental characteristics of the individual, which determine his sociality. In the spiritual world, all life experiences of a person, his mental states and drives find their shelter. The soul is the link between the inner and the outer. It combines the sphere of social life with the intrinsic qualities of a person, helps an individual adapt in the surrounding society, and interact with other individuals.
Philosophy and spirit
Spirit and soul - what is the difference? Philosophy does not give a concrete answer. This science only assumes that the spirit is the highest value-worldview layer. He is the center of human spirituality. The spiritual is not considered only individual, it is a unique combination of morality, art, language, philosophy. The most significant human manifestations, such as love, faith, freedom, belong to the spiritual world. In many philosophical teachings, the terms spirit and soul are related to the world as a whole, and not to an individual individual.
Vedism and soul
Our ancestors believed that the soul was given to man for practicing negative qualities. It is endowed with the possibility of choice, that is, it can develop in a negative or positive direction. Her business is which side to choose, negative or positive. Soul in Vedism is considered a substance from subtle matter and part of the planet’s energy shell. The Vedas said that the soul itself chooses its embodiment, that is, the date and place of birth. At the time of a person’s death, the soul tries to return to its original point, that is, to the deceased’s hometown. In Vedism, it is believed that the soul is similar to punched tape with holes. This tape seems to envelop the spiritual grain and can negatively affect the positive impulses of the spirit itself. For this reason, depressive conditions occur, and the body becomes weaker and more vulnerable.
Vedism and spirit
The ancient Vedas considered man spiritual if he reached a specific energy level. Spirit and soul - what is the difference? Vedic books indicate the belief that the spirit is the original in man. He is given to a person from the very beginning of its existence. Spirit helps a person to improve, despite the negative impact of the world. The Vedas said that the spirit summarizes the energy of all its incarnations. And if he could not collect enough energy from his past lives, then a person cannot be called spiritless, since his spirit is just beginning its path of improvement. The Vedism says that a person cannot exist without a spirit, but without a soul, life is quite possible.
Orthodoxy and the soul
Spirit and soul - what is the difference? Orthodoxy, as a religion, answers this question as follows. It is believed that the soul is a thin thread between a person and the outside world, it connects a person and reality. Spirit, on the contrary, helps the individual to find a connection with God. All living beings possess the soul, but only the son of God, that is, man, is endowed with the spirit. The body is enlivened with the help of the soul, and it, in turn, with the help of the spirit. At the moment of a person’s birth, a soul is sent to him, but not a spirit. He comes during repentance. The spirit is responsible for the mind, and the soul is obliged to control feelings and emotions. A person is able to exercise control over his soul, but he is not in control of the spirit. The soul is prone to experiencing physical suffering. The spirit does not have such sensations and is not attached to the body shell. By nature, the spirit is intangible, and has a connection only with the soul. And the soul, on the contrary, is inextricably linked with the body. The soul can be tarnished by sinful deeds. But the spirit carries within it divine power and cannot be affected by sin.
Spirit in islam
Spirit and soul - what is the difference? Islam has long asked this question. Unlike Orthodoxy, here the concepts of spirit and soul are interpreted somewhat differently. It is believed that the spirit is endowed with an infinite amount of qualities and skills. He can distinguish with the help of consciousness, be aware of the mind, be in unity with conscience, listen to the dream, love with heart. Some abilities of the spirit are manifested through material human organs, others are limited by them. Islam says that the spirit is the law of Allah, which governs the body shell. Traditionally, in the Islamic religion, the human body is designated by a cell, and the spirit is personified in the form of a bird. Such an allegory provides many reasons for thought. For example, the body lives and serves the spirit, but the spirit does not owe anything to the body. By increasing the size of the cage, the bird does not do more. Similarly, one can say about physical and spiritual beauty. Decorating the cage, you can not make the bird more beautiful. Also, a person’s physical health does not indicate his spiritual development. Islam says that the spirit, after the death of the body, gains freedom and is freed from the shackles of the shell. Further, he himself awaits the Day of Judgment. The spirit acquires a new physical form already in the afterlife.
The soul in Islam
The religion of Islam also raises the question of what is spirit and soul, what is the difference between them? The main book of the Qur'an cites the indisputable facts of the existence of the human soul. Islam talks about the emergence of the soul as follows. First, a person is formed within one hundred and twenty days in the stomach of his mother, then an angel appears, which gives the embryo a soul. At the same time, an angel comes with a certain mission: he records the date of birth of a person, the duration of his life and the date of death. Islam says that the soul leaves its physical shell on the fortieth day after the death of a person. The theory of reincarnation in Islam is completely denied. It is believed that after the soul leaves the human body, it goes to the soul world. The body is buried and becomes part of the earth. After the expiration of a certain period of time, according to the religion of Islam, Allah will resurrect the bodies of all the dead and return to each person his own soul. After that, all people will appear before God of all worlds in order to answer for their sinful deeds.
Blurry difference
So, spirit and soul - what is the difference between these concepts? As can be seen from this article, each religion in its own way interprets the meaning of these words. But the basic ideas about the soul and spirit of both religion and philosophical teachings agree. The difference between spirit and soul is that the soul is inextricably linked with the body, and the spirit, on the contrary, seeks only to God, rejecting everything physical and worldly. It is very important to find a fine line between your spirit and soul. Then they can be kept in harmony, because basically the spirit is drawn to high ideals, and the soul is too susceptible to the negative influence of the surrounding world. When a person for himself realizes the difference between spirit and soul, he will be able to live peacefully and enjoy every moment. Of course, this is not an easy task. But one who has patience and endurance will be able to find himself and establish a harmonious relationship between soul and spirit.