The soul is a spiritual or immaterial part of a human being, regarded as immortal. It is the soul that consists of your mind, thoughts, feelings and character. The soul is regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body. Aristotle reasoned that a man's body and soul were his matter and form respectively.
The body is a collection of elements and the soul is the essence.Thus, the actual self is the soul, while the body is only a mechanism to experience the karma of that life.
In 1901 Duncan MacDougall conducted an experiment in which he made weight measurements of patients as they died. There was weight loss of varying amounts at the time of death; he concluded the soul weighed 21 grams, based on measurements of a single patient and discarding conflicting results.
In 1901 Duncan MacDougall conducted an experiment in which he made weight measurements of patients as they died. There was weight loss of varying amounts at the time of death; he concluded the soul weighed 21 grams, based on measurements of a single patient and discarding conflicting results.
As a result, the "fact" that the soul weighed three-quarters of an ounce (roughly 21 grams) made its way into the common knowledge, and has stayed there ever since. Therefore,while alive, you cannot totally lose your Soul, it is always there in the background of your life. Although, often times you may experience inaccessible due to trauma.
Many people misunderstand the term Soul loss as literally meaning losing your Soul. But instead, it's about losing access to the vital core of your soul. When the vital core of your soul is intact, material possessions don't matter much to you, but you;
Similarly, the soul is the base quality of what you are. It is the center or core of our being, it is often called "the mover of the body," since it is ultimately responsible as a first principle for various vital operations. It is who you truly are. The soul is closely related to being alive and that when man is active, his soul is partly asleep; when man is asleep it is active through his dreams.
- Focus on meaningful connections
- Need a lot of time alone
- Have high empathy
- Spend a lot of time thinking about how to make a difference.
Similarly, the soul is the base quality of what you are. It is the center or core of our being, it is often called "the mover of the body," since it is ultimately responsible as a first principle for various vital operations. It is who you truly are. The soul is closely related to being alive and that when man is active, his soul is partly asleep; when man is asleep it is active through his dreams.
Soul And Mind
For scientists, the soul is synonymous with the mind due to the fact that one can learn about the soul by studying the human brain where our minds are located. Our desires stem from our souls while our minds decide what actions to take in order to achieve our desires. A healthy mind keeps you focused and engaged.
The mind is man’s faculty of thinking, reasoning, and applying knowledge. It is human consciousness that starts in the brain and is manifested through man’s thoughts, actions, emotion, will, memory and imagination. The link between mind and soul is a scientific fact. Research reveals we have three separate neural pathway networks, leading to the head, the gut and the heart.
These have been dubbed the three brains, all capable of controlling how we feel and how we react. It’s vital to nurture each ‘brain’ to ensure optimal well being. We need to look after our mental health to maintain focus and clarity of the mind. It’s also important to develop positive relationships and genuine connection to nourish our emotional health.
It is essential to note that, the Mind is just a projection of the soul. It is about mental processes, thought and consciousness. It is also associated with the brain, however, the two terms are often used interchangeably. While the brain is considered to be a physical thing, the mind is considered to be mental. The brain is composed of nerve cells and can be touched, whereas, the mind cannot be touched.
What are the three levels of the mind?
The preconscious consists of anything that could potentially be brought into the conscious mind.
The conscious mind contains all of the thoughts, memories, feelings, and wishes of which we are aware at any given moment. This is the aspect of our mental processing that we can think and talk about rationally. This also includes our memory, which is not always part of consciousness but can be retrieved easily and brought into awareness.
The subconscious mind is a reservoir of feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that are outside of our conscious awareness. The subconscious contains contents that are unacceptable or unpleasant, such as feelings of pain, anxiety or conflict.
Thoughts and emotions outside of our awareness continue to exert an influence on our behaviors, even though we are unaware of these underlying influences. The subconscious can include repressed feelings, hidden memories, habits, thoughts, desires and reactions.
It is essential to note that, the Mind is just a projection of the soul. It is about mental processes, thought and consciousness. It is also associated with the brain, however, the two terms are often used interchangeably. While the brain is considered to be a physical thing, the mind is considered to be mental. The brain is composed of nerve cells and can be touched, whereas, the mind cannot be touched.
What are the three levels of the mind?
The preconscious consists of anything that could potentially be brought into the conscious mind.
The conscious mind contains all of the thoughts, memories, feelings, and wishes of which we are aware at any given moment. This is the aspect of our mental processing that we can think and talk about rationally. This also includes our memory, which is not always part of consciousness but can be retrieved easily and brought into awareness.
The subconscious mind is a reservoir of feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that are outside of our conscious awareness. The subconscious contains contents that are unacceptable or unpleasant, such as feelings of pain, anxiety or conflict.
Thoughts and emotions outside of our awareness continue to exert an influence on our behaviors, even though we are unaware of these underlying influences. The subconscious can include repressed feelings, hidden memories, habits, thoughts, desires and reactions.
Memories and emotions that are too painful, embarrassing, shameful, or distressing to consciously face are stored in the enormous reservoir that makes up the subconscious mind. The highest (or deepest) level of the subconscious mind is the mental level. This is the area of the mind where the seeds of your conscious desires are sown.
This is the greatest area of interconnection between souls, both living and “dead.” So, when you make a wish, and follow up with action on that wish at the physical level, know that all sorts of help is being provided for you at the mental level of the mind.
Your subconscious mind is an unquestioning servant that works day and night to make your behavior fits a pattern consistent with your emotionalized thoughts, hopes, and desires. Specifically, your subconscious is the part of your soul that works throughout the day when you are both awake and asleep but takes over entirely when you sleep.
Your subconscious mind is an unquestioning servant that works day and night to make your behavior fits a pattern consistent with your emotionalized thoughts, hopes, and desires. Specifically, your subconscious is the part of your soul that works throughout the day when you are both awake and asleep but takes over entirely when you sleep.
Free from the interference of daily life and external stimuli, at night your subconscious mind has nearly all the resources of your brain at its disposal.
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Thoughts Of Our Soul
Thoughts Of Our Soul
"The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts." - Marcus Aurelius.Thoughts are mental cognitions—our ideas, opinions, and beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. In their most common sense, the terms thought and thinking refer to conscious cognitive processes that can happen independently of sensory stimulation. It simiply means to conceive in the mind.
Thinking is a higher cognitive function and the analysis of thinking processes is part of cognitive psychology. Thoughts are generated in the brain, which is composed of 100 billion nerve cells that transmit impulses through synapses. In other words, thoughts are electrochemical reactions.
We process almost 80,000 thoughts every day. The soul arranges the entire package of cause and effect at the same time. If we take the time and write down all the thoughts that pass through our mind, we could write a book each day!
Thoughts influence our emotions. Thinking about a tough task can trigger stress and anxiety within us. Thinking about a loved one can induce feelings of happiness and warmth. Our thoughts then influence our behavior. Thoughts are generated in the brain, which is composed of 100 billion nerve cells that transmit impulses through synapses.
We process almost 80,000 thoughts every day. The soul arranges the entire package of cause and effect at the same time. If we take the time and write down all the thoughts that pass through our mind, we could write a book each day!
Thoughts influence our emotions. Thinking about a tough task can trigger stress and anxiety within us. Thinking about a loved one can induce feelings of happiness and warmth. Our thoughts then influence our behavior. Thoughts are generated in the brain, which is composed of 100 billion nerve cells that transmit impulses through synapses.
In other words, thoughts are electrochemical reactions. What makes it difficult to track is the complexity of the reactions. The firing of neurons can range from one signal per second to 1,000 signals per second. The vast majority of our thinking efforts goes on subconsciously. Only one or two of these thoughts are likely to breach into consciousness at a time.
Slips of the tongue and accidental actions offer glimpses of our unfiltered subconscious mental life. When it comes to the subconscious mind, it is something that has a huge effect on every action, but is constantly overlooked.
Instead, the focus is often on our conscious mind, which contains the critical thought function of our brains. The subconscious is the powerful layer underneath. It encompasses the awareness of all things the conscious mind cannot recognize.
Once the subconscious is tapped into, this remarkable part of the brain plays many different roles in your everyday life. By the time you reach the age of 21, you’ve already permanently stored more than one hundred times the contents of an entire Encyclopedia. Your subconscious mind is subjective.
Instead, the focus is often on our conscious mind, which contains the critical thought function of our brains. The subconscious is the powerful layer underneath. It encompasses the awareness of all things the conscious mind cannot recognize.
Once the subconscious is tapped into, this remarkable part of the brain plays many different roles in your everyday life. By the time you reach the age of 21, you’ve already permanently stored more than one hundred times the contents of an entire Encyclopedia. Your subconscious mind is subjective.
It does not think or reason independently. It merely obeys the commands it receives from your conscious mind. Your conscious mind can be thought of as the gardener, planting seeds. It also can be thought of as the garden, or fertile soil, in which the seeds germinate and grow.
Your subconscious mind has what is called a homeostatic impulse. It keeps your body temperature at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. It keeps you breathing regularly and keeps your heart beating at a certain rate. Through your autonomic nervous system, it maintains a balance among the hundreds of chemicals in your billions of cells.
Your subconscious mind has what is called a homeostatic impulse. It keeps your body temperature at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. It keeps you breathing regularly and keeps your heart beating at a certain rate. Through your autonomic nervous system, it maintains a balance among the hundreds of chemicals in your billions of cells.
Your entire physical machine functions in complete harmony most of the time. Your subconscious mind also practices homeostasis in your mental realm. It keeps you thinking and acting in a manner consistent with what you have done and said in the past. All your habits of thinking and acting are stored in your subconscious mind. It has memorized all your comfort zones and it works to keep you in them.
The subconscious mind is like a computer’s hard drive. It saves whatever information you feed it, without any bias. It does not discriminate between useful information and trash information. It just saves everything!
Interestingly, the subconscious mind learns through repetition. So if it’s fed the same information multiple times, it keeps overwriting it until the information gets etched in. As you would have guessed, such information is harder to erase. You can feel your subconscious pulling you back toward your comfort zone each time you try something new.
The subconscious mind is like a computer’s hard drive. It saves whatever information you feed it, without any bias. It does not discriminate between useful information and trash information. It just saves everything!
Interestingly, the subconscious mind learns through repetition. So if it’s fed the same information multiple times, it keeps overwriting it until the information gets etched in. As you would have guessed, such information is harder to erase. You can feel your subconscious pulling you back toward your comfort zone each time you try something new.
Even thinking about doing something different from what you’re accustomed to will make you feel tense and uneasy. Your subconscious mind causes you to feel emotionally and physically uncomfortable whenever you attempt to do anything new or different. It goes against changing any of your established patterns of behavior.
One of the biggest habits of successful men and women is always stretching themselves or pushing themselves out of their comfort zones. They are very aware how quickly the comfort zone, in any area, becomes a rut. They know that complacency is the great enemy of creativity and future possibilities.
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Feelings Of The Soul
Feelings are the experience of our emotion and its context. Our feelings and emotions are our navigational system. They give us information. And from the very deepest parts of ourselves, they give us a voice. This voice in turn, generates emotionally charged energy.
One of the biggest habits of successful men and women is always stretching themselves or pushing themselves out of their comfort zones. They are very aware how quickly the comfort zone, in any area, becomes a rut. They know that complacency is the great enemy of creativity and future possibilities.
Feelings Of The Soul
Feelings are the experience of our emotion and its context. Our feelings and emotions are our navigational system. They give us information. And from the very deepest parts of ourselves, they give us a voice. This voice in turn, generates emotionally charged energy.
They connect to our inner knowing and to our inner voice. At times throughout our lives, a bit of introspectiveness is useful to help examine our feelings and thoughts. Our feelings can show us what we're really believing under the surface. They plays a crucial role in general human experience.
Further, our emotions connect us to the very core of how we feel about ourselves, about others and about life itself. Robert Plutchik, proposed eight primary emotions: anger, fear, sadness, disgust, surprise, anticipation, trust and joy and arranged them in a color wheel.The Plutchik Model of Emotions provides a simply logical way to make sense of feelings.
Interpreting Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions:
Primary: The wheel has eight sectors to indicate that there are eight primary emotions: Anger, anticipation, joy, trust, fear, surprise, sadness and disgust.
Opposites: Each primary emotion has a polar opposite. These are based on the physiological reaction each emotion creates:
Joy is the opposite of sadness. Physiology: Connect vs withdraw
Fear is the opposite of anger. Physiology: Get small and hide vs get big and loud
Further, our emotions connect us to the very core of how we feel about ourselves, about others and about life itself. Robert Plutchik, proposed eight primary emotions: anger, fear, sadness, disgust, surprise, anticipation, trust and joy and arranged them in a color wheel.The Plutchik Model of Emotions provides a simply logical way to make sense of feelings.
Interpreting Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions:
Primary: The wheel has eight sectors to indicate that there are eight primary emotions: Anger, anticipation, joy, trust, fear, surprise, sadness and disgust.
Opposites: Each primary emotion has a polar opposite. These are based on the physiological reaction each emotion creates:
Joy is the opposite of sadness. Physiology: Connect vs withdraw
Fear is the opposite of anger. Physiology: Get small and hide vs get big and loud
Anticipation is the opposite of surprise. Physiology: Examine closely vs jump back
Disgust is the opposite of trust. Physiology: Reject vs embrace
When we talk about self-esteem emotions play a major role. We are talking about a reflection of our true inner sense of well-being, a picture of our deepest, inner sense of self value. Our self-esteem is a reflection of the way that we feel about ourselves.
Now let's look at some natural emotions and their effects.
Grief: When repressed, it transforms into depression.
Anger: Protective and primal instinct necessary for survival.
Envy: It’s what inspires you to become the best you can be.
Fear: Protective instinct, that need to be faced and expressed.
Love: The evolution of all of the 5 emotions.
Thoughts and emotions have a profound effect on one another. Thoughts can trigger emotions (worrying about an upcoming job interview may cause fear) and also serve as an appraisal of that emotion (“this isn't a realistic fear”). In addition, how you attend to and appraise your lives has an effect on how you feel.
Moreover, becoming aware of your emotions helps you understand the thought-emotion connection—in other words, what kind of thoughts produce what kind of emotional responses in your body.
This can help you weaken and release the hold of strong negative emotions.
The secret to controlled emotions is in our Breath. Through breathing techniques validated by modern science, you effortlessly quiet, empty and calm the mind, at the same time increase attention and focus. This state of relaxed-awareness is the Flow state, when you are most creative, effective and happy.
Breathing techniques also allow us to take a step back, recharge, get deep rest very fast and come back with full dynamism, alertness and positivity.
Character And Personality Traits
The soul defines the principle of our life, feeling, thought, and character. Character is the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. Character and personality traits reflect people's characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. These traits express who you are as a person.
What makes you an old soul also makes you a very beautiful person; how you see the world and how you act accordingly. One of the most striking traits that sets old souls apart from the rest is their insatiable appetite for wisdom and, to a lesser extent, knowledge.
You will likely be a sponge with legs, soaking up the teachings of those wise heads that have come before you so that you might better understand your place in the cosmos. and you trust Your Intuition.
The core of a soul has its own character. Soul personality traits:
Openness To Experience
Openness is one of the Big Five personality traits and involves being creative, curious, and interested in new experiences. Individuals with openness to experience are generally very active, have a tremendous inclination towards creativity and aesthetics and listen to their heart i.e. follow their inner feelings.
Such individuals are generally open to new learning, skill sets and experiences. People who score high on openness are quite broadminded as compared to individuals who score low on the same parameter. Such individuals are conservative, reluctant to changes and have a traditional approach in life.
Conscientiousness
As the name suggests, individuals with a Conscientiousness personality trait listen to their conscience and act accordingly. When someone is conscientious, they are able to exercise self-discipline and self-control in order to pursue and ultimately achieve their goals.Such individuals are extremely cautious and self disciplined.
The core of a soul has its own character. Soul personality traits:
- You Seek Wisdom And Knowledge
- You Yearn For Personal And Spiritual Growth.
- You Think A Great Deal.
- You Often Reject The Mainstream. ...
- You Cherish Time Away In Nature.
- You Trust Your Intuition.
- You Are A Great Listener.
Openness To Experience
Openness is one of the Big Five personality traits and involves being creative, curious, and interested in new experiences. Individuals with openness to experience are generally very active, have a tremendous inclination towards creativity and aesthetics and listen to their heart i.e. follow their inner feelings.
Such individuals are generally open to new learning, skill sets and experiences. People who score high on openness are quite broadminded as compared to individuals who score low on the same parameter. Such individuals are conservative, reluctant to changes and have a traditional approach in life.
Conscientiousness
As the name suggests, individuals with a Conscientiousness personality trait listen to their conscience and act accordingly. When someone is conscientious, they are able to exercise self-discipline and self-control in order to pursue and ultimately achieve their goals.Such individuals are extremely cautious and self disciplined.
They never perform any task in haste but think twice before acting. People with this personality trait are generally methodical and tend to become perfectionists in the long run.They strive hard to accomplish goals and objectives within the stipulated time frame. Individuals who are the opposite are little laid back and are not much goal oriented.
Extraversion And Introversion
Extraversion: Extraversion refers to a state where individuals show more concern towards what is happening outside. Extroverts are typically described as being outgoing, fun-loving, friendly, and talkative.They do not like spending time alone but love being the centre of attraction of parties and social gatherings. They admire the company of others and hate staying alone.
Introversion: An introvert person on the other hand is more interested in his own feelings and thoughts. Such individuals do not bother about others and are seldom interested in what is happening around. They prefer staying back at home rather than going out and spending time with friends. Such individuals speak less and enjoy their own company.
Extraversion And Introversion
Extraversion: Extraversion refers to a state where individuals show more concern towards what is happening outside. Extroverts are typically described as being outgoing, fun-loving, friendly, and talkative.They do not like spending time alone but love being the centre of attraction of parties and social gatherings. They admire the company of others and hate staying alone.
Introversion: An introvert person on the other hand is more interested in his own feelings and thoughts. Such individuals do not bother about others and are seldom interested in what is happening around. They prefer staying back at home rather than going out and spending time with friends. Such individuals speak less and enjoy their own company.
You would never find them in meetings, clubs, parties or social get-together. They generally do not have many friends and tend to rely on few trusted ones.
Agreeableness
A person with a high level of agreeableness in a personality test is usually warm, friendly, and tactful. They generally have an optimistic view of human nature and get along well with others. Such individuals do not crib and face changes with a smile. They accommodate themselves to all situations and are friendly and kind hearted.
Agreeableness
A person with a high level of agreeableness in a personality test is usually warm, friendly, and tactful. They generally have an optimistic view of human nature and get along well with others. Such individuals do not crib and face changes with a smile. They accommodate themselves to all situations and are friendly and kind hearted.
People who score high on agreeableness are ready to help others and flash their trillion dollar smile whenever a problem arises. Individuals opposite on agreeableness on the other hand find difficulties in adjusting with others and are little unfriendly.
Neuroticism
Neuroticism is a personality trait involving a long-term tendency to be in a negative or anxious emotional state. Such individuals are prone to negative thoughts such as anxiety, anger, envy, guilt and so on. Such individuals are often in a state of depression and do not know how to enjoy life.
Neuroticism
Neuroticism is a personality trait involving a long-term tendency to be in a negative or anxious emotional state. Such individuals are prone to negative thoughts such as anxiety, anger, envy, guilt and so on. Such individuals are often in a state of depression and do not know how to enjoy life.
They always look at the negative sides of life and find extremely difficult to cope up with stress. Yet in rare circumstances, a human soul can host more than one dominant trait.
Creating A Life That Feeds Your Soul
Do you wish you’d pursued your dreams?
Are you sorry you created a life based on living up to other people’s expectations?
Do you feel remorse that your choices were guided by an internal drive to prove something to someone?
Do you think about how different your life would be if you’d stood up for yourself and what you wanted?
Are you disappointed that you haven’t maintain better relationships with the core of your soul?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you have regrets about how you’ve lived your life. And those regrets are symptomatic of a bigger problem. You live in a way that starves your soul.
Feed vs. Starve Your Soul
There’s a significant difference in the quality of a life that feeds your soul versus one that starves it of the nourishment necessary to thrive—and for you to thrive. When you live a life that feeds your soul, you:
- Stand up for what you want
- Go after your dreams
- Make a difference
- Express yourself
- Fulfill your purpose
Do things that make you feel joyful, enthusiastic, and passionate
A life that feeds your soul is one lived as your best, authentic self—on all levels and in every life arena. You wake up every day enthusiastic, energized, joyful, and filled with a sense of purpose. You’re charged up, firing on all cylinders, and doing your life’s work.
You stay focused on the things that are important to you: health, love, relationships, spiritual connection, and service. Then, you move through your days in the flow and in harmony with All That Is. A soul-nourishing life offers a very different daily experience than a soul-starving life.
The later leaves you feeling overwhelmed, burned out, stressed, depleted of energy, unhappy, disconnected, unhealthy, and generally stuck.
So how do you nourish your soul?
Too many of us die without expressing how we feel about the people or situations in our lives. But the soul is fed by expressions of positive emotions, like love, joy, gratitude, and passion. That doesn’t mean you can’t express sadness or anger or other negative emotions. These need expression, too. Just don’t get stuck in them.
Humans are emotional beings, and often the soul guides us with deep emotions. Pay attention to what you feel, and express your emotions. Your soul will grow strong, and you’ll feel its presence more clearly.
Your Soul Has A Purpose
So how do you nourish your soul?
Too many of us die without expressing how we feel about the people or situations in our lives. But the soul is fed by expressions of positive emotions, like love, joy, gratitude, and passion. That doesn’t mean you can’t express sadness or anger or other negative emotions. These need expression, too. Just don’t get stuck in them.
Humans are emotional beings, and often the soul guides us with deep emotions. Pay attention to what you feel, and express your emotions. Your soul will grow strong, and you’ll feel its presence more clearly.
Your Soul Has A Purpose
That soul purpose is your way of making a difference in this lifetime. The emptiness you feel may come from your soul’s desire for you to do something positive and meaningful in the world, even if it’s on a small scale.
If you don’t know what your soul purpose is, choose a purpose—something you feel passionate about that allows you to be of service or do good in the world. You may, however, have one and not realize it. Sometimes soul purpose is simple, like supporting and taking care of your family. It doesn’t have to be a big huge task.
In either case, feed your soul a consistent diet of actions that fulfill your purpose. Daily, ask yourself if what you are doing is “on purpose” for you. Your soul wants you to be happy. Sometimes, however, you may think you don’t deserve happiness. Or you might choose unhappiness as a way to prove how horrible your life is or to punish the people around you.
If you don’t know what your soul purpose is, choose a purpose—something you feel passionate about that allows you to be of service or do good in the world. You may, however, have one and not realize it. Sometimes soul purpose is simple, like supporting and taking care of your family. It doesn’t have to be a big huge task.
In either case, feed your soul a consistent diet of actions that fulfill your purpose. Daily, ask yourself if what you are doing is “on purpose” for you. Your soul wants you to be happy. Sometimes, however, you may think you don’t deserve happiness. Or you might choose unhappiness as a way to prove how horrible your life is or to punish the people around you.
In the process, unhappiness becomes a habit you stop enjoying life. Plus, you remove one of the primary soul nutrients from your life. Give yourself permission to be happy. Be kind to yourself. Give yourself permission to take time out and not be productive every second of the day.
Live in the moment and give your soul a chance to breathe. Hope and work towards and better tomorrow.
"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." --Mark Twain
