The mixing of religious and non-religious beliefs in an individual.

Soul - Chapter 1

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New Beginnings – Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University

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CHAPTER 1

SOUL

INTRODUCTION
The world is full of many wonders; incredible works of art and architecture, of science and invention, but the greatest of them all by far is the human mind. It is the mind’s play that brings about all activity in the human world. The outline of everything people construct is first formed in the mind and then filled in with matter to assume a concrete shape. History, science, culture, trade and commerce, in fact all knowledge and systems of our day-to-day world, are but the projection and fulfillment of thoughts born in the mind. If the mind, by concentrating itself on matter, can work such wonders and attain such miraculous physical powers as we have, what can it not attain if it concentrates on itself!

Disorder and tension on the individual level and consequently on the social level are the result of ignorance of the self and the world around, such that the mind stays without rest. It runs, jumps and churns aimlessly, lashed by waves of feelings and emotions. Like a spider caught in its own web, the individual becomes entangled in nets which are the consequences of this ignorance of the fundamentals of life.

In this chapter we begin an upward journey that will take the reader through deeper and deeper levels of understanding and experience which create freedom from these nets.

This chapter deals with:

The distinction between soul and matter- the metaphysical and the physical.
The anatomy of the human soul.
The process of experiencing or emerging higher emotions.

THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE SOUL AND MATTER
In life many happenings cannot be explained solely in material terms. At certain points of crisis or inspiration, there are deep emotional and spiritual experiences which separate us from the world around. We retreat at such times, into ourselves, into religious or philosophical books, into rituals or symbols, in order to understand them. We are subject to a perpetual commentary on life around us from our own thoughts, feelings and deductions.

These faculties of thinking and forming ideas, desiring and deciding (and all the different aspects which constitute our individual personality) are non-physical, yet nevertheless real. Indeed, anything perceptible to us comes from two sources; that which is detected by the physical senses and that which arises from impressions recorded on these subtle faculties. The things that we can see, taste, hear, smell and feel, as well as the body itself are formed of matter. But the subtle faculties of mind, intellect and personality are manifest in what is called consciousness.

“Consciousness” is another word for “soul” or “spirit”. The soul is a subtle entity that cannot be measured by any physical process or instrumentation. The non-material part of each one of us exists, and is in fact the true self or what we simply call “I”. This “I”, or soul, is perceptible only at the level of mind and intellect.

The soul must first be aware of its own capacities of sensing, discriminating and understanding, in order to attune these powers to the proper degree of subtlety and precision. With the physical eyes we can see only gross, material things. It requires a different kind of vision or outlook to “see” that which concerns the non-material, all those experiences which transcend this physical level of existence. Raja Yoga involves the development and refinement of the so-called “third eye” so that we not only “see” spiritually but understand and adjust to what we “see” in the most natural way possible.

ATOM AND “ATMA”
Throughout history scientists have built up knowledge of the laws of the physical universe on the foundation of atomic theory. The atom is seen to be a point-source of energy, and different energy levels and vibrations between neighbouring atoms give the appearance of form, colour and heat. Atomic theory appeared originally in Greece and in India. The English word “atom” came from the Latin “atomus” which means “the twinkling of an eye” and the Greek “atomos” meaning “indivisible”. The Greek word is similar to the Hindi “atma” which means “self” or “soul” and refers to the conscious energy of the human as being an indivisible and indestructible point of non-physical light.

It has been established that the entire material world we see around us as a variety of forms and colours, light and heat, is formed of these point sources of physical energy. The most beautiful scene in nature is merely a pattern of energy waves and vibrations. The sense organs select the vibrations and relay a message to the mind where all images are formed. The eyes see some of these patterns as light forms and colours, the nose picks up odours. In the same way sounds, tastes and sensations are detected and transmitted to the mind.

The human body is also a complex pattern of physical energies. Atomic particles build together to form the organic structures and inorganic minerals which perform the body’s chemical interactions, thus forming the basis of the hormonal and nervous control of the body. What we see as old or young, ugly or beautiful, male or female, is also the effect of these differing levels of physical energies. However marvellous a machine the body may be, it is the presence of the soul which makes it function. One of the basic differences between souls and atoms is that while souls can exercise choice of their movements, where and when to go somewhere, atoms cannot obviously exercise such choice. In a way you could say that a soul is a point-source of spiritual energy that has awareness of its own existence. Atoms do not.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF DETACHMENT FROM THE BODY
“As I sat down, I tried to think of myself as a spiritual being, a point-source of conscient energy centred in the forehead. After some minutes I became aware that my attention was leaving the various limbs and organs of the body. It was as if there was a rush of energy rising slowly like mercury in a thermometer, towards the area in the centre between the eyebrows. Then very suddenly I had the feeling that I was totally bodiless, without any weight or heaviness. There was a deep feeling of detachment from the physical surroundings. Even though I was acutely aware of the things around, I was seeing them completely in an observer state; just a tiny point of consciousness, surrounded by a lot of movement, forms, colours and sounds of which I was not part.”

SOUL, BODY AND THE “THIRD EYE”
“Human being” means the consciousness, the soul or “being”, experiencing life through the insentient body, the “human”. The body is perishable and temporary, whereas the soul is eternal and without physical dimension. The soul is the driver, the body is the car. The soul is the guest, the body is the hotel. The soul is the actor, the body is the costume. The soul is the musician, the body is the instrument. I can use a knife to cut a tomato. I can use the same knife to stab someone. The knife neither decides nor experiences, but can be washed easily under the tap.

Now look at the fingers which held the knife. They neither decide nor experience the actions. They too can be washed under the tap. It’s easy to realise that the knife is an instrument, but it is more difficult to realise that the fingers are instruments too; not only the fingers but the arms also. The legs are instruments for walking, the eyes for seeing, the ears for hearing, the mouth for speaking, breathing, tasting, the heart for pumping food and oxygen around the body, and so on. Even the brain is an instrument used like a computer to express all thought, word and action programmes through the body and to experience the results. If every physical part of the body is an instrument, who or what is it that is using the instrument?

Very simply it is “I”, the self, the soul. The soul uses the word “I” for itself and the word “my” when referring to the body; “my” hand, “my” mouth, “my” brain, etc. “I” am different from “my” body.

WHERE IS THE SOUL SITUATED IN THE BODY?
The dualities of matter/anti-matter, sentient/insentient, physical/spiritual can be understood easily with the awareness of the mechanism by which human consciousness operates through the body. The soul has three basic functions to perform; to give and maintain life, to express and experience its role, and to receive the rewards or fruits of past actions performed in previous existences. (See Chapter 4 - Karma and Yoga).

These functions are controlled and monitored through the nervous and hormonal systems from a particular point in the area of the brain housing the thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary and pineal glands. This region is known as the seat of the soul, or the “third eye”. The connection between the physical and the non-physical is by the medium of thought energy. Many religions, philosophies and esoteric studies place great importance on the third eye, or “eye of the mind”.

When viewed from the front, this region appears to be between and slightly above the line of the eyebrows. It’s for this reason that Hindus use a “tilak”, a dot in red or sandalwood paste in the middle of the forehead. Christians also make the sign of the cross in this region. Even when one makes a mistake or expresses tiredness it’s to this region that we put the hands in the characteristic gestures of self-dismay or exhaustion. After all, the soul subconsciously knows that it makes the mistakes and not the body. When people are frowning or concentrating deeply in thought it is this area of the forehead that creases into lines on the skin.

THE FORM OF THE SOUL
In deep meditation one can perceive the soul as an infinitesimal point of non-physical light surrounded by an oval-shaped aura. The soul is not an invisible or ethereal duplicate of the physical body. The soul-energy which manifests as thoughts, feelings, etc. has no physical size and for this simple reason it is eternal. Something which has no physical size cannot be destroyed.

THE ANATOMY OF THE SOUL
When the soul is in the body it manifests as three faculties. Although each faculty can be given a different name, it is actually the same energy, the soul, functioning on three different levels simultaneously. These are the mind, the intellect and the memories, or “sanskaras.”

Mind is the thinking faculty of the soul. It is the mind that imagines, thinks and forms ideas. The thought process is the basis of all emotions, desires and sensations. It is through this faculty that, in an instant, thoughts can be projected to a distant place, past experiences and emotions can be relived or even the future anticipated. It is the mind that experiences the variations of moods. The mind is a faculty of the metaphysical soul, not to be confused with the heart or even the brain.

Intellect is used to assess thoughts. This is the faculty of understanding and decision-making which stands out as the most crucial faculty of the three. With the deepening and broadening of the intellect, clear understanding and realisation of knowledge becomes natural, and the power to decide and reason becomes clear. It is the intellect which remembers, discriminates, judges and exercises its power in the form of will.

“Sanskaras” is a Hindi word which best describes what we could call “impressions” or “subconscious or unconscious mind”. They are the record of all the soul’s past experiences and actions. Sanskaras can take the forms of habits, talents, emotional temperaments, personality traits, beliefs, values or instincts. Every action as an experience either creates a sanskar (this is how a habit begins) or reinforces an old one. Whatever impression is etched in the soul remains within the soul, forming a complete archive of all the experiences that the soul has had. When we speak of defects, specialities or virtues we are referring to the sanskaras. The sanskaras are the basis of the soul’s individuality.

ORIGIN OF THOUGHT
The cyclic nature of the thought process is shown in the diagram above. From the sanskaras (personal tendencies/traits), various subconscious impressions surface in the conscious mind and manifest as thoughts, emotions or desires. These are then processed by the intellect, and may be expressed as actions through the body. The way in which we act, the results of our actions, and the input data from the external world collected through the sense organs, all leave more impressions on the soul, creating or reinforcing sanskaras or cancelling the effect of others. If an action is performed repeatedly it becomes a “deep” sanskar, which will then become most likely to re-emerge in the consciousness in the future (i.e. a habit). The great majority of observations and actions leave only a weak impression on the soul so that the soul is unable to recall exactly all that has taken place. Only stronger impressions form the basis of what is filed away as memories of the past.

MIND-GAMES
Let’s see what is happening inside the soul. It is rather like a football game in which there are two sides and a field. The field in this case is the mind, but such a field which “feels” the movements of the players. The two sides are the sanskaras and the intellect. The players on the side of the sanskaras are habits, beliefs, memories, tendencies, instincts and personality traits, while the intellect has judgement, discrimination, the power of memory, decision, understanding, will-power and so on.

In the case of a weakened soul the sanskaras are stronger players and dominate the game using all possible “tricks” to overpower the intellect. The intellect’s players are without power and don’t really know how to play properly. Will-power is the goal-keeper. Will-power says to itself, “Well, those habits and tendencies have scored so many “goals” in the past, just one more won’t make much difference to the self. The sanskaras always win.”

If the sanskaras were a “good” team then all would be fine. The problem is they are full of impurities and defects and every time they “score a goal” the intellect is weakened. Meanwhile the mind is experiencing the whole game and the emotions, feelings, thoughts and so on, come and go according to the quality of the game.

Now, if the soul really wants to have peace of mind, it is not just a question of clearing it of all thoughts as is done in some forms of meditation; in this case clearing the field of all players. No doubt because there is no game happening, there would be some tranquility experienced; but after the attention of keeping the mind free from thoughts is withdrawn, the same players that had been there before will return without having been changed in any way. Similarly if we clear the “field” and replace the players of the sanskaras and intellect by a mantra (incantation of some sacred syllables), candle flame or any other form of concentration, there will no doubt be the experience of tranquility but again, as soon as the attention is withdrawn, the former players return without having been changed and the tensions that had been there previously also return.

In order to have lasting and unshakeable peace of mind or rather peace in the “field” of the mind, instead of just a passing experience of tranquility, it is necessary to change the players so that the game is one of perfect harmony. For this the intellect needs power and knowledge so that it can participate effectively in the game and the sanskaras need to be purified so that all defects and “dirty” tricks are removed. For this reason the only type of meditation that brings real and permanent peace of mind is that which fills the intellect with strength and wisdom and brings purity to the sanskaras. When strength and wisdom unite, the result is peace. When the soul is aware of its true identity and is linked with the Supreme Soul power surges into the soul through the intellect, purifying the sanskaras and bringing peace to the mind. Even after a few minutes some transformation in all the “players” can be noticed and when concentrating on other tasks or facing other situations, they behave completely harmoniously. This type of meditation will be dealt with in more detail in Chapter 3 - God.

THE PROCESS OF EMERGING HIGHER EMOTIONS
As has been mentioned already, Raja Yoga gives the intellect the power to select those positive sanskaras which lead to the higher emotions, calm and clear thoughts, and the pure desire to enjoy life in such a way that no sorrow is experienced for the self and no sorrow is given to others.

In the initial stages of meditation, the yogi calms the mind and experiences sanskaras which in most people, surface only occasionally as they are deeper than the superficial memories of worldly experiences. These are the pure and powerful sanskaras relating to the eternal nature of the soul. As the soul is not a material energy, but is a metaphysical energy separate from the body, then the dualities of the material world do not relate to the deep, inner nature of the soul. Consciousness has the same property as light; a powerful force with distinct qualities yet having no gravitational mass. In fact, the only “pull” or “burden” on the soul is the result of its own impure thoughts and negative actions.

So the Raja Yogi sees deeper than these superficial sanskaras and sees the real nature of the soul; peace, purity, power and contentment. When these original sanskaras are experienced, then love and happiness
are also experienced automatically. After some practice, the Raja Yogi has the intellectual power to consciously emerge these sanskaras into daily life at any time. In a situation which would lead most people to experience negative moods or emotions such as fear, depression, anxiety, boredom, fatigue, hatred or aggression, the Raja Yogi becomes detached and emerges the inner powers of contentment and tranquility. This of course is beneficial not only for the self but also for others.

MEDITATION
“Yoga” in a general sense means a mental connection or union, achieved through remembrance. Wherever the mind is focused, that can be called yoga. Whenever someone or something is remembered, then the soul is having yoga with that person or thing. At any moment, we are remembering people, places and things of the past or present, or we are imagining future events. We are continually using this power within as we use the world outside, trying to find and maintain peace and happiness. We like to remember pleasant experiences and to entertain them as thoughts. We become “lost” in thought, detached from our immediate surroundings and problems. It is a natural ability of the soul to withdraw into itself in the face of external difficulties.

The same ability is used in meditation. The intellect, as the receptacle of knowledge, is that which understands and remembers also. Within the soul, the intellect wanders into the past sanskaras; then, what was initially a decision to remember someone or something, becomes thought. As long as the intellect remains fixed on the person or thing, the soul experiences its qualities. For example, when we remember a beautiful summer experience of relative peace and quiet, we re-experience the scenes, forget our problems and drift away. If we remember something painful or unpleasant, or someone’s faults, the mind is disturbed. The mind experiences different states according to the type of thoughts that arise. The thoughts depend on where the intellect is focused. In short, as is the consciousness so is the experience.

Raja Yoga, the highest yoga, or remembrance, works entirely on the level of mind, intellect and sanskaras, rather than focusing oh bodily forms, postures or rituals. The first stage in Raja Yoga is to stabilise the self in the pure experience of the inner tranquility of the soul. At first, distracting thoughts may come to the mind. To be free from these, do not become involved in a struggle to contain or eradicate these wasteful thoughts, but merely step away from them.

ATMOSPHERE
“Atmosphere” could be written as “atmasphere”; the sphere or environment around the soul. Just as the physical atmosphere is the result of climatic conditions and air quality, there is a subtle atmosphere which is not only sensed by but also influenced by the mind and analysed by the intellect. It is variously described as the “prevailing mood,” the “vibration” and so on.

Expressions such as “you could have cut the air with a knife” (describing the atmosphere in a room immediately after a heated conflict) refer to this subtle atmosphere which is not seen, heard or measured, but “sensed” by the mind. The mood of excitement at political rallies and sporting functions, the horrible vibrations of hysterical passion and panic when a mob riots, the feeling of grief when a popular figure dies; on such occasions, only a strong soul can resist being affected by the atmosphere. What is the cause of this non-physical atmosphere, these “vibrations?”

THOUGHTS AS ENERGY
Thought has been proven to be a powerful yet non-physical “energy”, which can influence other souls and also matter. On a limited scale, there are the experiments with ESP and mental telepathy. On a more sensational level, some use the power of thought to such an extent that steel objects can be bent and heavy objects moved without any physical aid. In the case of telepathy, communication over thousands of miles is possible in an instant when two souls are “tuned” to each other’s mental “wavelength”, ’ as if thought-broadcasting and receiving is some sort of subtle radio system. Occult powers also invoke the power of thought, although often for impure or egoistic motives and gains. The Emperor Napoleon made sure the battle was won in his mind before he entered the battlefield. Thought can be regarded as the energy or subtle force which links the soul to physical matter through the soul’s connection with the body.

Thoughts, emotions, desires and moods generate a “field” around the soul which, just like an electric field, can be called positive, negative or neutral, depending on the quality of its effect on other souls and on matter. When a large number of souls are all experiencing the same emotion, then the atmosphere becomes “charged” with it. The large frenzied mob gripped in panic generates a powerful sinister atmosphere, more so than a person experiencing the same emotion on his own. Similarly, a soul with great mental power or talents generates “charisma”, which is really just a more powerful vibration than a weaker soul.

CREATING A POWERFUL ATMOSPHERE
Without the benefit of a powerful intellect, a weak soul is at the mercy of the atmosphere. Whatever the atmosphere, so will be the emotions and thoughts evoked from the sanskaras, whether the person enjoys that emotion or not. At such times it is impossible to escape from the effect of the atmosphere. When a soul is so dependent it is unable to choose its thoughts or draw from its sanskaras any desired experience.

To be detached from a negative atmosphere and to be instrumental in creating a powerful, positive atmosphere, the soul must:

have powerful attention to its own true nature.
use the intellect to clear the mind and become introspective.
look deep into the self and choose the purer, more elevated human
emotions of peace, power, contentment, or whatever quality is needed,
and retain that in the mind. Instead of expecting situations to always
be giving some personal benefit, the soul should see how it could give
benefit in any situation, thus creating a powerful atmosphere of
benefit. Where there is expectation there is always the possibility of
disappointment but where there is an attitude of giving benefit there
can never be disappointment.

When the soul has the power to maintain its chosen positive experience in the mind, it generates a powerful, pure atmosphere. The more powerful the soul, and the greater the number of other souls experiencing the same, the more powerful the corresponding atmosphere.

The original nature of the soul is to be peaceful. Through Raja Yoga, we develop the power to maintain an experience of peace for long periods even when speaking or performing action, and this very naturally has an effect on the immediate atmosphere wherever we may be; in a room, a lift, a bus, on the street. Ultimately I can affect the entire world in a positive way.

* NEXT CHAPTER *

* Index of Chapters *

Tags: brahma, kimaris, soul

Comment by Kernel John on October 9, 2010 at 8:46pm: Please appreciate that this information is not presented with any intention of changing or persuading anyone to think or do anything. The passage-above is an introduction to a larger body of knowledge which is intended for anyone to receive. It doesn't matter who you are. If you can find something above, take what you can to become a better you. This knowledge comes through the trunk of the tree from the roots. These roots, in no way claim to be the anchor - strange as it may seem, the these roots point to the seed for providing the basic instruction set for every part - including each leaf, of the tree. The wind comes and we blow this way and that, and with each year we are more leaves . . . but regardless, as the tree grows old another seed is produced in order that the tree can again express itself this field of magnificent glory.

Be you Christian, Atheist, Muslim or Jew - artist, musician, painter or poet . . . Eskimo, Aborigine or everyday labourer, simply take what you can to become better at being that which you are.

Om (I am), Shanti (Peace) - I am a Peaceful Soul.
This is our original essence. Is this difficult to comprehend?

Comment by Kernel John on October 18, 2010 at 1:38pm: October 2009, a paper was delivered that might shed a quanta of light on the subject of soul. Here is the abstract. Feel free to email the presenter should you have questions. However, a clinical approach to the subject matter is a bit like studying music theory - interesting but not very gratifying.

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Scientific Dimensions of Spiritual Energy : Brahmakumaris’ Perspective

Sureswar Meher
Ph.D. Scholar, Special Centre for Sanskrit Studies,
Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi
Email: sureshjnu@gmail.com

The whole universe is the combined manifestation of both physical and non-physical energies. Science explores the material aspects of nature only through its limited methods and techniques. But the knowledge of Self is beyond the scope of science because self is not observable and quantifiable. Hence another advanced discipline called ‘Spiritual Science’ is required to study this prime factor. Spiritual Science has the inner powers to explain the concepts and laws of metaphysics by its subtle techniques of deep insight and revelation. In this regard, Brahmakumaris shows a unique path for the whole of mankind towards attainment of both mundane and transcendental perfection by its spiritual knowledge. B. K. Jagdish, spokesperson of this institution has assimilated the laws and methods of science as well as spirituality to explain the two realities of material and meta-physical. The present paper focuses on:

1. Soul or self is not a material form of energy, but is spiritual in its core.

2. According to Max Plank’s quantum theory and Einstein’s photoelectric law, matter and light are not continuous but made up of discrete particles such as quanta, electrons, neutrons, protons and photons. In meta-physics souls and God are not one or same, they are the minutest particles of conscious divine light.

3. This meta-physical entity has zero or no mass like photons in physics. Gravitation, friction, particles of matter or forces of nature cannot affect this incorporeal soul.

4. Einstein opines that if one can travel faster than light then one can know the three aspects of time. So, at the source point of meta-physical energy, God is omniscient because of His infinite God Speed.

5. According to the second law of thermo-dynamics or entropy, all the material forms of energy pass through higher ordered states to lower level disordered states. Spiritual entropy takes place due to the degradation in the stage of purity of human souls. At its culmination the Supreme Soul reverses spiritual entropy by His divine power and knowledge.

6. The conscious energy has a curved form like ellipse or aura as matter or mass causes a ‘curvature’ of time space.

7. Matter in its ultimate level of energy is indestructible, but is changing forms and multiplying. Likewise, spiritual energy is no annihilated, so it is immortal and eternal through its qualities or attributes may change.

In this way, many new and interesting paradigms have been discovered from Brahmakumaris’ perspective to justify the realities of meta-physics which are logically built on and parallel with physics. Conclusively that means spirituality is strongly supported by science.

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Comment by Roman Kozlowski on October 19, 2010 at 6:25am: Your above example of the mainly subjective dominant meta-physics of 'Spiritual Science' running in harmonious parallel with the mainly objective physics of conventional science is indeed intruiging. Though I'm not sure how conventional objective research methodologies could actually bring about the verifications needed to confirm data that would explain a given metaphysical anomaly to the sufficiancy of it then entering the accepted physical lexicon of proven science.

Again, I also go back to your definition of the 'Soul', which in your above paper describes the Soul as Self. Yet both philosophers and religionists throughout history have more generally referred to Soul as the Mind. More modern day philisophical psycholologists see the Self as the integrating principle of the psyche. The modern Oxford Concise English Dictionary simply defines it as "the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, often regarded as immortal", as its main meaning, although soul is often used in many other waystoo.

Do you yourself have a more precise developed personolised understanding of the word 'Soul' when you use it? Or does its vagueness change and adapt to suit your different conversations with different others?

Comment by doug on October 19, 2010 at 8:02am: Kernel,

I have read through your entire blog...very nice. But I feel I have been here before, with no affront meant to you in the least. This peace is not what it pretends to be. I have experienced it and been there, and it does not establish peace between the soul and God... Once again, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, that is a peace that is only known through Jesus Christ. Many things come close to "touching" there, or at least seem to, and many people who have "access" to this peace really never know the extent of what they have been granted, at their own loss. (Part of what you relate also reminds me of The Shack.) "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you." John 14.27a

Comment by Roman Kozlowski on October 19, 2010 at 10:28am: The Greek term psyche , "soul", derives, according to Plato, from the Greek anapnein , "to breathe", or anapsychon , "refreshing". Aristotle finds the root of the term, besides, in katapsyzis , "cooling", an interpretation incidentally used by Origen to describe the primitive fall of human spirits in terms of a cooling off of a purely spiritual reality. Biblical Hebrew's nearest equivalent, nefes, is linked directly with the terms "breath" or "throat". The Latin term anima derives either from the Greek anaigma , "without blood", or more likely from anemos "wind", or "breath". The German form seele and the English soul from the Old German saiwolò , is probably of the same origin as the Greek aiolos , "mobile", which designates a self-moving principle. The Sanskrit term Atman , typical of the Rig-veda, also means breath, and appears in modern German as atmen , "to breathe".

The term "soul", in its different forms and expressions, is to be found in virtually every period of history, every civilization, every philosophical anthropology, every religious understanding. It is, then, a concept that crosses human thought and experience of all the ages. Nonetheless, philosophers have always been aware of the difficulty of speaking about the soul in rigorous terms. Thomas Aquinas states that "It is very difficult to know what soul is", and affirms that to know the soul "requires a proper and careful investigation". Two principals yet clearly opposed understandings of the human soul are to be found throughout the history of philosophy: the so-called "spiritualist" position (Pythagoras, Plato, Plotinus, Augustine, Descartes, Leibniz, etc.), and the "materialist" understanding (Epicurus, Lucretius, Marx, Comte, Engels, etc.). The first draws on a variety of aspects of human life and behaviour, usually linked with religion and ethics (self-awareness, self-transcendence, freedom, communication, dialogue, culture, creativity, etc.), and usually involves a dualistic anthropology. The second line is more at home in a strictly scientific and rational discourse, and tends towards a monist anthropology. Some authors, such as Thomas Aquinas, managed in many ways to synthesise the two approaches.

Scientific discourse in recent centuries has generally become circumspect in speaking of the existence and attributes of a human "soul", understood as a kind of invisible, immaterial, unifying element at the core of the human being. The development of physics, chemistry, biochemistry, biology and experimental psychology has witnessed if not occasioned a progressive decline in the use of the term, or at best, its being reserved for symbolic or poetic usage. In recent decades however the tide has been turning again, especially as scientists have come to realise the significance and usefulness of the concept in studying the so-called "mind-body problem".

So Kernel. I'll not bother you with the actual genuine and clinical upto-date modern science research and evaluation of the soul's age old mind-body problem, which I'm sure you're also to some extent familiar with, but to simply ask you if on reflection you personally think the human soul and 'action' or a 'substance'?

Comment by Kernel John on October 19, 2010 at 1:28pm: "This peace is not what it pretends to be." Doug, you mentioned, as I recall, you were once deceived and after finding peace in Christ are cautious of Easter Religion. Close?

I can appreciate the importance of your previous experience. There are those out there who do deceive and you will agree your do not have to search outside "Christianity" to find deception.

Peace is peace. There is only one peace. It is an intrinsic quality of all souls. For many, all vestiges of it almost seem last. It is now time, however, to return to the garden and reconnect with our true nature. As the Kalpa Tree depicts, some will find there way home through Jesus and you seem to be very comfortable with this idea. There are others, though, who seek the same as you but through the teachings of Shankara Charya or Buddha. They make no claim that what is the right path for them is the only correct way for you. The Kalpa Tree metaphor teaches very clearly that what is best for you is best for you. This is the absolute truth.

There are those here who develop a Godly relationship without needing intermediary assistance. I don't know who Jesus was speaking to when I claimed it was through his way alone that God will become known. I suppose he was speaking to his future followers as I suppose Muhammad spoke to the leaves on the Muslim branch of the tree.

After the times of Jesus, the idea of Christ grew and was embellished. I know you understand this because you can see it in sub-branches of your own faith. Can you imagine self-flagellation as a form of Christ-worship? As the centuries passed believers sustained themselves and others by embellishing truth. In the process the "truth", as interpreted through the bible has, becomes both very grand and varied. There are many who now expect the Second Coming of Christ to occur in a Blaze of Glory that will lift them up into eternal peace - or whatever. Thus centuries of unwavering Christian belief will be recognized and rewarded for those whose hearts have remained loyal. Hope will be rewarded - right?

There are others who think that the final dispensation will have more of a silent ring to it - an affair that has more to do with an awakening of consciousness than to volume.

Blaze of glory or Thief in the Night?

Keep yourself safe and your eyes wide open doug. The idea then is that this life will make you a better You - a better Christian.

Comment by Roman Kozlowski on October 19, 2010 at 4:38pm: Kernel. Once again I ask you. Do you think the Human Soul is an 'action' or a 'substance'?

Comment by Kernel John on October 19, 2010 at 9:01pm: When I come into matter I (the soul) am the actor. I am not the costume (the body), or the role it plays on the world stage. How about you? Any thoughts on the subject?

As for being a 'substance', yesterday we discussed the need for 'Meta Science' or 'Spiritual Science'. You doubted such a concept as viable. I have far more faith in your scientific colleagues than perhaps you do. I think if there were some government funding placed on the subject, the modern scientific community would prove you wrong and chase this money - like any other funding out there. Unfortunately (or not) Meta Science is not well positioned within the realm of public policy.

I understand Consciousness and Body are two different entities where the Body changes (because, every seven years, old cells are replaced by new ones), grows or decays with age; but Consciousness maintains its identity and continuity. If a person be considered as a mere body including brain, the fact of his continuous identity and continuous consciousness cannot be explained - unless you have a suitable reference you care to provide.

The body may get exhausted of physical energy where as the Mind or Consciousness may feel inexhaustibleness of physical, metaphysical or spiritual energy and may, in fact, grow with the years. While the body ages with years, the Mind gets only wiser or more experienced. The heart, which is a part of the body, may grow weaker with age; but the Consciousness or Mind may grow in its power to love or hate. Thus the two are different entities whereas the body is cellular and molecular, i.e. physical and is subject to law of chemistry and physics and physiology. The Mind, Consciousness or Soul is psychic, spiritual or metaphysical. Below I will continue the message of yesterday but first, many eminent scientists and physicists such as Max Planck, Eugene Wigner, Fritjof Capra and Erwin Schroedinger have thrown much light on this Consciousness in different angles - as per Sureshwar Meher - 18th International Congress of Vedanta, held at University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, MA, USA (16th-19th July 2009)..

Modern Scientists’ Views :
(i) Max Planck has said : “Consciousness, I regard as fundamental. I regard Matter as derivative of Consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing postulates consciousness.”

The sentence “Matter is derivative of Consciousness”, can be interpreted that both matter and consciousness are non-different, i.e. both are two sides of the same coin. But Brahma Kumar Jagdish declares that the existence of all the things is known only because of the existence of consciousness. So consciousness is a fundamental reality.

(ii) Nobel physicist Wigner says : “There are two kinds of reality or existence – the existence of my consciousness and the reality of existence of everything else. This later is not absolute, but only relative. Excepting immediate sensations, the content of my consciousness, everything else is a construct.”

Through the Principle of Indeterminacy, Heisenberg finally stated that while observing quantum particles, uncertainty or indeterminacy would always remain and it cannot be eliminated. Einstein, who didn’t believe in this uncertainty principle, said that there must be a ‘hidden variable’ somewhere which is responsible for this uncertainty. In 1961, Wigner gave his statement that it is the Consciousness of the observing scientists which is itself the hidden variable. He asserted that it is impossible to give an accurate and certain description of quantum processes “without explicit reference to consciousness”.

B.K. Jagdish’s comment on this above statement : If Wigner meant that the consciousness of the observer is a material energy which affects the observed particles, he would be wrong; because consciousness is not a form of material energy. Consciousness of the observing scientist most probably affects the quantum particles, but in another way. Consciousness or Thought (which is one form of manifestation of consciousness) itself is non-physical or non-material, but it works through brain. Its own field interacts with the electro-magnetic field of the brain waves at a very subtle level, perhaps, at the level of photons. It is those brain’s waves whose voltage can be measured and field can be determined that affect the quantum particles.

Therefore Matter and Consciousness interact and influence each other; but they are not convertible into each other.

(iii) David Bohm has used the concept of ‘Holon’ in his theory of matter where he called it ‘An implicate order’. The scientists have felt that the inclusion of consciousness as a factor in determining external reality, as Geoffrey Chew has suggested, is an indispensable necessity. Famous scientist Fritjof Capra has asserted that Consciousness is an essential feature of David Bohm’s Holon Theory, according to which the movement of one single particle is connected with the movement of the entire universe.

B.K Jagdish puts his statement : If all these assertions mean that it is necessary to understand that beside Matter, Consciousness also exists as a primary reality and in order to understand the universe, it is essential to understand Consciousness also, then that also is alright. But, if by making the above statements, one means to say that Consciousness and Matter are inter-convertible or that souls and matter are one and the same entity, one changeable into the other, even as the Monists say, then their these assertions are without any foundations. They are mere assumption, unsupported by logic or science.

(iv) Erwin Schroedinger has also given the argument or statement on the concept of consciousness. He contends : “Consciousness is never experienced in the plural, only in the singular… How does the idea of plurality so emphatically opposed by the Upanishadic writers arise at all?... Consciousness finds itself intimately connected with and dependent on the physical state of a limited region of matter - the body… The only possible alternative is simply to keep the immediate experience that consciousness is a singular of which that plural is unknown, that there is only one thing and that, what seems to be a plurality, is merely a series of different aspects of this one thing produced by a deception (Indian Māyā). Similar view has also been seen in the 4th chapter of his book ‘My View of the World’.

Here Schroedinger has delivered this statement in support of Monism. Commenting on this view, B.K. Jagdish states : “Consciousness is never experienced in the plural, only in the singular.” He shows the error committed here is that Schroedinger is taking ‘Consciousness’ and ‘Conscious entities’ as one and the same, whereas the fact is that these are two different entities.

To illustrate this point further, B.K. Jagdish gives an example of ‘fragrance’ and ‘flowers’. ‘Fragrance’ in general sense, is one or singular; but the fragrant flowers – roses, jasmine, lotus etc. are different and many or plural. Each one of these varieties has ‘fragrance’ in singular; but each one of the flowers is also different from others. If, therefore, we keep in mind that ‘consciousness’ finds manifestation in the forms of thoughts, desires, emotions, memory, judgement etc. and these are different from one to the other individual, then we wouldn’t say that souls are not plural. Schroedinger has, therefore, been wrong in identifying ‘Souls’ with ‘Consciousness’ and there too, he has lost sight of the fact that even ‘Consciousness’ as manifested in each individual case, is not the same and therefore, not singular.

(v) Thomas Huxley, British biologist and Darwinist has said : “I understand the main tenet of materialism to be that there is nothing in the universe but matter and force, two primitive factors… It seems to me pretty plain that there is third thing in the universe, to wit, Consciousness, which.. I cannot see to be matter or force or any conceivable modification of either.” Thus according to him “Consciousness is not a material force”.

(vi) Sir John C. Eccles in his book “Self and its Brain” says that the experienced unity (of consciousness or mind) comes not from a neuro-physiological synthesis, but from the proposed integrating character of the self-conscious mind. He made his firm opinion that self or consciousness is not an epiphenomenon of the brain.

(vii) Performing many experiments by stimulating various sites or points on the brain, scientist Penfield came to the conclusion that consciousness is located near the Hypothalamus and the Brainstem and it is not an epiphenomenon of the brain.

(viii) Dr. Raymond A. Moody, in his book “Life After Life” conducting research on ‘the clinically dead’ describes that the soul, the self or the conscious entity doesn’t die with the body; but rather survives after the body has been disposed of.
In this way, modern philosophers and scientists have elaborated much on the area of consciousness with their enlightened views or statements. Now the disposition of Brahmākumārīs depicted with illustrations logically and meaningfully by Brahmākumār Jagdish Chander, is being discussed here.

. . . . . Roman, a 'Meta Science' point of view would be as follows:

Brahmākumārīs’ View :
According to Brahmākumārīs’ philosophy, Consciousness is an essential and inherent attribute of the metaphysical energy called Soul, different from the organic and inorganic matter, body and the brain. As electricity is known by various names depending upon its different manifestations such as light, power, heat and electro-magnetic force, so also Consciousness manifests itself in various forms and is named as Mind, Intellect, Memory, Emotion, Impression (Samskāra) and so on. Ego, Mind, Intellect etc. are not material in nature; but the very consciousness or the soul-energy becomes manifest as thoughts, memory etc. as it comes in contact with the material body. The conscient soul functions through consciousness; but the brain limits it and enables it to have an experience of only three-dimensional objects, while without this limiting faculty, the Self can have multi-dimensional experience and exceptional insight. The soul does have an aura which appears in the form of subtle body, having different brightness depending upon the degree of its purity. The Self or soul is a point of light which is spiritual in nature, divine in its original potential scintillating with seven divine qualities – Knowledge, Purity, Happiness, Peace, Love, Bliss and Power, and is different from the mundane light.

Souls (Ātmā) originally dwell in the Soul-world or Brahma-loka, i.e. far beyond this material world with the Parent or Supreme Soul (Paramātmā or Īśvara) in the incorporeal, inactive, thoughtless and calm state. But when they come down to this earth and take birth in the form of bearing the bodies, they become known as individual souls (Jīvātmā). Within body, soul resides in between the two eye-brows, the central point of the Hypothalamus, Peneal and Pituitary glands and from there it controls the brain and the whole body. Souls are plural and are not parts of God. All souls are eternal sons of God. In the state of liberation or release, the soul does not merge into God, who has his separate identity. God or Paramātmā is also a soul, a point of spiritual energy, but He is supreme among all souls and is not bounded by any action and its reactions. He is beyond the limitation of birth and death. He is omnipotent, omniscient and ocean of all divine qualities e.g. knowledge, bliss, peace, purity etc, but is not omnipresent or all-pervasive entity like Brahman of monists. Souls are numerous, individual and immortal. Therefore, the analogies of Sparks to Fire and Rosary etc. given by Advaita Vedāntins, are erroneous or fallacious.

All the knowledge, namely science, is a result of a person’s abilities that are only manifestations of consciousness at various levels. Consciousness is the first or the prime reality; for, without it, all the realities and laws - physical, chemical, mechanical etc. would remain unknown. It is consciousness that knows and can know, or learns and can learn. Consciousness is the knower (Jñātā), while the material forms of reality or the events and phenomena belong to the realm of known or knowable (Jñeya). The use and purposes of material forms are determined by the knower, consciousness, and it is the consciousness who experiences or consumes the physical things. So there is vast difference between ‘I or Self’ and the ‘Matter’ i.e. material, physical, phenomenal or transient. It is ‘I’ or ‘Consciousness’ that makes continuity possible in life and without it, all would be meaningless, purposeless, useless and worthless.

Consciousness is not observable and quantifiable; hence it is out of the scope of science. Therefore, either science should enlarge its scope or it can be studied in the discipline called ‘Spiritual Science’ or ‘Meta Science’. ‘Consciousness’ is the other name for the ‘Self’. We give it the label ‘consciousness’ in order to distinguish it from all that which doesn’t have ‘consciousness,’ i.e. which cannot think, judge, remember, analyze, focus, decide and do such other mental, intellectual or emotional activities. Each one of us is an individual ‘Self’. Consciousness has a moral dimension. All our actions or efforts have some motives underlying them and we employ some means to reach our goals or to attain certain ends. Motives determine our attitudes and outlook and influence our behaviours that are related to Values or ethical principles. In other words, Consciousness has another aspect, namely ‘Conscience’.

In conclusion, B.K. Jagdish clearly points out that if any philosophy denies the existence of soul or self as a separate conscious entity, then it leads to peacelessness. The learned ones in science try to discover with-out; but they do not try to know the ‘self’ i.e. with-in. Without the scientific knowledge of the self, one would have only a distorted, incomplete or fractured and fragmented world-view.

From the above discussions, it can be maintained that Consciousness or spiritual energy is quite different from the material forms of energy manifested in the mundane world. The super-mundane entity soul, self, spirit or psyche is eternally existent and conscient in its nature and acts and reacts to the stimuli and also thinks, feels and reaps the fruits of its actions. Hence, one should always endeavour to recognize one’s own true identity i.e. divine, pure, conscient, infinitesimal point of metaphysical energy giving up identification with the physical or the material, then that paves the way towards perfection and by acquiring the completely true knowledge of Self, Supreme Self and the Universe, one should approach to a holistic world-view. In this regard, Brahmākumārīs’ deliberation gains a place of special significance with a comparative philosophical perspective.

Comment by doug on October 20, 2010 at 1:49am: Kernel,

Whatever Mohammed spoke, I feel, was deception, for he himself said that salvation was not guaranteed for him...so how could he guarantee it for his followers? (except supposedly thru martyrdom which would reap eternal wine and 70 virgins...how ludicrous is that?)

Self-flagellation? That may be a form a Christ-worship, but it has nothing to do with achieving peace with God, nothing at all, in that I am confident, just as any other ideas of Christ that developed or were embellished after his time on earth have no part of the truth either..."they are but traditions of men and rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Col 2.8) The truth remained the same truth. What became grand and varied were the ideas of men, that then developed into various traditions, having no substance in Christ. Jesus was speaking to all the peoples of the world when he claimed to be the only way, which is what his father designated. Just as there was only one way to be save physically during Noah's flood..and only one way...by being aboard the ark. That was God's provision, and anything else that man might imagine or employ, just did not cut it.

Christ comes "in a blaze of glory" to those expecting him, and "as a thief in the night" to those not expecting him. The Bible scriptures are clear on these points. It is people's misunderstanding that confuses the matter. And YES, absolutely there are those within Christianity who deceive people...there always will be...and to their own detriment. It is as a millstone about their "eternal" neck.

I can only become a better me or a better Christian by adhering more closely to the precepts that Jesus taught, not by what men taught about what he taught...

There is true peace, and there is false peace. So one must be careful which peace one receives and follows. It has eternal consequences.

Comment by Roman Kozlowski on October 20, 2010 at 7:56am: Kernal. You say "When I come into matter I (the soul) am the actor. I am not the costume (the body), or the role it plays on the world stage. How about you? Any thoughts on the subject?"

Is this your own ongoing longterm self-origintaing creative thinking process reaching a conclusion or is it more simply an allegiance to a prefered selected already established frame of philisophical thought?

I see the problems, for example let's say, with the traditional view of substance that arises when we consider that what we ordinarily take to be substances are in themselves collections. This is the first hurdle. thereafter, and so on and on, towards scientific distillation of what each of us are really striving for and to try and better understand. These have to be personal journeys of discovery, and not the shortcuttings to side with others efforts on not much more than a whim.

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