Understanding The Soul

[Shadowprophet]

The opener, I dont understand the soul, chances are you don't either, so let's talk about that....

It dawned on me recently, in a moment of stark realization. The genuine gifts of the spirit? They’re not ethereal or transcendent phenomena. Rather, they are the emotions that swirl within us. These are the fundamental elements that sculpt our true identity, nestled deep within the essence of our being.

Consider this: we each carry an emotional toolkit. Every sentiment, every emotional nuance, acts as an instrument, shaping and defining the very fabric of our inner selves. Joy, sorrow, affection, ire - they are the artisans' tools that chisel our inner character.

However, there’s a critical aspect to this – negative emotions act like corrosive agents on the soul’s instruments. Neglect them, and they will degrade the essence of who we are. It’s akin to abandoning a bicycle to the elements; eventually, you return to find it irreparably corroded. A similar fate befalls our emotions.

Extremes in any emotion alter and distort its nature. Affection, a complex and profound sensation, when amplified excessively, transforms into an obsession, a perverse shadow of its original state. Hatred, if allowed to fester, can spiral into acts of violence. Similarly, unchecked apathy can lead one down a path of alienation, rendering a person isolated even amidst a sea of faces.

The crux of the matter is this: we must maintain a precarious balance in our emotional state. It’s a nuanced equilibrium, where leaning too far in any direction can precipitate a fall into the abyss of extreme emotional states.

Therefore, vigilance over our emotions is paramount. We cannot allow them to dominate our existence unchecked. It’s about finding a harmonious equilibrium, where each emotion is acknowledged and experienced, yet none are allowed to overshadow the others.

Remember, emotions wield immense power. They have the capacity to elevate us to sublime heights or plunge us into the depths of despair. The key lies in how we manage and moderate them, ensuring they are kept within reasonable bounds. Thus, we must tend to our emotional toolkit with care, maintaining its efficacy and integrity, to ensure that we are shaping the most refined versions of ourselves.

In this, lies the true gift of the spirit. It is not found in didactic texts or preachings. It resides in the heart of our emotional landscape, in the artful balance of these forces. Herein lies the true profundity.

 

[J Randall Murphy]

The opener, I dont understand the soul, chances are you don't either, so let's talk about that....

Okay so if I have this right — two or more people who don't know what they're talking about are going to try to explain to each other what none of them understand - Oh I'm in

It dawned on me recently, in a moment of stark realization. The genuine gifts of the spirit? They’re not ethereal or transcendent phenomena. Rather, they are the emotions that swirl within us. These are the fundamental elements that sculpt our true identity, nestled deep within the essence of our being.

Wow — pass me some of that

Consider this: we each carry an emotional toolkit. Every sentiment, every emotional nuance, acts as an instrument, shaping and defining the very fabric of our inner selves. Joy, sorrow, affection, ire - they are the artisans' tools that chisel our inner character.

Okay — but some artisan's tools seem a little sharper than others.

However, there’s a critical aspect to this – negative emotions act like corrosive agents on the soul’s instruments. Neglect them, and they will degrade the essence of who we are. It’s akin to abandoning a bicycle to the elements; eventually, you return to find it irreparably corroded. A similar fate befalls our emotions.

The Myth of Negative Emotions | Karla McLaren

Learn about the Myth of Negative Emotions.

karlamclaren.com

Extremes in any emotion alter and distort its nature. Affection, a complex and profound sensation, when amplified excessively, transforms into an obsession, a perverse shadow of its original state. Hatred, if allowed to fester, can spiral into acts of violence. Similarly, unchecked apathy can lead one down a path of alienation, rendering a person isolated even amidst a sea of faces.

Excuse me — I need to check my apathy.

The crux of the matter is this: we must maintain a precarious balance in our emotional state. It’s a nuanced equilibrium, where leaning too far in any direction can precipitate a fall into the abyss of extreme emotional states.

The word "precarious" is making me nervous.

Therefore, vigilance over our emotions is paramount. We cannot allow them to dominate our existence unchecked. It’s about finding a harmonious equilibrium, where each emotion is acknowledged and experienced, yet none are allowed to overshadow the others.

But Spock - you're half human !

Remember, emotions wield immense power. They have the capacity to elevate us to sublime heights or plunge us into the depths of despair. The key lies in how we manage and moderate them, ensuring they are kept within reasonable bounds. Thus, we must tend to our emotional toolkit with care, maintaining its efficacy and integrity, to ensure that we are shaping the most refined versions of ourselves.

Oh damn — I lost one of the bits to my emotional unidriver.

In this, lies the true gift of the spirit. It is not found in didactic texts or preachings. It resides in the heart of our emotional landscape, in the artful balance of these forces. Herein lies the true profundity.

I was just reading something very similar here: New Age Bullshit Generator

More seriously, the word "soul" is just a convenience term with a bunch of meanings depending on the context of the situation. Check your thesaurus for examples.

Thesaurus.com - The world's favorite online thesaurus!

Thesaurus.com is the world’s largest and most trusted online thesaurus for 25+ years. Join millions of people and grow your mastery of the English language.

www.thesaurus.com

 

[Shadowprophet]

Okay so if I have this right — two or more people who don't know what they're talking about are going to try to explain to each other what none of them understand - Oh I'm in

Wow — pass me some of that

Okay — but some artisan's tools seem a little sharper than others.

The Myth of Negative Emotions | Karla McLaren

Learn about the Myth of Negative Emotions.

karlamclaren.com

Excuse me — I need to check my apathy.

The word "precarious" is making me nervous.

But Spock - you're half human !

Oh damn — I lost one of the bits to my emotional unidriver.

I was just reading something very similar here: New Age Bullshit Generator

More seriously, the word "soul" is just a convenience term with a bunch of meanings depending on the context of the situation. Check your thesaurus for examples.

Thesaurus.com - The world's favorite online thesaurus!

Thesaurus.com is the world’s largest and most trusted online thesaurus for 25+ years. Join millions of people and grow your mastery of the English language.

www.thesaurus.com

Yeap, I like this guy lol. So, what are your true thoughts on a soul or spirit, in your reasoning, does the soul exist? if so, what is a soul to you? Believe me when I tell you, there is no amount of study, that can illuminate the essence of a soul, not that I have encountered. I feel that if there is a continuation of conscience, it may lay in the 4th dimension of time itself. scientifically, we have proven that photons do not experience entropy. Therefore light just doesn't experience time or half-life degradation. Consider Einstein's relativity.

Energy and mass are the same things, our consciousness, being a product of energy. Could in theory experience the indisputable law of energy conservation, in which it may not be destroyed and must be converted into another form of energy...

I'm only saying, that without a solid grasp of consciousness, we are all grasping at straws here. So, what do you believe the soul to be? fact or fiction?

 

[J Randall Murphy]

Yeap, I like this guy lol. So, what are your true thoughts on a soul or spirit, in your reasoning, does the soul exist? if so, what is a soul to you? Believe me when I tell you, there is no amount of study, that can illuminate the essence of a soul, not that I have encountered. I feel that if there is a continuation of conscience, it may lay in the 4th dimension of time itself. scientifically, we have proven that photons do not experience entropy. Therefore light just doesn't experience time or half-life degradation. Consider Einstein's relativity.

Energy and mass are the same things, our consciousness, being a product of energy. Could in theory experience the indisputable law of energy conservation, in which it may not be destroyed and must be converted into another form of energy...

I'm only saying, that without a solid grasp of consciousness, we are all grasping at straws here. So, what do you believe the soul to be? fact or fiction?

Like I said, the word "soul" is just a convenience term that depends on the context of the situation. Seriously — Check the examples in thesaurus. Your context seems to be alluding to a metaphysical interpretation — of which there are more than one variety. Are we talking the Ghostbusters version? Or are we talking new age gibberish a la Deepak Chopra?

Personally, I would say that if we are to demystify it ( look at it objectively ), the word "soul" can be used interchangeably with the words "person" and "personality" e.g. "She is a kind soul." = "She is a kind person" or "She has a kind personality." There are material elements to the concept of personhood, but unless we're going with the Ghostbusters version ( of the word soul ), the metaphysical elements appear to be interchangeable with psychological elements, and the notion that such elements survive the death of the biology behind them is not possible — at least not the way people typically think of "souls" and afterlives.

That's not to say that some people don't experience phenomena that lead them to conclude ( erroneously ) — otherwise.

 

[Shadowprophet]

Like I said, the word "soul" is just a convenience term that depends on the context of the situation. Seriously — Check the examples in thesaurus. Your context seems to be alluding to a metaphysical interpretation — of which there are more than one variety. Are we talking the Ghostbusters version? Or are we talking new age gibberish a la Deepak Chopra?

Personally, I would say that if we are to demystify it ( look at it objectively ), the word "soul" can be used interchangeably with the words "person" and "personality" e.g. "She is a kind soul." = "She is a kind person" or "She has a kind personality." There are material elements to the concept of personhood, but unless we're going with the Ghostbusters version ( of the word soul ), the metaphysical elements appear to be interchangeable with psychological elements, and the notion that such elements survive the death of the biology behind them is not possible — at least not the way people typically think of "souls" and afterlives.

That's not to say that some people don't experience phenomena that lead them to conclude ( erroneously ) — otherwise.

Yes, I had intended to clarify, in the context of souls, that I do in fact mean the concept of a continuance of consciousness after physical death.

I realize everyone would have a take on an issue of this nature. I tend to gauge public opinion on an algorithm. Generally, the common consensus on a given topic tends to at the very least be the most sensible approach.

I've spent, most of my life studying physics and math, and I could speak about theories endlessly, that said, who hasn't spent most of their life studying something?


A lot of people need hard evidence of a given subject to take it seriously. Consider for a moment, humankind once took magic seriously as a study they called it alchemy.. From that profound, misunderstanding, eventually came knowledge. With science, there is the theory of intelligent design, While science does tend to sneer at moral and ethical constructs like religion. If you mention intelligent design to a physicist there aren't many that can deny the possibility. The takeaway is, that there isn't always an answer, But never confuse not having answers as proof of something's nonexistence. Of course, that doesn't mean it does it exist. People like to bandwagon, you know? They take a stand or form an opinion about things, ultimately just because that's their bias.

 

[Shadowprophet]

I hate to double-post, but I was editing this and ran out of edit time..




View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9Jxj_BbuqFQ




In this video if this link works, this is Sabine hossenfeilder, She is a colleague of Neil DeGrasse Tyson, but ultimately, Her opinion is still just one of many. She goes on to explain in her theory, that information can not be destroyed. She postulates that the information the consciousness can not truly be destroyed but it can however become impossible to retrieve.

 

[pigfarmer]

is not possible

why?

 

[nivek]

I had intended to clarify, in the context of souls, that I do in fact mean the concept of a continuance of consciousness after physical death.

The soul and the "continuance of consciousness" are two different things, the latter does not require a soul, however the former can only be formed by the latter...Apologies if what I write in the next paragraph sounds harsh or blunt, its not my intention, I'm merely conveying a working theory/belief that is prevalent in the world, even if not heard of much in the main stream of collective human consciousness...

The soul body is not something inherited or provided upon achieving self-awareness and self-consciousness, the awakening of an individual's consciousness, nor is the soul body something that is already 'given' to an individual upon creation/evolution however it is something that must be developed only through natural processes and energies...I say "soul body" because it is a body that consciousness can inhabit, in a similar way consciousness inhabits the physical body, however the soul body of course, exists on another plane of existence the physical body does not and cannot exist...The soul body exists for a much longer time than the physical body, much much longer, giving the impression that it is immortal, eternal, or everlasting, however this is not the case...The soul body has a finite lifespan that resides in one of many planes of existence that our consciousness can experience, there are other planes of existence beyond that and below that...Consciousness does not need a soul body to exist but needs a soul body to progress in its natural development and at some point in one's existence a soul body will be born to that consciousness...In many cases the soul body is unaware of what our consciousness is experiencing or doing in the physical plane of existence, however through conscious work that can change...

...

 

[Shadowprophet]

The soul and the "continuance of consciousness" are two different things, the latter does not require a soul, however the former can only be formed by the latter...Apologies if what I write in the next paragraph sounds harsh or blunt, its not my intention, I'm merely conveying a working theory/belief that is prevalent in the world, even if not heard of much in the main stream of collective human consciousness...

The soul body is not something inherited or provided upon achieving self-awareness and self-consciousness, the awakening of an individual's consciousness, nor is the soul body something that is already 'given' to an individual upon creation/evolution however it is something that must be developed only through natural processes and energies...I say "soul body" because it is a body that consciousness can inhabit, in a similar way consciousness inhabits the physical body, however the soul body of course, exists on another plane of existence the physical body does not and cannot exist...The soul body exists for a much longer time than the physical body, much much longer, giving the impression that it is immortal, eternal, or everlasting, however this is not the case...The soul body has a finite lifespan that resides in one of many planes of existence that our consciousness can experience, there are other planes of existence beyond that and below that...Consciousness does not need a soul body to exist but needs a soul body to progress in its natural development and at some point in one's existence a soul body will be born to that consciousness...In many cases the soul body is unaware of what our consciousness is experiencing or doing in the physical plane of existence, however through conscious work that can change...

...

My father believes something to that effect. That is what we think of as a soul and spirit versus the physical body are all entirely different things and people often tend to get confused. I agree that could be the case, the only questions I have about it is because I do respect my father's opinion about this, and since yours aligns with his, I respect yours, it is just, what about the young ones, who haven't had time to reach the milestone so to speak?


I also, like the idea that there are aspects of the being that reside in other realms... I've always found that fascinating. Dual brain theory is fascinating. I've tinkered with the ideology that it's not straightforwardly just here and somewhere else. I think it could be possible, that consciousness, in and of itself could in fact be its own realm, that life itself has some kind of connection to, yet because of those connections we experience separate realities subjectively. but ultimately. we are the same singular consciousness experiencing infinity through billions of individual avatars. in this sense, all life could be god, experiencing omnipresence physically. I don't know, it's just a thought..

 

[Shadowprophet]

My father believes something to that effect. That is what we think of as a soul and spirit versus the physical body are all entirely different things and people often tend to get confused. I agree that could be the case, the only questions I have about it is because I do respect my father's opinion about this, and since yours aligns with his, I respect yours, it is just, what about the young ones, who haven't had time to reach the milestone so to speak?


I also, like the idea that there are aspects of the being that reside in other realms... I've always found that fascinating. Dual brain theory is fascinating. I've tinkered with the ideology that it's not straightforwardly just here and somewhere else. I think it could be possible, that consciousness, in and of itself could in fact be its own realm, that life itself has some kind of connection to, yet because of those connections we experience separate realities subjectively. but ultimately. we are the same singular consciousness experiencing infinity through billions of individual avatars. in this sense, all life could be god, experiencing omnipresence physically. I don't know, it's just a thought..

Yet to me, this reasoning makes perfect sense, it could explain how we humans tend to experience things like Deja Vue, and precognition. Even more fundamental aspects of communication, for instance, even with incredible language and emotional barriers, people have historically been able to communicate with others.

I mean, why do animals become fond of people? I mean, yeah we can say its because you fed the dog a sandwich, but we both know that dog would have laid his life down for you with no sandwich involved. its almost like some animals are programmed to guard us, to protect... Like there is some sort of unspoken connection between humans and animals.. like maybe all life is connected somehow under the hood...

 

[pigfarmer]

Deja Vue

I'm pretty sure Deja Vu is just neuroscience and related to how we form memories. What causes déjà vu? The quirky neuroscience behind the memory illusion. On a very silly level (mentioned in another thread) a detailed memory of one panel from an old comic book came to mind unbidden. Turns out the memory was reasonably accurate but far from perfect, we're not exactly tape recorders.

incredible language and emotional barriers, people have historically been able to communicate with others.

AI used to assist with interspecies communication. Don't need it for my dog, we communicate perfectly.
Podcasts of the Year: Talking to Animals using Artificial Intelligence

Science is on th move, eh? Nothing will be impossible soon:


As for The Afterlife, I have friends and family who are pious Roman Catholics and will give extremely detailed accounts of 'what happens next' and although I don't agree what's it to me as long as they aren't trying to proselytize ? I think a sociologist is far better informed to deal with that sort of question than a physicist would be, at least at this point. You don't have to believe in a phenomenon to acknowledge it exists, or that the strong belief in it does, and real science adjusts itself according at need. Theoretically anyway.

I'd much prefer a science based clinical answer, and someone with an approach of that nature is interesting to me. I'm a putz with an interest, I do not fancy myself a researcher or any of that tripe. Dr. Jim Tucker does that for a living and has been studying children who remember past lives. In fact he's collected the works of his predecessor Ian Stevenson and created a database although I don't know if it's available for the general public. Fifty Years of Research - Division of Perceptual Studies

Here's one of the best cases that's hard to refute. Of course, a debunker will always find something to dismissively throw shade on but this'll get your attention, or should. It speaks to 'survival of consciousness' but not in the conventional sense and brings p some unsettling 'WTF' type questions. To me it suggests an imperfect natural process, and the thought you could get lost like a sock in the dryer is off putting to say the least.

T HE CASE OF JAMES LEININGER : AN AMERICAN CASE OF THE REINCARNATION TYPE

 

[Shadowprophet]

I'm pretty sure Deja Vu is just neuroscience and related to how we form memories. What causes déjà vu? The quirky neuroscience behind the memory illusion. On a very silly level (mentioned in another thread) a detailed memory of one panel from an old comic book came to mind unbidden. Turns out the memory was reasonably accurate but far from perfect, we're not exactly tape recorders.


AI used to assist with interspecies communication. Don't need it for my dog, we communicate perfectly.
Podcasts of the Year: Talking to Animals using Artificial Intelligence

Science is on th move, eh? Nothing will be impossible soon:


As for The Afterlife, I have friends and family who are pious Roman Catholics and will give extremely detailed accounts of 'what happens next' and although I don't agree what's it to me as long as they aren't trying to proselytize ? I think a sociologist is far better informed to deal with that sort of question than a physicist would be, at least at this point. You don't have to believe in a phenomenon to acknowledge it exists, or that the strong belief in it does, and real science adjusts itself according at need. Theoretically anyway.

I'd much prefer a science based clinical answer, and lacking that an approach of that nature is interesting to me. I'm a putz with an interest, I do not fancy myself a researcher or any of that tripe. Dr. Jim Tucker does the for a living and has been studying children who remember past lives. In fact he's collected the works of his predecessor Ian Stevenson and created a database although I don't know if it's available for the general public. Fifty Years of Research - Division of Perceptual Studies

Here's one of the best cases that's hard to refute. Of course, a debunker will always find something to dismissively throw shade on but this'll get you attention, or should. It speaks to 'survival of consciousness' but not in the conventional sense and brings p some unsettling 'WTF' type questions. To me it suggests an imperfect natural process, and the thought you could get lost like a sock in the dryer is off putting to say the least.

T HE CASE OF JAMES LEININGER : AN AMERICAN CASE OF THE REINCARNATION TYPE

I am reading it now, I love cases like this. I have always found it interesting how
NDEs seem to be common worldwide, yet not everyone experiences them, or perhaps, not everyone remembers them.. I've read some great cases on reincarnation, with corroborating evidence, so much so that while I personally believe reincarnation to be rare. I find it hard to deny. I fully believe it has occurred in some cases..


Edit,, I'm all over the AI to speak to animals article, thank you for posting that!!

 

[pigfarmer]

Ian Stevenson studied Asian cultures that consider reincarnation de rigueur and took thousands of accounts. Western cultures tend to have a stick up their asses in regard to that topic for a variety of reasons and the number of documented cases far fewer as a result.

Another good one is about Marty Martin. Kids just say the darndest things, right ? Yeah, right. Worth following the link to watch the video, it's a quick summary.

Expert Investigates 10-Year-Old's 'Reincarnation' Claims