Jewish Beliefs About the Soul

According to Jewish sources the soul is a complex force composed of five distinct levels.

·        Nefesh is the lowest level of the soul, representing the appetitive desires, the emotions and the motivations created by the physical body. These instinctual urges compel the soul to find food and water, engage in sexual relations, and search for a safe environment. The nefesh (Hebrew meaning “spirit”) is the breath or spark of the Divine that moves within the physical body.  Under the right conditions the Divine spark is capable of igniting into a flame or sputtering out without the proper nourishment of acceptance and love.

·        Ruah is the second level, representing emotional needs that arise from our natural desire for friendship, companionship, and community.  The ruah’s (Hebrew for “wind”) Divine nature emerges through a desire to create love and be loved, all the time attempting to suppress negative emotions like anger, and to resist bodily urges.

·        Neshamah is the third level and the Hebrew word for “soul.”  From this moment forward the soul is no longer preoccupied with chasing after the wind of emotions and desires. This is accomplished when the ruah’s foundation of love overcomes the nefesh’s physical urges. Now the neshamah stands ready to focus attention on searching after knowledge in order to reach an enlightened worldview. The Divine realm appears providing knowledge of our interdependent relationship with the universe and God.

In A Nutshell

At the lower levels of the soul, the nefesh and ruah are focused on physical pleasures and emotional satisfaction.  These aspects of a person’s soul can interfere with further development.  When the soul evolves to the neshamah level spiritual and moral beliefs guide decision making. These three levels of the soul intertwine to form a unique personality encapsulated in a physical body.  At this point of spiritual development, the soul crosses a chasm between the human plane into the divine realm.  Here the soul begins to perceive the divine mysteries of God and the universe.

Beliefs About the Soul

The response to the question, what is the soul, differs dramatically depending on the person’s religion, culture, educational level, and even their age.  Many people believe that the soul is separate from the body. This inner core, your soul, is the only part that survives the physical world after death. The belief in a soul forms the foundation of most ideas surrounding death and the afterlife. Here is a small sample of what a few of my workshop participants believe about the concept of a soul.  

·        The soul is something inside each person.

·        The soul survives after death in the physical earthly plane.

·        The soul is a form of energy that can never be destroyed.

·        The idea of a soul stems from a person’s need to have a qualitative answer, but it can never be proved.

·        The soul does not exist.

·        The soul is an inner force that goes on, but is not necessarily reincarnated. 

·        Every person has a unique soul.

·        Every soul has a specific purpose to accomplish in their lifetime.

·        The soul is immortal.

Discover Your Spiritual Beliefs

Self-Discovery

The journey to eternal life can begin at anytime and is best started long before you develop any illness or the death of a loved one.  This self-help spiritual awareness blog is based on Penny Taub’s book Heaven or Hell: The Choice is Yours! By developing relaxation and meditation skills, and, participating in journaling activities you can discover your own unique beliefs about the questions asked.  

Take Time To Relax

Lighting a candle and dimming the lights may help to create a peaceful atmosphere. You may feel comfortable at this time to say a short prayer asking for Divine guidance. 

Centering Prayer

Oh, Holy Spirit, I give thanks for all the blessings

 in my life, my  family and friends.

Oh, Holy Spirit, guide me to discover the wisdom

in the voices that surround me.

Oh, Holy Spirit, I need your help to quiet my mind,

my desires, my wants.

Oh, Holy Spirit, lead me into the sunshine

            to feel the rays of your light and serene presence.

Time To Relax

Meditation is more effective when sitting in a straight back chair or on the ground with your legs crossed.  Begin by closing your eyes and taking a few gentle breaths.  Breathe through your nose, feeling your chest filling up.  Now slowly release all the air through your mouth. Relax your shoulders and let your head droop forward. Begin to silently count, one as you inhale and two when you exhale. Proceed counting to ten, repeating over and over until your mind clears from all the distractions of life. Continue breathing in and out as you enter a deep relaxing meditative state. 

Journaling

Before going any further, please, grab a notebook to write in while doing the following activity. After several minutes start to think about the question: what is the soul? At any time you feel uncomfortable or negative thoughts invade your mind, stop and stand in sunlight.

Take a few minutes to think about your personal answer to this question.  Then open your eyes and record your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs in your notebook about the question: what is the soul?

 

Socrates and Immortality

The question “What happens after death?” has perplexed the greatest minds, including Socrates (469 – 399 BCE).  A philosopher and educator, Socrates, concentrated his intellectual efforts to unravel the nature of human existence.  Socrates chose not to dissect animals, but instead human actions, emotions, and motivations. He wanted to discover why man and women were good or bad.  By observing human nature and through discussions with colleagues he tried to answer the basic question, “What makes a good life?”

These questions and his intense desire to share his ideas with others put him under the glaring eyes of the Athenian government. After a trail Socrates was imprisoned and sentenced to death. While awaiting execution, Socrates urged his fellow disciples not to despair. 

Socrates suggested that his personal knowledge like the virtues love, justice, and beauty were a part of the intangible invisible universe. He believed every person’s soul possessed a unique identity and wisdom.  Socrates determined a human was composed of two aspects, a body and what the Greeks referred to as the psyche – the mind or soul.  Through reasoning, Socrates determined that a sword or poison will kill the body, but the soul could never be destroyed.   The body returns to the earth and the soul escapes to the Heavens.

Socrates keeps referring to the soul.  What is the soul?  Socrates waited until hours before his execution to discuss this important question.  It was only then he determined his soul was immortal.  Socrates shared that death is only a changing of universes.

Heaven or Hell – The Choice is Yours! By Penny Taub

                                            
In today’s technologically savvy society, calendars are now available on the Internet and on your personal cell phone.  Calendars help record not only up coming soccer games, but major life events, like birthdays and anniversaries.

The calendar is one of the most ancient tools for recording the passage of time and special occasions.  But, there is always one elusive date unknown to each of us: the day of our death.  Even more unsettling than not knowing the day of our death, or the death of a loved one, is the question: what will happen when they die?  Where will they go?

Current Trends

If you’re like most people the subject of death is taboo.  The topic of death is not considered polite dinner conversation or for personal late night contemplation.  A stigma surrounds the words death and dying. The words stick on the tongue of most people. Society has created several clever slogans to disguise our discomfort. The most common phrases are: the person has passed away; they’ve gone to heaven, or the all time favorite, being sorry about their loss. These clichés may bring relief to the comforter, but rarely assist the mourner in coming to terms with their emotions and grief. 

As a concerned friend, one is often left wondering what one can do to ease the mourning process.  People often think, “Why can’t she just get over this already?  How long will he feel miserable?”  

These reactions are perfectly normal and your friend or loved one is lucky to have a caring person like you in their life.  Every culture and each generation has deliberately pondered these same questions:  What happens after death?  Where are my loved ones going? Why do I feel so sad?