Soul is the seat of individual experience... It is one's sub-conscious mind (heart), conscious mind, and will-connected with divine Spirit. Each soul is individually different, yet there are soul mates and group souls. Our soul, though integrated with Spirit, identifies itself with the duality of fear and love until it is transformed. The soul is the part of us that is changing and growing through each of our experiences. Soul is where passion comes into being. Spirit is constant, unchanging and everlasting, the essence of unconditional love, joy, peace and kindness.
The heart is symbolically our subconscious mind, where emotions are stored, and 80% of our behavior is inspired. Speaking from the heart means speaking your truth - being in touch with one's feelings that make up their disposition and attitude. Our mind needs to be right to survive, and the mind would rather be comfortable and safe than happy. Therefore, fear arises in order to protect us from any discomfort. Logic, analytical thinking, reason, judgement and perception are all functions of the conscious mind. Conscious and subconscious mind ideally function in agreement, yet when we think one way and feel another it is an indication that our soul wants to be heard. Together, the heart and mind make up the vertical axis on the metaphorical cross of integration.
Thoughts and feelings are what comprise the horizontal axis representing the soul. They reside in the left and right brain respectively, governing logic and creativity. Since the left brain is where the logical mind resides this is where our need to be right, proper or justified in all our actions comes from. The right brain, our creativity center, needs us to be loved and accepted. These basic functions of the right and left brain are the central motivations that create one's will for living. Will is the intention behind every action whether we are aware of it or not.
Spirit is the substance of a soul, the vital element that is the essence of all things. However, the soul experiences itself to be separate from Spirit. In this way, a soul is considered a shadow because of its delusion of separateness from Spirit. A shadow is made up from all our emotions and tendencies that create "darkness" in our experience of life, fear being the root of all negative emotions. This illusion of darkness creating a shadow is merely the soul's lack of awareness that it is made of light/love. Darkness is simply the absence of light and only exists while we choose to identify with it- just as our physical shadow only exists where our body intercepts light. Our soul is an individuated aspect of Spirit expressing itself through the limited means of mind and body.
What becomes controversial is the choice to identify with either ego of the mind or Spirit. To identify with ego is to adopt the physical/mental body as "self" and fulfill the ego's will through the senses and the dense physical world. To identify with Spirit is to realize a higher potential for developing the self, and, in doing so one can align their personal will with divine will by trusting the Spirit to guide them through life. The soul has the tendency to want to be its own master because it thinks it knows best. That is, to live according to its experience through the heart/mind and personal will to find love, happiness and fulfillment. However, since the soul is based on fear, to ever find true love within itself may be futile.
What the soul is unaware of is that it is to be the servant to its higher potential in Spirit. The soul can become love, not through its own efforts, but by identifying with its true self as an aspect of Spirit. To identify with Spirit is to overcome the soul's influences so that we can grow and experience our true nature. For a soul to discover it's true self and journey toward enlightenment, conscious creation, and growth, an effort can be made to align personal will with the ultimate Will of Spirit.
When you want Spirit's will as much as you want air, you begin to be Self realized. This realization is an ongoing process. As long as our soul is in a body it is subject to the workings of the senses, thoughts, feelings, and personal will. To be realized is not to be free of the body or its workings, it is to observe these aspects of ourselves and put them to use for our benefit and continual soul growth. When we acknowledge our true essence is Spirit so that true light and love reside in our hearts, we can consult with our heart in all things to tune into Spirit and be guided.
