Our Eternal Soul: An American author, political activistand lecturer...

Our Eternal Soul: An American author, political activistand lecturer...: An American author, political activist and lecturer Helen Keller (1880 – 1968) felt, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. O...

An American author, political activist and lecturer Helen Keller (1880 – 1968) felt, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” So developing the necessary character is seen as crucial for our soul's development. Further, a soul generally goes through trials and suffering that serve as a catalyst for his successful inner-growth and development of the psyche..

Our Soul Weighed Down

The soul of many persons are weighed down by problems. As our pilgrimage continues the soul at times experiences a tormented life. Often a person will dialogue with his soul. Such a conversation is one of uncertainty, skepticism and denial. Compromises are made with situations and occasions that trouble the soul, many of which we may well live to regret. These actions result in our soul becoming quite weak. Our soul is afterward corrupted in the world by feeding on evil that bombards our psyche. That is why we often hear regretful talk about the state of our wretched soul. Some fear if they continue down a perilous path, they will lose their soul.

What is the soul?

In Hebrew scriptures, the soul and the body are not sharply distinguished. The rabbis of the Talmudic period recognizes some separation of body and soul. In Genesis, God is known to have breathed a soul into the first man Adam. Since then the soul has been viewed as a separate entity from the body. Christians place their trust in a soul that will live on when they die. Following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, they look forward to their resurrection after death.

The soul shares its earthly life with the body. Judaism like Christianity believes the soul to be immortal. A Greek philosopher Plato (428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) taught about this immortality of the soul while Christians have come to believe that there would be an embodied resurrection as presented by the Scriptures. Another Greek philosopher Aristotle (384 – 322 BC) reasoned differently from Plato when he declared that the soul is the human being.

The Italian Catholic and Dominican theologian Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274) upheld an individual immortality. Since 1869, it became the Roman Catholic position that our soul is conferred at the moment of conception. This is presently treated as an inviolable truth by the Catholic church.

Feed Your Human Soul

It is imperative that we all strive to have a peaceful soul. That is why our soul must be fed with the good things in life by thinking about his welfare. The soul cannot be left alone to be heavily burdened by problems in our worldly journey. Tormented souls must be healed by prayer, hymns and meditation by embracing what is pure, just and honorable. In this way our soul will profit while growing and developing spiritually. In treating our soul with respect and practicing the virtues of love, joy, faith and peace, they will be refreshed and rejuvenated.

The Kingdom Of The Soul

Many Christians may discover the Kingdom of their Soul while attending church or through prayer.  During church services the inner recesses of our being will be spiritually filled. This may be found if the soul of the church is scriptural and sound. In practice and through faith, a believer will be able to cultivate a blessed soul. By doing so he will reveal this enlightenment while ensuring that his soul gains an everlasting place in heaven.

An English novelist, journalist and translator of the Victorian Era, George Eliot (1819 – 1880) recognized the importance of the influence of a human soul on another when he wrote, “Blessed is the influence on one true, loving human soul on another.” Another American poet, essayist and journalist Walt Whitman (1819 – 1892) thought, “Whatever satisfies the soul is truth.” Undoubtedly, the truth of life will be paramount for the full and authentic development of the soul that will be set free in all glory to enjoy the blessings of the Heavenly Kingdom.