Difference between Soul and Spirit

Key difference: Essentially, the soul is who you are. It incorporates the person’s thoughts, their will, desires, emotions and the ability to reason. The soul is the heart of the body, it does not die. It is immortal part of a person that transcends death and goes on to a higher plane, i.e. heaven, etc. A spirit, on the other hand, is the spark of light, the living force in the body. It is the reason why we are living and moving around. It is the source of power and control for both your body and soul. When we die, the spirit i.e. living force leaves the body, hence the body dies. The spirit stops existing, while the soul moves on.

soul Versus spiritNowadays the terms soul and spirit are often thrown around without any regard. However, the words carried a lot of weight back in the day and still do for some people. Soul and spirit are part of a person. They are divine gifts that should be revered. Often, the words soul and spirit are used as synonyms, but they do differ in context. First, let us look at the definitions. Also see Holy Ghost Vs. Holi Spirit

Dictionary.com defines ‘soul’ as:

  • The principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in humans, regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body, and commonly held to be separable in existence from the body; the spiritual part of humans as distinct from the physical part.
  • The spiritual part of humans regarded in its moral aspect, or as believed to survive death and be subject to happiness or misery in a life to come: arguing the immortality of the soul.
  • The disembodied spirit of a deceased person: He feared the soul of the deceased would haunt him.
  • The emotional part of human nature; the seat of the feelings or sentiments.

‘Spirit’ is defined as:

  • The principle of conscious life; the vital principle in humans, animating the body or mediating between body and soul.
  • The incorporeal part of humans: present in spirit though absent in body.
  • The soul regarded as separating from the body at death.
  • Conscious, incorporeal being, as opposed to matter: the world of spirit.
  • A supernatural, incorporeal being, especially one inhabiting a place, object, etc., or having A particular character: evil spirits.
  • A fairy, sprite, or elf.
  • An angel or demon.

Also see: Mysticism Vs. Spirituality 

Soul Versus spiritEssentially, the soul is who you are. It incorporates the person’s thoughts, their will, desires, emotions and the ability to reason. The soul is the heart of the body, it does not die. It is immortal part of a person that transcends death and goes on to a higher plane, i.e. heaven, etc.

A spirit, on the other hand, is the spark of light, the living force in the body. It is the reason why we are living and moving around. It is the source of power and control for both your body and soul. When we die, the spirit i.e. living force leaves the body, hence the body dies. The spirit stops existing, while the soul moves on. These concepts are well dealt with by people in spirituality and religion. 

See: Spirituality Vs. Religion 

However, sometimes if one dies the spirit might still linger on in the physical world or come back from the afterlife from time to time. It may do this in order to watch their loved one or to keep an eye on them to make sure that they are doing well.

Furthermore, the spirit has a greater connotation than a soul. A spirit can also be used to refer to a fairy, sprite, elf, angel or demon. Spirit is a versatile word, which had come to mean many things over the eons.

Image Courtesy: heyamberrae.com, mixed99.wordpress.com

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