Introduction

Throughout history, cross-cultural, trans-historical, and philosophical, humans have been coming back to the same question; Why are we here? Below questions concerning success, happiness, morality and destiny is another, more personal, and not least, question, which is the purpose of the soul. Whether conceived in the form of a metaphysical being, the center of consciousness or the symbolic center of identity, the soul has traditionally been viewed as the locus of meaning in human life. What the soul is, is to ask what the ultimate turn of being is.

This paper examines the concept of the soul purpose in philosophical, spiritual, psychological and existential perspective. Instead of providing a single definitive answer, it follows the lines of convergence between different traditions and ways of thinking, towards the same intuition; that the soul is not static but developmental; it is not given, but formed; and it is not solitary, but in relations. In this meaning the purpose of the soul is not an end but an action–a becoming.

The definition of Soul: Multidimensional concept.

We should first of all make clear what is meant by the soul before we proceed to consider its purpose. Even in ancient philosophy and most especially in Plato and Aristotle, the principle of life, reason and movement was known as the soul (psyche). Plato thought the soul to be immortal and existing before the physical body, and momentarily inhabiting it, whereas Aristotle thought it to be the organization of the body- the principle that gives a living thing its character.

Religion tends to symbolize the divine spark in the human being through the soul. In Christianity, it is the spiritual nature that has been created by God, which is able to be redeemed and make an eternal communication. Atman is the real self, which in the Hindu religion is the same in essence with Brahman, which is the ultimate reality. Buddhism, in its turn, opposes the concept of permanent soul through the doctrine of anatta (non-self), but still, there is a way of moral and spiritual development.

The soul is symbolically redefined by modern psychology. The example of Carl Jung, he interpreted the soul as the depth aspect of the psyche – the world of archetypes, unconscious significance, and inner transformation. The existentialists on the other hand tend to disregard the metaphysical arguments but retain the terms soul to explain authenticity, inner freedom and responsibility.

Regardless of these dissimilarities, a certain similarity is visible: the soul is the inner part of human life in which the meaning, values, and orientation are created.

The Soul: As a Seeker of Meaning.

The desire to find meaning in the soul is one of the most popular opinions of all traditions. Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist and a holocaust victim, said that the main purpose of a human being is neither pleasure nor power but meaning. In this sense, the soul aims at guiding the individual to values that go beyond immediate gratification.

Meaning does not just come but rather is discovered and created. The soul asserts itself on the world by relationships, work, creativity, suffering, and makes experiences meaningful. Even the pain, when combined into a purposeful story, may also lead to the development of the soul.

Such a quest of meaning is usually accompanied by some inner tension. The soul perceives that existence is beyond survival or social adaptation. This stress may be as restlessness, the desire, or the sense of incompleteness. Such discontent, to the contrary, is the sign that the soul is alive and is geared towards something better than the status quo.

The Soul and Moral Development.

Moral development is another major aspect of the purpose of the soul. The old philosophies focused on virtue cultivation as a way of achieving a fulfilled soul. Plato was of the opinion that justice in the soul, or the balance between reason, spirit, and desire was the basis of both their own happiness and the welfare of society.

The journey of the soul is also presented in the religious traditions as one of the ethical ones. Commandments, precepts, moral laws are not just external rules, but they are used to form the inner world. The soul perfects its character through decisions, thoughts and actions.

This is evidenced by modern moral psychology that demonstrates that the development of ethics is closely associated with empathy, self-management, and perspective-taking. The soul, in this context, grows up as it enlarges its ability to be compassionate and responsible. It is not the aim of the soul just to know what is good, but to be good by practice and devotion.

Pure light and infinite love be with us!