In the world of spiritual discourse, few terms are as frequently misused and misunderstood as “soul” and “spirit.” Many assume they are interchangeable, yet this conflation leads to confusion about our very nature and purpose. In my view, as with many ideas, concepts, and constructs of this earthbound life — seemingly designed either to fail or to wholly mislead human beings — this is not by accident.
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As discussed in Part II of this series, the soul is eternal yet earthbound. It is the individuated expression of Spirit, perhaps the Higher Self, even the Oversoul (terms that are also misused, misleading, or conflated). It is the part of us that experiences human life within the constraints of material existence and linear time. Spirit, on the other hand, is beyond incarnation, beyond memory, beyond individuality itself — it is the breath of Source, the undivided, unbound whole from which the soul extends. This is not necessarily a matter of hierarchy but of function; the soul is not lesser than Spirit, just as a wave is not lesser than the ocean. It is part of a greater whole, holographically containing its essence while engaging in the dream of separation.
“Man is forever seeking the unchanging, but he forever creates the changing. He is forever seeking the eternal, but he forever creates that which extends from the eternal into form and motion. Man’s self is eternal, yet in his ignorance, he mistakes his body for his self.”
— Walter Russell
Understanding this dynamic between soul and spirit reveals the deeper meaning of our existence — not as a journey of spiritual evolution, but as a return to recognition.
The Soul as an Intermediary
The soul is often described as an intermediary between the physical and the divine, and in a sense, this is true. However, unlike modern interpretations suggesting the soul is created at birth or that it clings to past-life memories, the deeper truth is that the soul is an extension of the greater Spirit into the realm of time and form.
Hindu philosophy speaks of Jivatman — the individuated soul that moves through incarnations — yet this is always connected to the Paramatman, the universal Self. In Taoist thought, a similar distinction exists between Hun (the ethereal soul, which ascends after death) and Po (the corporeal soul, which returns to the earth). Both traditions recognize that the soul is not separate from the divine, but rather a temporary lens through which Spirit experiences existence in form.
“The soul is the storage battery of the body. It is the record of man’s thinking. It is the seat of memory. It is the only part of man that is real. Man may change the pattern of his body a thousand times in a lifetime, but his soul remains the same.”
— Walter Russell
This perspective challenges contemporary spiritual ideas that suggest we carry knowledge from life to life. While possible, it’s likely uncommon, as it muddies the experience of living in the now. If the soul is an instrument for a singular, transitory experience, why would it retain unnecessary information from past lives? This belief often plays into the concept of karma, even “generational karma,” as if one must atone for the sins of their ancestors. This, however, seems more like a deceptive religious mechanism designed to disempower, diverting individuals from their authentic purpose. The soul exists in the now, just as Spirit does, because only the present moment holds reality. Anything that draws us away from the now — whether through imagination or misguided obligation — detracts from our full expression in this lifetime.
Spirit: The Infinite Counterpart
If the soul is the earthbound aspect of our being, then Spirit is its infinite counterpart — limitless, untouched by time, beyond cycles of incarnation. Spirit is not something we acquire or develop; it simply is. It does not evolve because it is already whole. Because the soul is an extension of that which is whole and complete, it cannot be lacking, wanting, or needing to grow — unless, by choice, it imposes limitations to shape a specific lifetime’s experience. These parameters can feel real, making it easy to become lost in the layers of story — all self-imposed, all temporary.
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
— Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
This fundamental truth is often overlooked. Spirit does not descend into form; rather, it extends into it, much like light refracting through a prism. The soul is the refracted expression, temporarily individuated, while Spirit remains whole. This understanding aligns with the concept of the Oversoul, a term used in various esoteric traditions to describe the “higher self” beyond personality and identity.
The breath — Spirit — is always present. The soul is simply the form it takes for a time.
Purpose
Many spiritual traditions, particularly in the West, speak of an evolution of the soul, as though it progresses through stages to attain enlightenment. This perspective, however, is incomplete. It suggests that the soul is becoming something rather than remembering what it already is. Given the trials and tribulations of life, it is understandable to believe suffering serves a higher purpose. Why else would we endure it?
“When you let go of what you are, you become what you might be. The journey is not forward, but inward.”
— Tao Te Ching
The purpose of life is not linear evolution. The soul, as an individuated aspect of Spirit, does not need to “advance” because it is already part of the infinite whole. Rather, the human experience is a process of recognition — of seeing through the illusion of separation and remembering that we have never been apart from Spirit.
This challenges prevailing theories about near-death experiences and “life-between-lives” concepts. While many accounts suggest that souls retain memories and return to the “other side” to continue an upward trajectory, these interpretations are shaped by human perception. The beliefs one holds in life may influence post-death experiences, but that does not make them absolute truth.
If Spirit is beyond time and space, then any experience of a “waiting place” or “judgment” after death is not an ultimate reality but a projection of the soul’s expectations. With free will comes infinite opportunities to experience various potentials. Furthermore, if we have lived countless lives — or even many lives concurrently — time becomes irrelevant.
“That which man calls death is but the awakening from a dream. That which he calls life is but the drifting of that dream.”
— Walter Russell
If the soul releases its memories between lives, it is not due to an imposed system of amnesia but because those memories are no longer relevant. Spirit does not require recollection; it simply is.
The Illusion of Progression
The confusion between soul and spirit has led many seekers astray, fostering the illusion of spiritual progression rather than recognition of inherent wholeness. The soul is eternal yet earthbound — the individuated breath of Spirit, temporarily engaged in the dance of form. Spirit, meanwhile, is the undivided whole, the silent witness that never leaves, never evolves, and never needs to.
“Man seeks to become, but he already is. His search is not to find, but to remember.”
— Walter Russell
Years, decades, even lifetimes may be spent seeking spiritual enlightenment, striving to transcend our mortal coil. Yet if this discussion resonates, we may recognize that such striving is incomplete. Our purpose is not to ascend, progress, or achieve milestones — it is to awaken to what has always been true. The soul, the Spirit, and the Source are not separate. The wave and the ocean are one. The breath and the air are one. The soul and the Spirit are one.
When we let go of complexity, we see the truth is simple: We are not here to evolve. We are here to be.
Temet nosce
This is Part III. Read Part I, and Part II, or continue to Part IV and Part V.