Soul Explained The question of the reality of the soul (psyche, anima, ame, Seele) and its distinction from the body is among the most important problems of philosophy, for with it is bound up the doctrine of a future life. Various theories as to the nature of the soul have claimed to...
What Is The Soul? This article covers the answer to the question: “What Is The Soul?“ In many religious and philosophical systems, the word “soul” denotes the inner essence of a being comprising its locus of sapience (self-awareness) and metaphysical identity. Souls are usually described as immortal (surviving death in an afterlife) and incorporeal (without...
Spirit Explained The English word spirit comes from the Latin “spiritus” (“breath”) and has several interrelated meanings: Metaphysically, a spirit is an incorporeal energy force that is present in all living things but distinct from the soul. (The distinction between soul and spirit became current in Judeo-Christian terminology.) A spirit may also be...
Manitou Manitou, akin to the Iroquois orenda, is the spiritual and fundamental life force among Algonquian groups in Native American theology. It is omnipresent and manifests everywhere: organisms, the environment, events, etc. Aashaa monetoo means “good spirit“, while otshee monetoo means “bad spirit“. When the world was created, the Great Spirit, Aasha Monetoo, gave the land to...
Nafs (The Soul) Nafs (The Soul) is a substance that is essentially free of matter but which is in close connection with it in its acts and functions; it is the origin or essence of something or its self. There have been those who have used it in the sense...
The Diseases Of The Carnal Self Is There a prescription for the diseases of the carnal self? This consists of Five Paragraphs which contain prescriptions for truth to which the rebellious, and arrogant carnal self has to yield. First paragraph Since things exist and have been made with skill, then...
The Spirit And What Follows This article covers the Spirit and the Afterlife. Based on al-Milal wa’n-Nihal (“The True and False Ways of Belief and Thought”) by ash-Shahristani,[1]Tahafut al-Falasifa (“The Incoherence of the Philosophers”) by Imam al-Ghazzali,[2] Mawqif al-‘Aql wa’l-‘Ilm wa’l-‘Alam (“The Place of Reason, Science, and the Created World”) by Mustafa Sabri...
Prayers To The Holy Spirit We have collected some of the best Prayers To The Holy Spirit to use in request to God. May these prayers for safety bring you comfort and peace of mind. May these prayers for strength encourage your spirit and strengthen your faith. For the majority...
What Is Nafs? Nafs (نَفْس) is an Arabic word occurring in the Quran, literally meaning “self“, and has been translated as “psyche”, “ego” or “soul“. In the Quran, the word is used in both the individualistic (verse 2:48) and collective sense (verse 4:1), indicating that although humanity is united in possessing the positive qualities of...
Atman In Buddhism Atman, attā, or attan in Buddhism is the concept of self, and is found in Buddhist literature‘s discussion of the concept of non-self (Anatta). Most Buddhist traditions and texts reject the premise of a permanent, unchanging atman (self, soul). However, some Buddhist schools, sutras, and tantras present the notion of atman or permanent “Self“, although mostly referring...
Ancient Egyptian Concept Of The Soul This article covers the Ancient Egyptian Concept Of The Soul. The ancient Egyptians believed that a soul (ka/ba) was made up of many parts. In addition to these components of the soul, there was the human body. According to ancient Egyptian creation myths, the god Atum created the world...
Demonic Possession Demonic possession is believed by some to be the process by which individuals are possessed by malevolent preternatural beings, commonly referred to as demons or devils. Demonic possession involves the belief that a spirit, demon, or other entity can control a person’s actions. Those who believe themselves to be possessed commonly claim that symptoms of demonic possession...
Ghosts In Tibetan Culture There is a widespread belief in ghosts in Tibetan culture. Ghosts are explicitly recognized in the Tibetan Buddhist religion as they were in Indian Buddhism, occupying a distinct but overlapping world to the human one, and feature in many traditional legends. When a human dies, after...
Classification Of Demons There have been various attempts throughout history by theologian scholars the classification of demons for the purpose of understanding the biblical and mythological context of adversarial spirits. Theologians have written dissertations in Christian demonology, classical occultism, classical mythology, and Renaissance magic to clarify the connections between these spirits...
Christian Demonology Christian demonology is the study of demons from a Christian point of view. It is primarily based on the Bible (Old and New Testaments), the exegesis of these scriptures, the scriptures of early Christian philosophers, hermits, and the associated traditions and legends incorporated from other beliefs. Origins See...
Deva In Hinduism Deva (देव, Deva) means “heavenly, divine, anything of excellence”, and is also one of the terms for a deity in Hinduism. Deva is a masculine term; the feminine equivalent is Devi. In the earliest Vedic literature, all supernatural beings are called Devas and Asuras. The concepts and legends evolve in ancient Indian...
Tsukumogami In Japanese folklore, tsukumogami (付喪神 or つくも神, lit. “tool kami”) are tools that have acquired a kami or spirit. According to an annotated version of The Tales of Ise titled Ise Monogatari Shō, a certain theory in the Onmyōki, tsukumogami are what foxes that have lived for one hundred years turn into. In modern times, they...
Dokkaebi Dokkaebi (도깨비) are legendary creatures from Korean mythology and folklore. Dokkaebi, also known as “Korean goblins”, are nature deities, spirits or demons possessing extraordinary powers and abilities that are used to interact with humans, at times playing tricks on them and at times helping them. Origins The earliest known documentation of dokkaebi is in...
The Spirit World (Spiritualism) The spirit world, according to spiritualism, is the world or realm inhabited by spirits, both good or evil of various spiritual manifestations. Whereas religion regards an inner life, the spirit world is regarded as an external environment for spirits. Although independent from the natural world, both the spirit world...
The Spirit The spirit is often used metaphysically to refer to consciousness or personality. A spirit is a supernatural being, often, but not exclusively, a non-physical entity; such as a ghost, fairy, or angel. The concepts of a person’s spirit and soul, often also overlap, as both are either contrasted with or given ontological priority over the body...