Insight into the Soul

What makes us who we are?

One of the major questions of our human existence is, " What is the soul?" or the Spirit soul. Does everyone believe in the existence of the holy spirit or soul? Some might and some might not. Regardless if someone believes in the soul's existence or not there is always a place we can look to find an answer. We just need to know where to look. Not many of us are familiar with this topic simply because it is not commonly taught in schools or other places of secular learning. From a philosophical standpoint many people will agree that the soul has something to do with religion and spirituality. In fact according to Encyclopedia Britannica :

"soul, in religion and philosophy, the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being, that which confers individuality and humanity, often considered to be synonymous with the mind or the self. In theology, the soul is further defined as that part of the individual which partakes of divinity and often is considered to survive the death of the body."

According to the theological definition of the soul it survives when the body dies, meaning that the soul doesn't actually die like the physical body. This suggest the soul's incorporeal nature or in other words it doesn't have any material existence. Some ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Greeks believed in the existence of the soul and each has its own perspective.

I have found a really good answer in my opinion that corresponds to the spiritual and eternal nature of the soul. During my study of the "Bhagavad Gita As it Is", the ancient holy scripture of the Hindu religion, I came across some interesting concepts that really highlight why and how the soul is eternal. In Chapter 2, Verse 11 of this holy scripture translated to English by His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada it says:

Representation of the Soul within as an inner light

For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come
into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is
unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.

("Bhagavad-gita As It Is"Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved)

When we see a dead person's body whom we have known while alive, we think something called life ended for him or her. Could that be thought of as the spirit soul left the body? Based on the above revelation, I think its safe to conclude there was some eternal element in there keeping the body alive as the person we knew. If the body is just matter when the spirit soul leaves then this begs another question. " Is the soul the real person?"