What Is The Soul

Dr. Guterson: you talk a lot about the soul. Maybe you can help me understand what the soul is? A: G-d blew His essence into Man. His essence is our essence. And so, when we are truly in touch with our soul, we operate on an entirely different level. In a talk I studied from Rabbi YY Jacobson, he explains that there are six essential features of the soul. The first feature is: Confidence. This week, the second feature: Honesty Honesty is closely linked to what we talked about last week, Confidence. Why do people lie? Why are they not honest?Most people lie because they are afraid that if they told the truth, if they allowed themselves to be vulnerable, that others will think less of them. Such persons live in a constant whirlwind of fear, fear of exposure. Needing to constantly protect themselves, they cover up. And one cover up usually evolves into more cover ups. Your soul never lies. It is pure and good, the essence of who you truly are. When two people who are in touch with their soul get together, they can be honest and vulnerable with no fear of being judged. In my psychiatric work, I have seen time and time again the beauty, the love, and the acceptance, when one btreaks through their cover ups and shares of them self to someone who truly loves them. There is no reason to spend one’s life hiding behind a shell. The soul never lies. To be continued……

What Is The Soul (continued from last week)

Dr. Guterson: you talk a lot about the soul. Maybe you can help me understand what the soul is?

A: As I wrote last week, the Bible says that G-d blew His essence into Man. His essence is our essence. And so, when we are truly in touch with our soul, we operate on an entirely different level.

In a talk I studied from Rabbi YY Jacobson, he explains that there are six essential features of the soul. The first feature is: Confidence.

Confidence means that the soul does not need approval from anybody to feel good. Nor does it get depressed with criticism. This is because the soul IS good, period. No external pretenses are necessary. All too many of us live lives with a cover up, always monitoring how we are perceived by others.

But if that is so, then I am not really me - I have become you looking at me! Which means my sense of identity is based on a mask , a shell. True confidence puts an end to all this. And subsequently - when I am I because I am I…..and you are you because you are you - then we can have a true relationship.

To be continued….

What Is The Soul

Dr. Guterson: you talk a lot about the soul. Maybe you can help me understand what the soul is?

A: Thank you - I’ve sort of been waiting for someone to ask this question. This is because positive emotional and mental health has to include embracing our soul.

The answer to your question will take a number of weeks. Let’s go step by step.

It starts out first with the understanding that humans are different from all other creations.

As I have written and said many times, we humans have a yearning for transcendence. We can’t help it. It’s intrinsic; it’s who we are.

This is because, as is written at the beginning of the Bible, G-d blew His essence into Man.

Even if you don’t believe or take this literally, anyone who opens their eyes knows that humans operate on a different dimension from all of creation. We have a restlessness inside of us, a spiritual something that finds itself inside a physical body.

We call it a soul.

To be continued….