According to:-

The Essenes

Aristotle

• Aristotle uses his familiar matter/form distinction to answer the question “What is soul?” At the beginning of De Anima II.1, he says that there are three sorts of substance:
  1. Matter (potentiality)
  2. Form (actuality)
  3. The compound of matter and form
• Aristotle is interested in compounds that are alive. These - plants and animals - are the things that have souls. Their souls are what make them living things.
• Since form is what makes matter a “this,” the soul is the form of a living thing. (Not its shape, but its actuality, that in virtue of which it is the kind of living thing that it is.)

According to Aristotle’s theory, a soul is a particular kind of nature, a principle that accounts for change and rest in the particular case of living bodies, i.e. plants, nonhuman animals and human beings. The relation between soul and body, on Aristotle’s view, is also an instance of the more general relation between form and matter: thus an ensouled, living body is a particular kind of in-formed matter.

 

The concept of the soul varies across different cultures and religions. Here are some perspectives on the soul from various belief systems:

Hinduism

In Hinduism, the soul is referred to as the “Atman.” It is believed to be eternal, unchanging, and divine; existing beyond the physical body. The Atman is considered the true essence of an individual and is believed to be interconnected with the universal consciousness, known as Brahman. The Atman is believed to be a fragment of the ultimate reality, Brahman, and goes through cycles of birth and death, reincarnating in different bodies until it achieves liberation (Moksha).

Buddhism

Buddhism views the concept of the soul differently. It emphasizes the idea of “Anatta,” which means “non-self” or “no-soul.” According to Buddhism, there is no permanent, unchanging entity or soul that exists independently. Instead, Buddhism teaches that the self is an ever-changing, interconnected flow of experiences and consciousness.  An impermanent collection of aggregates (form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness).

Christianity

In Christianity, the soul is often regarded as the spiritual, immortal essence of a person. It is seen as the seat of consciousness, moral agency, and the part of an individual that continues to exist after physical death. The soul is believed to have a relationship with God and can experience either eternal salvation or damnation.

Islam

Islam defines the soul as the “Nafs.” It is considered an immortal, spiritual component of a human being that is distinct from the physical body. Islam views the soul as an incorporeal, immortal entity known as the “Ruh.” It is believed to be created by Allah and breathed into the body, giving it life. The soul is considered the essence of an individual’s identity and will continue to exist after death, either in paradise or hell, depending on one’s deeds.

Indigenous Cultures

Indigenous cultures often have diverse beliefs about the soul. Many see the soul as an integral part of nature and the interconnectedness of all things. The soul may be seen as existing in humans, animals, plants, and even inanimate objects, emphasizing a deep respect for all forms of life.

It’s important to note that these are simplified summaries, and there can be significant variations within each belief system. The concept of the soul is often deeply intertwined with a culture’s understanding of spirituality, purpose, and the nature of existence.

1.  

Souls Capacity

A living thing’s soul is its capacity to engage in the activities that are characteristic of living things of its natural kind. What are those activities? Some are listed in DA II.1; others in DA II.2:

• • Self-nourishment
  • Growth
  • Decay
  • Movement and rest (in respect of place)
  • Perception
  • Intellect
• So anything that nourishes itself, that grows, decays, moves about (on its own, not just when moved by something else), perceives, or thinks is alive. And the capacities of a thing in virtue of which it does these things constitute its soul. The soul is what is causally responsible for the animate behavior (the life activities) of a living thing.

Degrees of soul

1. There is a nested hierarchy of soul functions or activities (413a23).
   1. Growth, nutrition, (reproduction)
   2. Locomotion, perception
   3. Intellect (= thought)
2. This gives us three corresponding degrees of soul:
   1. Nutritive soul (plants)
   2. Sensitive soul (all animals)
   3. Rational soul (human beings)
3. These are nested in the sense that anything that has a higher degree of soul also has all of the lower degrees. All living things grow, nourish themselves, and reproduce. Animals not only do that, but move and perceive. Humans do all of the above and reason, as well. (There are further subdivisions within the various levels, which we will ignore.)

Soul and Body

1. 1. A key question for the ancient Greeks (as it still is for many people today) is whether the soul can exist independently of the body. (Anyone who believes in personal immortality is committed to the independent existence of the soul.) Plato (as we know from the Phaedo) certainly thought that the soul could exist separately. Here is what Aristotle has to say on this topic:
      

      . . . the soul does not exist without a body and yet is not itself a kind of body. For it is not a body, but something which belongs to a body, and for this reason exists in a body, and in a body of such-and-such a kind (414a20ff).

      So on Aristotle’s account, although the soul is not a material object, it is not separable from the body. (When it comes to the intellect, however, Aristotle waffles. See DA III.4)

   2. Aristotle’s picture is not Cartesian:
      1. There is no inner/outer contrast. The soul is not an inner spectator, in direct contact only with its own perceptions and other psychic states, having to infer the existence of a body and an “external” world.There is thus no notion of the privacy of experience, the incorrigibility of the mental, etc., in Aristotle’s picture.
      2. The soul is not an independently existing substance. It is linked to the body more directly: it is the form of the body, not a separate substance inside another substance (a body) of a different kind. It is a capacity, not the thing that has the capacity.It is thus not a separable soul. (It is, at most, pure thought, devoid of personality, that is separable from the body on Aristotle’s account.)
      3. Soul has little to do with personal identity and individuality. There is no reason to think that one (human) soul is in any important respect different from any other (human) soul. The form of one human being is the same as the form of any other.There is, in this sense, only soul, and not souls. You and I have different souls because we are different people. But we are different human beings because we are different compounds of form and matter. That is, different bodies both animated by the same set of capacities, by the same (kind of) soul.

Edgar Cayce

Edgar Cayce (pronounced “Kay-see”) was a simple Sunday School teacher who, over the span of his lifetime (1877-1945), had more near-death experiences than anyone ever documented. Cayce learned at a young age that when he was hypnotized, he could leave his body and journey into the afterlife realms. His self-induced out-of-body experiences were identical to near-death experiences. Cayce made over 14,000 otherworldly journeys in his life and the information he gained from these journeys has astounded people all over the world.    Cayce’s descriptions of the Essenes of Mount Carmel reveal the religious sect to be an ideal for others who would prepare the way for the Second Coming of Christ. 

According to the Cayce material, Jesus and Adam were different incarnations of the same Christ soul. Eve and the Virgin Mary (Jesus’ twin soul) were also different incarnations of the same soul. This karmic connection between Adam and Jesus explains why Jesus was able to pay the “karmic debt” by atoning for the “sin of Adam.”   According to Cayce, many other personalities from the Old Testament and history were also incarnations of Jesus. The Cayce material describes the entire Christian Bible as part of the story of Jesus’ long struggle to attain “Christhood” and provide humanity a pattern to do the same.   See this article for all the incarnations http://www.near-death.com/experiences/jesus09.html

The Zohar & Kabalah

In Kabbalah, a mystical branch of Judaism, the soul is a central concept. According to Kabbalistic teachings, the soul is multifaceted and has different aspects or layers. Here are some key ideas about the soul in Kabbalah:

• Kabbalah teaches that each soul contains divine sparks or fragments of the divine essence. These sparks are believed to originate from the realm of the Ein Sof, the infinite and unknowable aspect of God. The purpose of the soul’s journey is to elevate and reconnect these sparks with their divine source.
• Five Levels of the Soul: Kabbalah describes the soul as having five levels or dimensions, known as the “Five Partzufim” or “Five Faces.” These levels represent different aspects of consciousness and spiritual development. They are:

  a. Nefesh: The Nefesh is the basic level of the soul associated with our physical existence and vital life force.

  b. Ruach: The Ruach represents the emotional and moral aspects of the soul, including emotions, passions, and moral choices.

  c. Neshamah: The Neshamah is the intellectual and spiritual level of the soul. It is associated with the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.

  d. Chayah: The Chayah represents the aspect of the soul that is beyond intellectual understanding. It relates to the mystical and intuitive dimensions of spirituality.

  e. Yechidah: The Yechidah is the highest level of the soul, representing the deepest connection with the divine. It is associated with the divine unity and oneness.

• Kabbalah teaches that the soul is on a journey of spiritual rectification and restoration. It believes that souls descend into physical bodies to rectify past mistakes, elevate the divine sparks within, and contribute to the ongoing process of Tikkun Olam, the repair and restoration of the world.
• Kabbalistic teachings include the concept of reincarnation, known as Gilgul. It suggests that the soul may undergo multiple lifetimes in different bodies to fulfill its purpose, rectify past actions, and continue its spiritual evolution.

Kabbalah provides a rich and complex understanding of the soul, emphasizing its connection to the divine and its role in spiritual growth and transformation. It delves into the intricate dynamics of the soul’s journey and its relationship with the divine realm.

“All souls are subject to the trials of transmigration (reincarnation), and men do not know the designs of the Highest with regard to them; they know not how they are being at all times judged, both before coming into this world and when they leave it. They do not know how many transmigrations and mysterious trials they must undergo.” (3)

“Souls must reenter the absolute substance whence they have emerged. But to accomplish this end they must develop all the perfections, the germ of which is planted in them; and if they have not fulfilled this condition during one life, they must commence another, a third, and so forth, until they have acquired the condition which fits them for a reunion with God.”

What the bible says about your soul

Matthew 10:28

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” …

 

Please see here for more reading

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ancient-soul/

http://www.iisis.net/index.php?page=semkiw-reincarnation-past-lives-judaism-past-lives&hl=en_US

http://studentsoul.intervarsity.org/care-for-soul