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Soul

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal and the center of consciousness, emotion, and will.

Detailed Definition
The concept of the soul (Atman in Hinduism, Nefesh/Ruach in Judaism, Psyche in Greek thought) is central to understanding the human relationship to the divine. It is the essence of a person, the bearer of moral quality, and the part that seeks union with God or liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Poetry is the natural language of the soul, giving voice to its deepest longings, struggles, joys, and its quest for identity, meaning, and eternal life. The soul is both the subject and the audience of much religious verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Hebrew poetry, Soul (nephesh) is whole being: “Thirsty soul—Soul that hungers for justice”; In Hindu verse, Soul (atman) is eternal: “Tat tvam asi—Soul, you are That”; In contemporary poetry, Soul is essence: “Not résumé—Soul, the quiet hum beneath noise”; Poets link Soul to action: “Starve the body—Soul fed by kindness.”
Additional Notes
Soul (nephesh in Hebrew, psyche in Greek, atman in Sanskrit) varies by tradition: mortal life-force, immortal essence, or illusion to be seen through; in poetry, soul often signifies the innermost self—yearning, wounded, or luminous—and serves as the site where divine and human meet in dialogue, struggle, or embrace.
Other Meanings of “Soul”
Also Known As
Nephesh Atman Psyche Ruh The Spirit Spirit
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