We often forget that we will all die one day. This lack of clarity about the inevitable outcome of existence develops in us a particular focus on this earthly life. This voluntary or cultural ignorance strengthens our material, physical, psychological, and intellectual identity. Societies in the modern world are embodied by men and women who cultivate their bodies and intellects at the expense of their soul. Failing to acknowledge the human soul leads us to the gravest individual and civilizational errors.
The eternal contemplates the transient
By refusing to recognize the very existence of the soul, we become prisoners of the ephemeral. Whether it be the body, the mind, or our emotions, all of these will one day disappear, unlike the soul. Furthermore, ignoring this subtle entity prevents us from working on and purifying it. It’s as if someone ignored the concept of physical health: their life would be utterly destructive to their body because they would not care for it, eating whatever they desire, ignoring the need to exercise minimally or sleep adequately. Since people no longer recognize the soul as a real entity, it has deteriorated in individuals from materialistic and atheistic cultures. This neglect of the soul leads to the worst disorders, which have both psychological and physical consequences.
The soul is at the root of happiness
The happiness of the soul is the highest degree of happiness because the soul is at the top of our various entities (soul > intellect > emotions > physical). Physical happiness is often ephemeral and can even appear crude. It can lead to harm at the expense of others (e.g., the pleasures of the table come at the expense of animals). The more we mature and transcend our nature, the more our happiness will become subtle. The problem is that societies that have annihilated the concept of the soul are left with a host of depressed and cynical intellectuals who can no longer make sense of their lives or at least have a sense of fulfillment, even temporary.
You are a soul having a human experience
So, what matters from now on is that you regain awareness of the very nature of your existence. You did not come to Earth to fulfill only a material purpose. Your life has greater value than that. The reason you came is for your soul to improve by rubbing against the vicissitudes of earthly existence and to gather knowledge and gems that will help it improve. Earthly life is like a boxing gym where you go to confront hardness, with the difference that you improve your soul and not your martial technique or your reflexes. What is unfortunate is that many of us have forgotten this sacred purpose, which is regrettable. It would be a bit like if a boxer went to his training only wanting to improve his musculature, his physical beauty, and his relationship with his training peers, forgetting the very purpose of the training, which is to learn to fight and defend oneself. Seeking excellence in all spheres of life does not harm your spiritual progress, unless it appears as secondary in your daily approach.
