Interior life. How are spirit, soul, mind, heart, feeling used by you

[OfNoAccount]

Across the board in writings on religion in general, the above words are used by numerous serious authors in numerous ways which on reflection are sometimes incompatible, one with another.

Would some kind people who have been challenged by this ambiguity, care to share their preferences with me?

This is not idle curiosity, I wish to optimise the use of meaningful language for a 21st century readership when I write on spirituality, psychology, good and evil and mental illness.

Edited May 10, 2015 by OfNoAccount

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

spirit i use in the sense of Gods spirit 'the holy spirit' and spirits of the world, like lust,gluttony,sloth,mean spirited etc but also good spirits like patience,the spirit of courage etc. I use the word soul for a sense of something deeper than the mind,heart,emotions, some other sense that i can't quiet put my finger on. Mind i simply use as thoughts or respect but also as mindfullness or an awareness of the position of self in the world,self awareness.Heart i tend to use as a feeling or emotion, a feeling or drive that seems almost impossible to refuse,a desire that seems to be seperate from the thoughts though thoughts may be associated with the heart it seems the emotion is the stronger whether decieved or righteous. And i guess i use the word feeling as an emotion also but not as powerful as the heart one, it is more of a sense and educated guess that often has it's original beginings in the heart or soul which geives birth to a thought sense of possible,perhaps or probable.

Tis a wonder. I doubt i will be writing any books on the subject lol, i'm to care free, and sorry haven't put to much thought or effort into my response, though if you continue to discuss with me this matter perhaps you will reveal more of what i truly believe.

 

God bless you

Onward christian souls. Alleluia Hallelujah.

Edited May 11, 2015 by Tab'le De'Bah-Rye

[MarysLittleFlower]

Across the board in writings on religion in general, the above words are used by numerous serious authors in numerous ways which on reflection are sometimes incompatible, one with another.

Would some kind people who have been challenged by this ambiguity, care to share their preferences with me?

This is not idle curiosity, I wish to optimise the use of meaningful language for a 21st century readership when I write on spirituality, psychology, good and evil and mental illness.

Do you mean how we define the words?

Spirit - what is spiritual not material. Like God, Angels and our souls

Soul - spirit that animates a body, but according to St Thomas there are also natural souls for animals 

Angels are pure spirit

We have souls that are spirits

Animals have souls that are not spirits

Spirit is immortal and not from nature. Its made *directly* by God without involving nature 

Mind - intellect, thoughts. Only God, Angels and humans have reason 

Heart - interior part of us, feelings

Feelings - emotions or feelings that come from natural or supernatural causes

Hope that helps! I'd recommend checking Fr John Hardons Catholic dictionary (you'll find it by searching for the words online) and St Thomas Aquinas.

God bless!

 

 

Edited May 11, 2015 by MarysLittleFlower

[BarbTherese]

Fr J A Hardon SJ - Modern Catholic Dictionary

[MarysLittleFlower]

Fr J A Hardon SJ - Modern Catholic Dictionary

Thank you! I can't copy and paste on my phone to make links

Edited May 12, 2015 by MarysLittleFlower

[OfNoAccount]

Do you mean how we define the words?
Spirit - what is spiritual not material. Like God, Angels and our souls
Soul - spirit that animates a body, but according to St Thomas there are also natural souls for animals
Angels are pure spirit
We have souls that are spirits
Animals have souls that are not spirits
Spirit is immortal and not from nature. Its made *directly* by God without involving nature
Mind - intellect, thoughts. Only God, Angels and humans have reason
Heart - interior part of us, feelings
Feelings - emotions or feelings that come from natural or supernatural causes

Hope that helps! I'd recommend checking Fr John Hardons Catholic dictionary (you'll find it by searching for the words online) and St Thomas Aquinas.

God bless!

Definitions were the last things I was seeking.

You have illustrated just my dilemma.
First 'spirit' and 'Spirit' confuse.   Creation gave rise to matter and energy, the material universe as well as spirits who I presume can be thought of as immaterial creatures with other designations such as angels and demons. 
Holy Spirit proceeds from Father and Son but is not created by either.   Utterly different order of being from what we call spirits.

Then, part of the created order are creatures with dual creaturely nature consisting of "body" and "soul": matter and spirit both at the same time and guaranteed to be such in eternity - human beings.

Some blessings in NT address body and soul, some spirit, soul and body.

Permit me to repeat myself:  could people share their preferences and briefly explain how their use of the words satisfy them better than the alternative ways.  It is an issue of understanding the realities and successfully adopting words which have meanings shared by those communicating about them.

Thank you.

 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2015 by OfNoAccount
Clarification

[MarysLittleFlower]

Definitions were the last things I was seeking.

You have illustrated just my dilemma.
First 'spirit' and 'Spirit' confuse.   Creation gave rise to matter and energy, the material universe as well as spirits who I presume can be thought of as immaterial creatures with other designations such as angels and demons. 
Holy Spirit proceeds from Father and Son but is not created by either.   Utterly different order of being from what we call spirits.

Then, part of the created order are creatures with dual creaturely nature consisting of "body" and "soul": matter and spirit both at the same time and guaranteed to be such in eternity - human beings.

Some blessings in NT address body and soul, some spirit, soul and body.

Permit me to repeat myself:  could people share their preferences and briefly explain how their use of the words satisfy them better than the alternative ways.  It is an issue of understanding the realities and successfully adopting words which have meanings shared by those communicating about them.

Thank you.

 

 

 

I guess I don't really understand what you mean... Sorry! I don't really have preferences, I just go with what the Church has decided the words mean...? Yes there's the Holy Spirit who is God and not created, spirits who are created, and spirits who are joined to a body are souls, - then there are non spiritual souls according to St Thomas. I'm sorry I don't really understand your question though... What do you mean by preferences? I distinguish between the Holy Spirit and spirits though there's the word spirit in both. Whenever we're talking of a spirit with a body like humans I would call it a soul - its a specific way of being of a spirit distinguished from angels. My use of the words is linked to the definitions... Sorry I can't help more. Maybe someone here can.

[Benedictus]

if you find those words tough then you'd have no hair left after reading most philosophy and theology.

[Era Might]

Funny you started this thread, I'm reading Plotinus' Enneads and just got through his section on soul versus spirit. I didn't catch it all but as I understood it (he was a pagan, but I assume he had common sources with Christianity) spirit was sort of what is truest about a person, he literally saw spirit as a sort of "guide" for the soul, with the soul being that which is embodied, which has the capacity to "rise" to the divine forms, but is weighted down by the form of the body, and can lose what is true about him if he forgets his spirit and just becomes enslaved to the body.

[OfNoAccount]

if you find those words tough then you'd have no hair left after reading most philosophy and theology.

​Well, apart from the fact that my hair is scanty, I fail to see that I have said the words or the concepts are tough.  In my eighth decade, not only did I have 100% of my schooling from Catholic nuns and Marist Brothers who took education to be something important and serious and more than finger painting and playing the recorder, but I attended the Aquinas Academy in Sydney while studying first Science and then Medicine while in a Catholic residential college on campus.

My experience with philosophy and logic extended to taking a Masters Qualifying in Philosophy while a junior doctor and later completing the full training programme in Psychiatry in the UK.

I guess few people understand just what I am saying because they have read so little on the topic and I have read so much.

I am becoming convinced this will be a task I tackle alone and tackle it I will as it seems to me to have some importance.

 

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

I'm glad you mentioned spirits that exist aside from the Holy Spirit, Demons and angels and the soul, coz like i believed that and thought God revealed it to me but wasn't sure, never read anything on it ever cept perhaps the holy bible and i aint even no how to read that like a theologian and stuff. But aye imma trust your word and believe the good LORD did truly reveal that to me. It goes deeper for me though these spirits existed on earth before the fall of satan and his angels and there where,perhaps still are good and bad ones.

Edited June 23, 2015 by Tab'le De'Bah-Rye