The Relationship Between the Soul and the Ego

I am writing a blog about the intricate relationship between the soul and the ego, as their connection is powerful and plays a fundamental role in mental health.

First, let’s define what the soul and the ego are. I use the term “general” because different cultures and religious beliefs offer varying meanings, and psychological interpretations can differ as well. For this reason, I will refer to definitions provided by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

“The immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life: the spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the universe… a person's total self… a moving spirit… the moral and emotional nature of human beings… spiritual or moral force… fervor.”

The soul is considered a non-physical entity that cannot be observed or measured, making its existence reliant on an individual’s faith or belief system. It is a hypothetical construct that encompasses aspects of the transpersonal, spiritual, religious, philosophical, mystical, and metaphysical.

The ego is similar in that it is also non-observable. The word “ego” comes from the Latin for “I,” and in psychology, it describes part of the conscious mind. Because the ego manifests in personality, behaviour, and self-concept, it tends to receive more concrete validation than the soul.

Psychological theories suggest that the ego plays a major role in mental health from early development, significantly influencing adulthood in areas such as empathy, compassion, personality, and our perception of self and others. The ego can be fragmented, distorted, balanced, one-sided, grounded, or self-aware. It may embrace both good and bad aspects of the self and others.

So, how does the soul interact with an unhealthy ego?

From my perspective, the soul has transformative qualities that allow it to move between higher and lower states. If we look to the biblical creation story in the Old Testament, Genesis describes how the Lord God created man from dust — “man of dust from the ground” (Adamah) — and “man of the soil.” These terms highlight the frailty and lowliness of humanity. Dust symbolises what is often disregarded or seen as worthless. Allegorically, brushing off the dust represents shedding the old self, making way for a new life or a transformed way of being — similar to the Ouroboros shedding its skin.

It seems that Yahweh anticipated a vision for humankind that involved the transformation of undesirable qualities into higher ones, serving a greater purpose.

In ancient times, the word “breathed” was used to describe the moment when God’s spirit entered the human body, animating it with life and soul. The phrase “living soul” refers to the energetic presence of God's spirit within us. The Hebrew word ruach means "breath," "wind," or "spirit" and is a feminine noun. It refers to an invisible, animating force, full of passion. The breath of God is said to carry a feminine energy capable of containing anger and fury — a reflection of divine wrath, which is also part of the soul’s expression.

In Judaism, the word nefesh (נפש), meaning “to breathe,” refers to the lower or “animal” part of the soul — associated with strong emotions and physical cravings, often considered lower vibrational states. The neshama (נשמה), on the other hand, is the “higher soul” or “super-soul.” It is tied to intellect and spiritual awareness, enabling communication with the divine, depending on our choices.

Our behaviours can be influenced by various ego states — we may feel centred one moment and be triggered the next, whether by trauma, other people, or our own thoughts. This can lead to deterministic behaviour where the ego governs our actions and thoughts, sometimes positively, sometimes destructively, and often as a mixture of both.

If we accept the Jewish idea that the soul has both higher and lower aspects, it makes sense to consider that the soul, too, can carry "darkness" or be negatively influenced. It can be damaged or dented by life experiences, much like the ego.

However, if the ego undergoes a transformative or alchemical process — for example, through talking therapy or self-awareness practices — it can transcend its rigid states. As a result, the soul also shifts. It holds the capacity to morph, to ascend toward higher vibrations, and to connect more clearly with the spirit — which I see as pure, untouched energy: innocent, divine essence that is not affected by the soul’s experience or the ego’s distortions.