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The western concept of a single, transcendent Soul is a relatively new idea. Prior to the Reformation in the 17th century, esoteric traditions and Christian mysticism championed the notion that the human Soul is both transitory and multifaceted.
Three Parts of the Soul
Consistent with Classical philosophy, the Britons adhered to the belief in a tripartite soul, reflective of a threefold cosmology. The concept of a three-part soul remains the basis of most western esoteric systems, although it is not well understood in modern magic and has become further confused in psychology which tries to interpret classical sources.
Esoterically speaking, the Soul represents an individual spark of divinity. When the Soul incarnates into a body, its subtle energies are imprinted on the material realm, creating an interface between the divine and the corporeal. i.e.
Where the divine essence of the soul meets with physical existence it animates it, creating animalistic needs and desire. We refer to this as Instinctual Self.
Where it meets the delineations of time and space, it manifests as the problem solving function which we call logic or reasoning of the Intellectual Self.
Where it reaches for its immortal nature we call it the True Self, representing the eternal and enduring self that persists from life to life.
Collectively these three aspects make up the incarnate Soul, clothing it in what we might call a persona so we can learn the lessons of this life. The vessel which houses this divine soul is called the Spirit or Soul-shrine (Gaelic. Coich anima). It is the chariot that carries the Soul on its journey from life to death.
The True Self - The Eternal Soul (ENS)
The True Self is considered a manifestation of our spiritual essence and therefore shares the nature of immortality. It does not know time or distance and is not diminished by age. The only action it knows is love and charity and is therefore equated with the heart of an individual. It is who we are at the very core of our existence, our most authentic self and that which we aspire to faithfully abide by.
In magical arcana we refer to it by the greco-latin word, Ens. It is known in Welsh as Enaid and in Gaelic as the Turigen, which can be translated as the ‘essential incarnating soul.’ It is the self-actualizing principle that drives us towards enlightenment, empowered by the Intellectual Self and Instinctual Self to fully function in the finite world. [Read more]
The Intellectual Self - The Erudite Soul (ANIMUS)
The Intellectual Self represents the function of rational thought, which is anciently perceived as distinguishing humanity from its co-inhabitants. In simple terms, the Intellectual Self is the busy, logical aspect of ourselves. It is the means by which we perceive time and value, and a sense of progression that helps us to understand consequence and to determine a reasonable course of action. Disciplined, the rational mind can be our greatest tool. Undisciplined, it is our greatest distraction, as any internet user can tell you.
The Intellectual Self is connected to our ability to communicate with words, so that we often think of it as ‘I’. I think I am... I am going to.. I have been… But to think it is our personality would be a mistake. The Intellectual Self is a function. A powerful function of our human condition, devoid of emotion, that collates and interprets experience. It is the rational filter through which both the light of the True Self and the experiences of the Instinctual Self are expressed.
The Instinctual Self - The Animal Soul (ANIMA)
The third aspect is the Instinctual Self, the most misunderstood aspect of the self in modern esoterica. Called the Deamhain in Gaelic and the Diawl in Welsh, on the Borders it is called the De’il, the similarity to devil being obvious. It may often present itself in an animal form, and is also represented by the co-walker or doppelganger in folk traditions.
The Instinctual Self houses the vital life force that animates our bodies and all its senses, emotions and desires. It is driven by the will to survive and carnal desire; it can be pleasure seeking, vain and self centered. However it is also where our strength and magical power resides.
Kept in balance, the Instinctual Self empowers us. Suppressed, it rebels. And if unrestrained, the Instinctual Self can be our self-destructive undoing. For this reason any path of self-betterment incorporates discipline of the passions.
Modern and orthodox religions that fear the Instinctual Self impose restrictive codes of morality to control its power. This only makes the Di’el more rebellious. In the Old Faith we aspire to make the De’il a friend and a familiar. Like a loyal dog that seeks to please us, we reward and feed it but give it boundaries and teach it skills, understanding that if mistreated it may return to its savage state.
The Soul after Death
Unlike the True Self, the Instinctual Self and the Intellectual Self are only temporary and specific to this life. Together they represent the Mind (l.mens). At the time of death, the Intellectual Self, being merely a function of rational operation, ceases to exist. Meanwhile the vital forces of the Instinctual Self slowly dissipate and return to the elements.
However sometimes in the stages before death, the survival instinct of the Di’el will try to hold on to life well after the conscious faculties have departed which can lead to a prolonged death. The Di’el may also resist dissolution after the point of death, holding on to emotion which prevents the Soul from progressing. When this happens the Soul of the deceased lingers as a ghost, but having lost the temporal powers of the mind, they are often confused and emotional. The danger of this occurring is the reason for many of the rites and rituals around death. Sin Eating is one of these. [Read more]
Chariot of the Soul
The Greek philosopher, Plato, famously described the three parts of the Soul as a charioteer driving two winged horses who pull against each other. In Plato’s analogy, one horse is dark and unruly, representing the Instinctual Self or animus. Its nature is derived from chthonic powers associated with death and reincarnation. The other horse, representing the Intellectual Self, or anima is depicted as a noble, pale horse of celestial origins. Equating the rational mind with the powers of heaven, he infers thoughts are weightless and descend upon us like light from the sun; by elevating the mind we can achieve great heights, and even know the mind of the gods. The Charioteer, representing the Sun or True Self must guide and wield the steeds into a harmonious movement despite their propensity to pull against each other. The chariot itself is the Soul -shrine or Spirit which houses the incarnate Soul.
Soul Balance
Balancing the three aspects of self is the esoteric goal and challenge of every incarnate Soul.
One way to bring the Instinctual Self into balance is to develop the Intellectual Self. Since ancient times, Druidism is known to value the importance of a well trained mind, encouraging memorization and sciences. But equally important is the creative balance of the intellect with the instinct. This balance is represented in druidism by the goddess of dawn, the Awen of inspiration. Thus in ancient education, liberal arts and sciences such as poetry, eloquence, philosophy and divinity are held in high regard as the pinnacle of education.[1]
So too, physical disciplines that support technique and artistry, such as warriorship, edify the Instinctual and Intellectual selves, providing a vessel for the courage and grace to shine through.
Greatest of all we must nurture and reclaim the True Self, and remember that this is our real identity and center of our universe. Magically, we do this through ritual, meditation, empowerment and communion with our gods. But we can also restore balance with acts of generosity and love.
This is why social bonds of hospitality, stewardship, bravery and kinship are so important to our culture and our magical traditions. These virtues define us as a Border people and remind us that to embrace our True Self we must learn to live in the moment; celebrating the joys of life, death and magic.
1. Wikipedia article: Awen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awen#cite_ref-4