Nature presents a picture of unity, a cosmic structure in which everything cooperates, held together by a spiritual bond.
This whole is not static but evolving, developing consciousness and moving toward the source from which it once originated. Through the “World Soul”, the Spirit becomes aware of itself within form, an intentional unfolding woven throughout the universe.
What is the soul and what does it look like?
The German physician and founder of cellular pathology, Rudolf Virchow, famously said:
I have dissected many corpses and never found a soul.
This statement, however, begs the question: What did he imagine the soul would look like? His discovery might have led him to consider, “Is my idea of the soul correct?” Such a question would reflect a scientific approach. Perhaps that is why so little – not to say nothing – can be heard about the soul from the natural sciences. It is not denial, as theologians and esoteric thinkers may assume, but rather an inability to define or characterize the soul in positive, specific terms.
Serious scientists who have glimpsed the mysteries of nature and life often adopt a humble stance in the face of the vast unknown. The quantum physicist Niels Bohr, for example, stated:
It is a mistake to think that the task of physics is to find out how nature is. Physics is about what we can say about nature.[1]
Does Bohr’s statement suggest that we are encouraged to go beyond what can be said, to allow ourselves to be enchanted by the ineffable? Science opens windows that enable us to glimpse nature, yet we are responsible for interpreting what we see.
A look at Nature
Quantum physics, for example, is grounded in a simple yet profound observation: every object interacts with its environment. Without such interaction, we would be unaware of the object’s existence. As Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker noted, speaking of “isolated” objects is fundamentally nonsensical[2]; in quantum physics, interacting objects form a whole, where their interactions drive the internal dynamics of this greater whole.[3]
What sounds complex can be easily understood with a simple example: water consists of one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms (H₂O), yet the properties of water cannot be explained solely by oxygen and hydrogen.[4] What we call “water” is the result of the interaction between these atoms—the internal dynamics of the water molecule, or the cooperation of its parts. “Water” thus transcends its material foundation (oxygen and hydrogen) and exhibits entirely different properties. Through the cooperation of the two hydrogen atoms with the oxygen atom, the conceptual “idea” of water gains a substantial form. In the water molecule, we observe a kind of trinity:
(1) The conceptual “idea” of water (in the sense of Plato’s theory of forms),
(2) the material substance composed of hydrogen and oxygen atoms, and
(3) the dynamic inner life with force and movement.
The hydrogen and oxygen atoms are “submerged” within the quantum entity of water. This does not mean they no longer exist; they simply do not currently appear as separate oxygen or hydrogen. They “sacrifice” their individuality to allow for a molecular existence that transcends their atomic reality.
Does this not mirror the interplay of mind, soul, and body? The mind inspires the soul, which, with its unique life force, expresses the mind’s impulse through material form – In our example, the water’s properties.
On an atomic level, similar principles apply. When examining a hydrogen atom, we see the interaction of a proton and an orbiting electron, creating the atom’s properties. The proton, in turn, exists through the interaction of quarks within it. As we look deeper, the “material” basis continually recedes, prompting Max Planck to declare in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech:
There is no matter as such. All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force that brings the atomic particles into vibration and holds this minute solar system of the atom together. Since there is no intelligent or eternal abstract force in the whole universe, […] we must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious, intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter. It is not the visible but perishable matter that is the real, true, actual […], but the invisible, immortal spirit is the true![5]
On a larger scale, the same principle holds. Molecules form cells, cells form organs, and organs form living beings. Biologists recognize ecosystems that self-regulate through feedback loops, much like nature as a whole. Weizsäcker generalizes, saying:
An object could not exist in the world without being connected to it through interaction. Therefore, strictly speaking, it is not really an object at all. If there could be something that truly exists as a quantum-theoretical object, then it would be the entire world itself.[6]
A look at the Soul
Thus, nature presents a picture of unity, a cosmic structure in which everything cooperates, held together by a spiritual bond. This whole is not static but evolving, developing consciousness and moving toward the source from which it once originated. Through the “World Soul”, the Spirit becomes aware of itself within form, an intentional unfolding woven throughout the universe. Aristotle termed this process “entelechy”, a calling that resonates through the cosmos:
Become what you are!”[7]
This sense of cosmic unity also suggests that nothing and no one exists solely for themselves. Every being depends on its environment and is, in turn, obligated to serve it. This “duty to serve” can create inner conflict. If we set aside idealistic notions of unity and are honest, we must admit: our reality does not reflect this envisioned unity! Instead, our worldview is shaped by notions of separation, turning wonderful simplicity into complex chaos.
American physicist David Bohm captured this dilemma:
As previously stated, people who are guided by such a fragmented world view inevitably end up trying, in the long run, to break themselves and the world into pieces through their actions, consistent with their habitual way of thinking. Fragmentation primarily represents an attempt to extend the analytical division of the world into separate parts beyond its appropriate scope, essentially attempting to divide what is, in reality, indivisible. The next step, then, is to attempt to unite what, in truth, cannot be united. […] True unity within individuals, between humans and nature, and among humans themselves can only be achieved through a form of action that does not aim to destroy the wholeness of reality. […] As mentioned, we attempt to divide what is one and indivisible, and the next consequence of this is that we try to equate what is different.
Thus, fragmentation is essentially a confusion regarding what is different and what belongs together (or is one), yet clearly understanding these categories is necessary at every stage of life. Those who confuse what is different with what is not bring everything into disorder. It is therefore no coincidence that our fragmented way of thinking gives rise to a broad spectrum of crises: social, political, economic, ecological, psychological, and more, both on an individual level and in society as a whole.[8]
The common diagnosis that humanity’s crises stem from selfishness is certainly correct. However, egocentrism cannot simply be replaced with an idealized altruism. Many people work selflessly in organizations, be they family, company, state, or society. Recognizing that we are egocentric does not imply we are evil, ruthless, or unsocial; we may even be highly cultivated and humanitarian—according to our ideals. Yet, these ideals differ across individuals, making us appear as stubborn egoists. Our institutions reflect the same character, and so systemic solutions from leadership cannot be expected.
We will, therefore, have no choice but to resolve our confusions ourselves. Nature aids us in this, as the mistaken notions of separateness act as unconscious blocks and complexes that bind psychic energy, as psychologist C. G. Jung observes. The parts torn apart by our thinking of separation naturally strive for reunification. Therefore, if we wish to maintain our illusion of separation, we are forced to continuously expend energy—psychic energy. Thus, we live in a self-generated emotional tension of opposites. This tension seeks balance—the dissolution of separation. It is a natural force and, therefore, only partially controllable by rational considerations.[9] Jung describes the psychological process that unfolds here as the process of individuation (“Become who you are!”). At the end of this process, consciousness ultimately reaches, in a state of complete detachment, the true center of the soul, which Jung characterizes as the “non-ego center.”[10] This non-ego center is, therefore, that point within the human psyche that corresponds with the unity of nature, the unity of all. It is, in a sense, the connecting point of spirit—the One Spirit.
These fundamental principles are imprinted on the soul through various archetypal images. For example, Christian terms like the “seed of Christ” or the “only-begotten Son” refer to the archetype of the soul enclosed within the body, an idea already present in Plato’s Phaedrus.[11] After a thorough study of alchemical symbolism, C. G. Jung came to the surprising conclusion that the alchemists of that time actually intended to create a transfigured resurrection body—a spiritual body.[12] Hermetic philosophy, even at the beginning of our era, saw in matter a spirit hidden and awaiting redemption. It is the “spirit spark” within us that calls upon the soul to entrust itself to it, so that it may transform the soul—like the caterpillar in its cocoon—into a soul attuned to the level of unity. This is the union of body, soul, and spirit to which humankind is called. In this spirit, Hegel taught his students:
Our task is to partake in redemption by renouncing immediate subjectivity (shedding the old Adam) and becoming aware of God as our true and essential self.[13], [14]
The true essence of love lies in giving up ego-identity, losing oneself in another Self, yet in this surrender and forgetfulness, truly finding oneself for the first time.[15]
[1] Bohr, Niels, quoted in Arendes, Lothar: Das Realismusproblem in der Quantenmechanik (The Problem of Realism in Quantum Mechanics), p. 24.
[2] Weizsäcker, Carl Friedrich von: Die Einheit der Natur (The Unity of Nature), XX, p. 164.
[3] Weizsäcker, Carl Friedrich von: Die Einheit der Natur, p. 485.
[4] according to B. Russell in: Vollmer, Gerhard: Evolutionäre Erkenntnistheorie (Evolutionary Epistemology), p. 82.
[5] Archiv zur Geschichte der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (Archive for the History of the Max Planck Society), Section Va, Record Group 11 Planck, No. 1797.
[6] Ibid., p. 486
[7] Aristotle: Metaphysics IX, 8
[8] Bohm, David: Fragmentation and Wholeness. In: David Bohm, The Implicate Order – Foundations of a Dynamic Holism, pp. 36–37.
[9] Jung, Carl Gustav: On the Psychology of the Unconscious, §§ 77–78.
[10] Jung, Carl Gustav: The Tavistock Lectures: On the Fundamentals of Analytical Psychology, § 379
[11] Plato: Phaedrus, 250
[12] Jung, Carl Gustav: Psychology and Alchemy, § 511.
[13] Hegel: Encyclopedia of the Philosophical Sciences, Volume 1, The Lesser Logic, § 194, Addition 1.
[14] Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:45
[15] Hegel: Lectures on Aesthetics, Part II, Chapter III, I, 2a,: Concept of the Absolute as Love.
