Since I’ve already addressed the spirit world and metaphysics, this article will be more focused. It would probably be helpful, but not necessary, if you read those and my other phenomena articles first for a little background. However to address the spiritual soul, one can’t get overly specific so I'm limited to how focused I can be. After all, this is metaphysical phenomena we're talking about. It boils down to languages lacking the necessary descriptive terms (semantics) for metaphysics. In other words, something must first be described in a way everyone can relate to. Semantics can also lead us astray which the ancient mystics often complained about. They once posed… “Do languages assist or create understanding?” Something to ponder.

To get an idea what one’s spiritual soul might actually be (after death), the natural tendency is to first visualize being without a body. Well, that is obvious but it would also mean you could not see, hear, feel, taste or smell… that’s because these senses are brought to you courtesy of your body. Importantly, it also means that if you were still able to think and be aware of your existence, you wouldn’t be doing so in any ‘location’. In other words, in order to be in a location requires a physical presence therefore you couldn’t ‘be’ anywhere, only everywhere. Your existence would be as pervasive as the spirit world itself, which is, being everywhere at once. Of course, without sight, you wouldn’t know where you were anyway… also time would probably be meaningless. This assessment would seem true if one was stripped of all senses which a body provides and not provided with replacement capabilities. That scenario seems to be a possibility but let’s dig deeper… continuing with the assumption we do have a soul and it can survive death.

So, either the soul is provided with replacement sensing capabilities or it isn’t. If the soul isn't, but still has awareness, that would still have significant meanings. From that, one might think we would then ‘become’ part of the spirit world but I can’t quite say it that way if, as it seems, we already makeup the spirit world. It is not known how two ethereal existents can possibly join nor has it been established there is, or can be, more than one ethereal existent. If indeed there exists but one, then that relegates the matter of 'becoming' to an ‘already is’. That would mean the spirit world is, in effect, one. But hold on... if there are distinctions within the metaphysical realm, that would change everything, even though it wouldn't be physical differences. To make a distinction means to find a 'difference', any difference whatsoever. Within etherealness, differences might only exist mentally or psychologically, as in ideas, thoughts and dreams. It could also entail differences in intentions and modus operandi. Actually, between living entities, one could probably find just as many ethereal differences as physical differences... whether between humans or even between a dog and cat. Finding distinctions within the spirit world may not be a problem after all... that is, for someone already there.

To discover whether or not ethereal distinctions exist in order to determine whether all ethereal things represent the essence of God, a distinction needs to be made here as well. That is, in what manner do these things represent the essence of God... are they different representations? Well, that's a different subject and an age-old problem for philosophers, trying to find distinctions within the ethereal. It is one thing to create distinctions, as most do; it’s quite another to discover them. For now, let’s put that dusty old problem back on the shelf and concentrate on what senses, if any, we may receive after death. I think it is most likely that we, as souls after death, would acquire new sensing capabilities. I suspect that would be the case because it seems doubtful they would be the exact same senses a human body has. One might want to claim we have six senses if we included our intuitive nature. No problem, we can say six, however our sixth sense may not be a bodily possession but already a possession of our spiritual soul… as it seems so.

Not in 10,000 years could we ever imagine what other types of senses there could be. To imagine an unknown sense would be impossible for mortals. Consider this, of any of our current senses, if we lacked any one of these, they could not be otherwise imagined… and not even after they were explained. For example, even after having explained colors to someone blind, they still cannot fathom colors. At any rate, I don’t know if all our current senses would be necessary but wouldn’t we want eyesight? Or would we need eyeballs for that? It would seem so. I think the most likely scenario is that we would acquire a different set of senses, perhaps more magnificent than our current five (or six). While eyesight would be a sense we would rather not do without, there could be something better.

While we know how important our current senses are for existing on earth in the physical form, they may only be applicable to, or necessary in, the physical realm. At any rate, we may not need them elsewhere, not those particular ones. Since it is impossible to imagine what our new senses (if any) would be, we can’t follow this trail any further. It is to only expect we’d likely acquire a new set of senses if we got any at all. I suspect we would however, a precedent was established when we got those we have. As to how we acquire them is another question, an enormous question. If we knew that, it would tell us reams about the spirit world.

To exist without any sensing capabilities at all would seem a discouraging prospect if that were the case. What then would be the purpose for having awareness? What else could one do besides think and dream? Again our ability to understand fails us, much as it fails us to fathom an unknown sense. However we’re often given clues if we seek them, even dreaming tells us something... more-so than the dreams themselves. In addition to what science contends, I think occasionally we are also experiencing the activities of our spiritual soul in dreams, what it does when we’re asleep. This seems to occur only in some dreams however, those with more clarity and continuity, those which don't seem to rely on our memory banks. Those types of dreams may offer clues as to how our soul will conduct itself after our death. But not to get off on this tangent, for more on dreaming see our webpage Dreams, dreaming and afterlife dreamers.