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Atman (Soul)
Art & Science of Meditation
summarized his teachings as nothing other than an exhortation for his fellow Athenians to firstly excel in matters of the psyche since all bodily goods are dependent on such excellence.
Etymology
The word is probably an adaptation by early missionaries particularly Ulfilas, apostle to the Goths during the 3rd century of a native Germanic concept, which was a translation of Greek psyche "life, spirit, consciousness."
Semantics
Although the terms soul and spirit are sometimes used interchangeably, soul may denote a more worldly and less transcendent aspect of a person. According to psychologist James Hillman, soul has an affinity for negative thoughts and images, whereas spirit seeks to rise above the entanglements of life and death. The words soul and psyche can also be treated synonymously, although psyche has more psychological connotations, whereas soul is connected more closely to spirituality and religion.
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