The Soul Aspect of Human Identity

David Cameron’s speech today on the importance of a sense of national identity has caused me to ponder how true, or not, that is for me.

I have done much reflecting in recent days on the question of personal identity. It is easy to forget that the essence of who we are as soul and spirit does not have a name or role by which it is known - it just is, in the perfection of who we are. I am talking about living in our beingness even if we cannot describe it - for often it is indescribable.

For each of us in body now, our beingness is enabled to be expressed through the body and personality we have chosen; often it is these components which make up the vehicle for our soul by which we are known and recognised, not what lies beneath, and much is missed thereby.

Being human, whoever we are we belong to a group which has its own culture, and it may be as different as belonging to a choir, to a tribe, to a faith, to a country or to the human race, and often there is a sense of identification with the group. There may be affection for it, pride in it, or constructive criticism about it, but all of these are aspects of community spirit which is to be applauded, for where there is community spirit there is kindness, even love. Soul and Spirit are working through group consciousness.

The difficulty arises when a sense of group identification or personal identity becomes an attachment and the individual sees himself or herself only in terms of the group to which he belongs, and the sense of self in its own right is overwhelmed by the label of “the golfer”, “the corporate executive”, “the MP”, “the mother”, “the Muslim”, for example. It is fine, of course, to have a role and to enjoy it, but if it dominates to such an extent that you would be bereft without it then the balance with the soul has been lost. And that, truly, would be the greatest pity.