What is the soul, and how does it differentiate from consciousness? I believe there is an error in equating the two, but there are also some problems that arise when you try to separate the soul from consciousness, like the idea of the 'lower' self (what basically everyone identifies with) and universal self vs the more 'Christian', or Western idea. Are there aspects of consciousness that are material and aspects that are of spirit or is consciousness in nature a material development completely separate from a soul that we may or may not possess?