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Evidence of the Soul
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by Kanai Lal Das
All living beings, whether plants, animals, or humans, possess consciousness and exhibit it in varying degrees. Consciousness does not arise from matter but is a symptom of the soul, which is an irreducible element of reality. Try as they may, scientists cannot create life in a laboratory by mixing lifeless chemicals.
We are the conscious spiritual soul within the body, and our departure from the body is called death. The phrase “passed on” is, therefore, an accurate description of what takes place when someone dies.
Consciousness means self-awareness, or the sense of “I am.” It also means awareness of our own thoughts and sensations. No computer no matter how sophisticated is conscious.
Ordinary science cannot study spirit and its characteristic, consciousness, which are outside the preview of matter. Spirit can be studied through a spiritual science, such as that given in the Vedas.
In our original pure state, we are conscious of our eternal identity in relationship to God. Now our consciousness is absorbed in matter, and we think we are whatever body we inhabit at the moment.
Besides consciousness, other evidence suggests that our identity is separate from our bodies – for example, past-life memories and out-of-body experiences.