Are Souls Real? 7 Powerful Ways to Know Your Soul Is Real
You have a soul.
Maybe on some level you’re thinking, I know I have a soul, but how do I recognize its presence in my life?
As a soul coach, I am passionate about the individuality of each soul, and I’ve been studying it for over 25 years. I became passionate about the soul in my 30’s when I was seeking greater self-love and a better understanding of where I fit into the world.
I write about soul-centered spirituality for spiritually hungry souls, and I’m the award-winning author of The Butterfly Silhouette: 12 Principles for Following Your Soul (winner of the San Francisco Book Festival in both Spirituality and Poetry). Your soul is the eternal part of you that is connected always. It’s real. And once you start to feel it, you never un-feel it.
You’re curious about the soul and would like to know more about this unseen part of human life.
I’ll do my best to offer enough evidence to satisfy your thinking brain… and patient soul: are souls real?
In this article, you’ll learn:
- Why souls are real and how to recognize yours
- 7 specific ways your soul is already showing itself in your life
- What science, philosophy, and spiritual traditions say about the soul
- How quantum mechanics is opening new questions about consciousness
- Whether the soul outlives the body, and what that means for you
If you’re asking questions like this one, The Sunday Scroll is where I write each week about soul-centered spirituality for spiritually hungry seekers.
Are Souls Real?
Souls are real because there’s a part of you that goes beyond your body and your thoughts—it’s the expansive, unlimited aspect of you that makes you feel like your life has meaning and direction.
The soul shows itself through real-life moments that don’t fit inside logic alone: a sense of being called into this life, a deeper knowing that arrives before you’ve learned it, and a spiritual animating principle that feels present in a person, and unmistakably gone when they pass.
You can spot this in your own life when you feel a steady pull toward something bigger than comfort or approval, or when insight shows up that your life experience can’t fully explain.
You may also recognize it when someone feels familiar right away in a way that doesn’t match the facts, or when sleep feels like you traveled to another dimension, with other souls.
6 Elements for Aligning with Your Soul
This video breaks down what it really means to live in soul alignment, and how to actually connect with your soul. The soul is real, very real and is with you 24/7.
7 Specific Ways to Know Souls are Real!
Here are real-life reasons we know for sure… yes, souls exist. The soul is an expansive and unlimited aspect of you. Honestly, to subject your soul’s existence to scientific theories misses the very heart of this vital life force.
Whether you’re looking for scientific evidence or a practical way to understand if the soul is real… Here are 7 reasons to believe that the soul is indeed, very real.
1. You feel something more called you into this life
If you have this sense that something more has called you into this life, don’t dismiss that thought.
It’s your soul trying to get your attention. There’s more to you than flesh, bones and an overactive brain. Trust your own intuition about this. People think too much.
You’ll recognize an inner urge, a longing for something more, a deep feeling that there’s more to you and this life.
That’s the soul. Your soul’s power comes from this place… your soul was called into this life for a reason.
I highly recommend Michael Newton’s, Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives to expand your understanding of what souls see, experience and think.
That something more that called you into this life is at the heart of spiritual growth. Here’s my Guide to Spiritual Growth as a quick reference.
Your soul is the eternal part of you that is connected always.
2. You know things you haven’t learned before
There’s a part of you that seems to know things you haven’t learned yet.
We call this prior knowledge, in a spiritual context.
Do you feel like you have knowledge about a subject or deep curiosity about something and you’ve no idea why you are so curious? Your life experience cannot explain the deeper knowing?
For example, when I wrote The Thought Store, I had a strong sense that the universe is energy and that thoughts have a vibration frequency. I remember thinking: I want to raise the vibration of the planet.
At the time, I had no idea where that idea or desire came from. No one around me talked like that. I never talked like that!
The term “vibration frequency” was so foreign to me that I was almost embarrassed to use it in my book or with people I talked to. I feared they’d think I was too new age, too out there, and I’d have no credibility as a coach and writer.
But, I trusted myself and wrote it anyway. I went on to teach these concepts to doctors and their staffs.
3. Some people seem very familiar to you
Some people will be familiar to you though you haven’t met them before. We think of them as soulmates or soul connections.
Or, sometimes they’re kindred spirits, which is a quick, easy connection but not necessarily a deep soul connection.
You know the feeling… That someone gets you.
A brother from a different mother…
You’ll wonder, why do I feel like I know them already? Don’t dismiss that idea with your logical mind. Soulmates have met before and are meant to travel this life together.
Clearly, the soul must exist beyond this life if we know people… we don’t actually know.
The soul must exist beyond this life if we know people… we don’t actually know.
4. When someone dies, something more has happened
When someone dies, something more has happened than the heart stopping. The person’s soul has left the physical body and has moved on to a different place.
Their “animating principle” is gone.
People who’ve been at the bedside of loved ones who’ve passed describe that something is gone, something more than physical human life. What’s gone?
Even though man’s definition of life is tied to a beating heart and lungs that breathe, do those functions capture the totality of who you are?
Not even close.
What has left the body is the soul… Only the body dies and the soul carries on the work of that soul.
5. The soul travels during sleep
Sometimes when you’re dreaming, you have a sense of your soul traveling. It’ll feel like it’s more than a dream.
There’s a term for this called astral travel where the soul leaves the body and connects with other soul connections or soulmates.
We have this feeling that we aren’t dreaming, but we’re experiencing ourselves on a soul level during our sleeping state.
Spiritual medium Rebecca Rosen talks about astral travel with Rob Lowe on his podcast, Literally with Rob Lowe.
The dream visit Rob Lowe describes in the podcast is remarkably similar to dream visitations I’ve experienced.
Astral travel is when the soul leaves the body and connects with other souls.
6. A strong drive that’s not of the ego
You’ll have this very strong drive to be something more and it’s not coming from the ego. Ego… is not anywhere in the vicinity of the soul. So, don’t confuse soulful desires with ego driven desires.
Basically, the ego is us vs. them: I know best, I know everything… I’m the center of the universe.
While the soul feels connected to everything.
Here’s my article on How to know the difference between soul and ego with more about that.
7. Respected spiritual leaders and psychologists say it’s real
Talk about social proof… some of the greatest minds who study the spiritual dimension believe in the existence of the soul.
Below is a few of my favorites doctors of the soul…
For a complete list, here’s my list of best spirituality books… from a soul standpoint.
My own work is part of this conversation. I wrote The Butterfly Silhouette: 12 Principles for Following Your Soul because I wanted to give people a way to actually meet their soul, not just read about it. The book won awards at the San Francisco Book Festival in both Spirituality and Poetry. It’s my life’s work in story form
The Soul’s Code by James Hillman
There are other great spiritual teachers, but James Hillman is at the top of my list.
I absolutely love this beautiful book and the body of work he’s brought into the world.
James Hillman is a scholar, psychologist, and international lecturer, who studied under Carl Jung in the 1950’s.
Acorn Theory is that we are called into this life to fill an image that already exists.
James Hillman writes, “In a nutshell, then, this book is about calling, about fate, about character, about innate image. Together they make up the “acorn theory,” which holds that each person bears a uniqueness that asks to be lived and that is already present before it can be lived.”
Here’s more about Acorn Theory and James Hillman in my post, Soul Guidance, 6 Big Reasons Your Soul Is The Best Guide.
Care of the Soul by Thomas Moore
This book changed my life when I was in my late 30’s. It showed me that I’m so much more than my limited imagination.
Many people speak about the soul, but for me it’s perfunctory compared to how eloquently Thomas Moore writes about this essential and eternal aspect of our existence.
His book, Care of the Soul: A Guide For Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life, is a must-read for anyone curious about the soul and soulfulness.
Journey of Souls by Michael Newton
If you’re interested in a gaining insight into what the soul is thinking, then you may like Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives by Michael Newton, Ph.D.
Dr. Newton is a counseling psychologist, master hypnotherapist, and teacher.
During hypnosis, he’s able to speak to the subject’s soul. It’s a mind-bending self-exploration of what happens in between lives.
If you believe in reincarnation or you’re curious about it, you will find this book interesting.
If you don’t believe in reincarnation and you’re not curious about it, this book may not be for you!
Plato and the soul
According to the Wikipedia page: Plato’s Theory of Soul, it says, “Plato said that even after death, the soul exists and is able to think. He believed that as bodies die, the soul is continually reborn (metempsychosis) in subsequent bodies.”
Plato, one of the greatest philosophers of our time, believed in the existence of the soul, and not only that, he believed that the soul continues to be reborn.
“Plato believes that the soul is what gives life to the body.”
The soul is what gives life to the body.
And, after our biological death the soul lives on.
According to Brittanica.com, “Plato was born in 428/427 BCE to a noble family and died in 348/347 BCE. He lived primarily in Athens, Greece.”
Plato believed that the soul is what gives life to the body.
If you’ve read this far, you’re ready for the bigger conversation. The next sections explore what science, philosophy, and spiritual traditions say about the soul, and where they all meet.
The Scientific Perspective: Is There Evidence for Souls?
Some newer scientific ideas are embracing the soul. The theory of biocentrism, proposed by Robert Lanza, suggests that life and consciousness are essential parts of the universe. According to this theory, the universe can’t exist without someone to observe it.
Personally, I find it hard to believe that everything about us—our thoughts, feelings, and who we are—can be explained by just chemical reactions in the brain.
There’s something deeper that science hasn’t explained yet and may never explain and who cares.
Related article: Fascinating Scientific Theories about the soul
Philosophical view
Philosophers have argued about the existence of the soul for a long time. The law of identity suggests that the mind—or soul—might be something more than just the sum of the brain’s physical parts.
In my view, the arguments made by philosophers are a strong counterpoint to the scientific view. If we believe that our consciousness is more than just brain activity, then it makes sense that there could be something non-physical— a soul.
Spiritual Perspective: Souls Across Cultures
The idea of the soul is very important in many spiritual traditions.
In Hinduism, for example, the soul is seen as an eternal essence that goes through many lifetimes until it reaches liberation. In Christianity, the soul is believed to be immortal and continues its journey after death, either in heaven or in another state.
From my own spiritual experiences, I find that believing in the soul gives us a sense of purpose and connection and overall understanding our relationship to this universe. I elaborate on this below.
Many people who have had near-death experiences (NDEs) describe vivid experiences that they interpret as proof that the soul is real.
For example, neurosurgeon Eben Alexander wrote about his own near-death experience in his book “Proof of Heaven,” where he suggests that consciousness might continue after the body stops working.
Balancing Science, Philosophy, and Spirituality
The question of whether souls are real is complicated because science, philosophy, and spirituality each have different ways of understanding reality.
Science relies on things we can measure and observe, which makes it hard to study something like the soul. Philosophy tries to answer questions that science can’t fully explain, especially when it comes to our thoughts and identity. Spirituality offers a way to understand our feelings of purpose and connection, which science often ignores.
I find it helpful to consider all of these perspectives.
While mainstream science hasn’t found solid proof of the soul, new theories and philosophical arguments make us think twice about a purely physical view of human existence.
Quantum Mechanics and Consciousness: A New Angle on Souls?
Quantum physics has brought up some ideas that challenge how we think about reality. Experiments like the double-slit experiment show that particles can act differently depending on whether or not they are being watched.
Could this mean that our consciousness—and maybe even the soul—exists separately from our physical bodies?
Sometimes I wonder if our consciousness, which feels so unique and personal, might actually be affecting the world around us. This idea might seem strange, but quantum mechanics gives us a way to think about it that makes it seem possible.
If consciousness is a fundamental part of the universe, this could mean there’s more to our existence than just our physical bodies, and maybe it even points to the existence of a soul.
The world is both miraculous and terrifying
We have the beauty of nature, kindness, and human empathy. And, at the same time we have violence, insensitivity, narrow mindedness, and the list goes on.
How do we reconcile both aspects of human life?
Here’s a suggestion…
Being human means accepting that opposing energies are within ALL OF US… beauty and terror, and love and hate. The soul is here to learn, grow and evolve… which evolves the planet.
As you accept your own imperfections and greatness, you are helping this world as well. The soul, like humans, is not meant to be perfect.
Does the soul outlive the human body?
The soul is eternal, so yes it does. Your soul is the eternal part of you that is connected always, and that connection doesn’t end when the body does.
Reincarnation is the belief that after the body dies, the soul returns in another life.
I was shocked to find the National Library of Medicine (NLM) write about the mystery of reincarnation. While the article was retracted, it shows other scientific theories about the soul.
The article explores many religions and their view of reincarnation of the soul. “Ian Stevenson reported that belief in reincarnation is held (with variations in details) by adherents of almost all major religions except Christianity and Islam.”
The article does not prove reincarnation to be true of course. Like many spiritual concepts, it’s not about making scientific study relevant.
Can we see the soul?
Well, we’ve established that the soul exists, but can we see it? Most of us cannot, while some people believe they can.
Personally, I cannot, but I’m imaginative and I often picture it… When I’m in meditation or just being quiet, I picture balls of light. I imagine being bathed in a loving, safe presence. I don’t get too mired in the details.
You may picture souls differently… Maybe your soul looks like a giant light orb or it resembles Michelangelo’s David.
The soul is personal.
Instead, let your imagination and human belief about the soul exist.
FAQ: Are Souls Real
Are souls real according to scientific theories?
Mainstream science hasn’t proven that souls exist, but some emerging theories—like biocentrism and quantum consciousness—suggest we may be more than just physical matter. These ideas open the door to the possibility that consciousness, and perhaps the soul, is fundamental to the universe. While science can’t measure the soul, that doesn’t mean it isn’t real.
What are the signs that souls exist?
Signs include feeling called into this life by something greater, sensing knowledge you haven’t been taught, and instantly connecting with people you’ve never met. These experiences can’t always be explained logically, but they point to the presence of something deeper—an intuitive knowing that many associate with the soul.
Do souls continue after death?
Yes. When the body dies, the soul leaves it and moves on to another place or state. This belief is shared in many spiritual traditions. The soul is considered eternal, continuing its journey beyond physical life and carrying the essence of who you are and your destiny.
Can we see or measure the soul?
Most people can’t see or measure the soul physically. Most experience the soul as a subtle presence—a feeling of energy, vibration, or deep inner knowing. It’s sensed in moments of stillness, love, or spiritual connection. The soul belongs to a realm beyond the five senses, where perception happens through intuition, awareness, and divine connection.
Why do some people feel familiar with strangers?
That instant feeling of familiarity is often called a soul connection or a soulmate. This connection goes beyond logic and suggests souls can meet and remember each other across time and space. These experiences often defy logic and suggest that our souls carry memory and awareness beyond this lifetime.
Can the soul travel during dreams?
Yes, some experiences suggest the soul leaves the body during sleep, known as astral travel. These dreams feel different—more vivid and meaningful—often involving visits with soulmates or spiritual realms. It’s the soul exploring beyond physical limits while the body rests.
Which experts believe in the soul?
Spiritual teachers and psychologists like James Hillman, Thomas Moore, and Michael Newton, and Carl Jung have explored and affirmed the soul’s reality. Their work integrates spiritual insights with psychological understanding, helping us see the soul as a vital part of human existence.
Is intuition or prior knowledge related to the soul?
Often, yes. Intuition and knowledge that arise without prior learning are considered expressions of the soul’s wisdom. This “prior knowledge” suggests the soul carries experience and insight that transcend our current life and education.
What is the difference between soul and ego?
The ego is self-centered, focused on control and separation, often driven by fear. The soul is connected to oneness and deeper purpose. Unlike the ego’s noise, the soul guides with quiet wisdom, love, and authenticity.
Do all cultures believe in the soul?
Most cultures acknowledge some form of soul. Whether it’s reincarnation in Hinduism, eternal life in Christianity, or ancestral spirits in Indigenous traditions, the idea of a soul is nearly universal, reflecting humanity’s search for meaning beyond the physical.
Is there any scientific evidence for near-death experiences?
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are widely reported and studied, but science hasn’t fully explained them yet. These experiences often include vivid feelings of peace, seeing light, or connecting with loved ones, suggesting something beyond the physical body. While not “proof” in a strict scientific sense, NDEs offer compelling insights that many interpret as evidence of the soul’s existence beyond death.
Final thoughts
The question of whether souls are real is still open and very personal. Science hasn’t yet found concrete evidence for the soul, but the mysteries of consciousness, along with philosophical and spiritual ideas, suggest that there’s far more to our existence than we can see.
Then again, those inclined to see… will see.
Whether or not you believe in the soul may depend on how you interpret the evidence—both scientific and personal—and your own experiences and beliefs.
Exploring the idea of the soul is not just about answering a big question; it’s also about understanding ourselves. By looking at science, philosophy, and spirituality together, we can appreciate the complexity of being human and the mysteries that go beyond what we know.
Yet, souls exist.
The spiritual dimension exists independent of science, and it’s much needed in our all too externally focused world. When you begin to trust that your soul is real, something shifts. You stop trying to prove your life. You start living it. This is what it means to be true to your soul, this eternal part of you that is connected always.
