A Qabalistic Explanation
of the Parts of the Soul
Phaedron
See What is Qabalah? on page 21 for an explanation of the terms left undefined in this article.
The first part of the soul is called the Neschamah. It corresponds to the Atziluth and Briah combined. It can be likened to the essential God-part of the individual. It is where the consciousness and the true identity meet. Being above the Abyss, it is subject to those supernal forces that defy written description—we can only say that where God dwells, we cannot comprehend. (The Qabalistic statement is that one cannot see the face of God and live. Not as a punishment, but because he who is attained enough to lay eyes upon the one creative force of the universe, is above humanhood and no longer subject to the laws of corporeal form—to have such would hinder him and restrict him from such attainment. This is similar to the Einsteinian spiritual/scientific revelation that as a body approaches the velocity of light, it gains in mass, and therefore requires more energy to accelerate and thus can never reach the velocity of light. The Neschamah contains the true inherent individuality, the true character of the spirit, and the fragment/contact point that is connected to God-Perfection-total unity without need for diminution.
Yechidah
Within Neschamah are two sub-classifications. The Yechidah (the self) is the first. It resides in Kether. It is without limit. All 22 Tarot Trumps are herein attributed. Call it the seed. This is the spark of spirit before identity; the first offshoot of God. It is the idea emanating from the soul. It is the image of God within the soul within the person.
Chiah
The second category of the Neschamah is the Chiah, which is a lower vibration and is limited to a specific identity. It is attributed to Chokmah and has primal vitality. The Aeon card [in Aleister Crowley's Tarot deck, equivalent to card XX, Judgement], a birth of a god, can be contemplated for more revelation on this. Here the individuality forms; the essence (or life force) of the true personality. It is the finite aspect of that from which it issues, the Yechidah. It is the identity of the soul, the essence. This is the true wisdom of the individual. To know the name/identity of a person in early Egyptian lore was to know his soul!
Binah always represents the supernal triangle; thus, practicing magicians do operations directed at Binah, not Chokmah or Kether. Here if we contemplate the Hanged Man card, we learn more. But it is important to realize that the Neschamah itself resides here in form! So, obviously, the Neschamah itself may be studied directly in Binah. Also, since Binah is attributed to ego, we can see the Neschamah as The Garden of Eden (intellect before it is given the knowledge for evil or good, which occurs in the Ruach).
The Neschamah influences the second part of the soul, the Ruach. But since Neschamah preludes reasoning, all intuition within the soul comes from here. The Zohar [a major treatise on the Qabalah] says that the Neschamah, being the Higher Self, is therefore the Hexagram, the lower third part (Nephesch, see below) united with Neschamah in harmony.
Ruach
The second part of the soul is called the Ruach; reasoning. It is the very important link between the higher and lower parts of the soul. It can be called the spirit and it has the knowledge of good and evil. Contemplate the Fool card here for more understanding of this part. Being reasoning, it is assigned to the Yetzirah.
Both the Neschamah and Ruach are the parts of the mind. The Neschamah being the higher, the Ruach the rational lower (the intellect).
Nephesch
The third part of the soul is Nephesch (or animal instincts). It is also called the animal soul. It is attributed to the Assiah. It sees and feels that which is manifested. The physical powers and appetites occur here. We can contemplate the Empress card for further revelations. This is the part that holds the higher soul back from evolving if left to be the sole ruler. Nephesch caters to fulfilling only the base requirements of man as an animal. The conversion of matter to spirit in alchemy is focused here. Some authorities vary according to whether the Assiah can be attributed to Malkuth only, or to Malkuth and Yesod. Much can be said for either.
It is important to know that the Nephesch is on the opposite polarity of the Neschamah, and its antithesis. It can be a counterproductive part by virtue of its attachment to manifestation. Alchemically it is referred to as the dragon.
Alchemy
These are the parts of the soul as explained in Qabalistic knowledge. The keys of alchemy, of course, are Qabalistic, and this dissertation should include being complete.
The descent of spirit into matter is a divine one and should not be considered unholy. Does not the Qabalist say Kether is in Malkuth and Malkuth is in Kether? In Genesis we read The Lord God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul." This is the Nephesch. Never think that there is no spirit in matter. The seed of spirit is to be found there.
Fire and Water (opposites) are the first two principle of the soul. The third principle, Nephesch, is attributed to the material basis, Earth.
Certain alchemical stories often describe a certain union. Let us liken it to the Ruach uniting with the Neschamah. This means the unpurified Ruach elevates, becomes purified, but then returns to its natural place, unites with the Nephesch, masters it, and thus fulfills nature. Thus, in spiritual alchemy, it is so important to establish the connecting link between the two polarities. Energy cannot flow if this link is not there! Additionally, spirit acts through the Nephesch; thus, causes are to be treated in this spagyric art, not symptoms. Fix| the Ruach to assist in the purification of the Nephesch. After achieving this, the Neschamah can be free to flow properly through the Ruach onto the Nephesch. But remember that the Ruach can only be purified by the Neschamah!
Although this article is a simple one, let no information provided here be an obstacle. All will be clear at the proper time, and, as in all magickal study and practices, the aspirant will not realize its profundity until ready (i.e., after he himself is profound).
Phaedron is the G. H. Hierophant of the Holy Order of the Winged Disk, and Director of its International Academy of Hermetic Knowledge. These articles are excerpts from The Practica Arcanum and the IAOHK. For more information call (800) 827-6843, or write: P. O. Box 227, Earlysville, VA 22936.
The Soul Mapped on the Tree of Life
SOUL: existence before manifestation.
NESCHAMA: individual form; ego form.
YECHIDA: self; creator manifested; pure soul; God above expression, without character.
CHIAH: identity; self-created; character (thus, aura) essence; first emanation from God-unity—True Ego; that which gives the soul life.
RUACH: spirit [its mystical number=155; numerologically 15511 (sacred fire), and 112 (Magician card in the Tarot) and the 11th Sephirah (in the space of the original 10th)].
NEPHESCH: animal-soul. | 
