Across generations and geographies, one question continues to stir the human heart: who am I, really?
From the ancient tribes of Africa to the teachings of Judaism and Christianity, humanity has long known that we are not merely bodies moving through life.
We are complex beings made up of body, soul, and spirit, each with a vital role to play in fulfilling our destiny.
Understanding these hidden layers, and learning how to nurture each one, is essential for living a truly rich and balanced life.
Today, let’s explore these dimensions through the timeless wisdom of Jewish thought, Christian teachings, and ancient spiritual insights, and discover practical habits you can build to live closer to your truest self and to God.
1. Body (Guf): The sacred earthly vessel
In Judaism, the body (guf) is a creation of dust, lovingly shaped by God’s hands. Genesis 2:7 tells us, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”
Christianity echoes this — Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19:
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”
Similarly, many African traditions regard the body as a sacred carrier through which the spiritual world interacts with the material.
Your body is not separate from your spiritual journey. It is part of it. To honor your body is to honor the divine gift you have been given.
Spiritual habits to nourish your Body:
- Eat mindfully and with gratitude.
- Treat illness with both prayer and medicine.
- Rest intentionally — the Sabbath principle (Genesis 2:2) reminds us rest is holy.
- Engage your body in acts of service to others.
2. Soul (Nefesh): The life force of emotion and desire
The soul (nefesh) is the emotional and instinctive life within you – your passion, your hunger for connection, your joy and sorrow.
In Leviticus 17:11, we read, “For the life (nefesh) of the flesh is in the blood.”
In Christianity, the soul is seen as the seat of emotions, morality, and the self that can either choose righteousness or fall into sin (Matthew 10:28).
African spirituality often speaks of the emi — the life breath — which defines a person’s vitality and ability to interact with the community and the unseen world.
Your soul is shaped by how you govern your emotions, desires, and habits. Left untended, the soul can become restless or lost. Nurtured well, it becomes a radiant force of goodness.
Spiritual habits to nourish your soul:
- Daily reflection or journaling – Examine your emotions and desires honestly.
- Practice forgiveness – releasing bitterness frees your soul.
- Express gratitude and cultivate joy through simple acts.
- Connect to community – your soul thrives in loving fellowship.
3. Spirit (Ruach) and higher soul (Neshama): The breath of God within
Beyond emotion and instinct lies the spirit (ruach), the deeper seat of conscience and connection to the divine.
Even deeper still is the neshama, the pure, unblemished God-spark inside every human.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 reminds us:
“And the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
Jesus echoed this in John 4:24:
“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
Kabbalistic Judaism teaches that while parts of the soul are within the body, the neshama remains constantly linked to the divine, never fully descending into the material world.
Ancient African wisdom also speaks of the kra (soul) in Akan belief, which is thought to be a person’s divine destiny and spiritual identity given before birth.
At your core, beyond mind, beyond emotion, is a divine whisper — a knowing — that you are connected to something infinitely greater.
Spiritual habits to nourish your spirit:
Develop a deep prayer life — prayer aligns your spirit with God’s spirit.
Meditate on Scripture and sacred writings to open your inner ear.
Fast occasionally to discipline the senses and heighten spiritual awareness.
Engage in silence and solitude — spaces where God often speaks most clearly.
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How to deepen connection with the higher power (God)
If you wish to live a life of spiritual richness and wholeness, you must learn to consciously return — again and again — to the Source of your being.
This is taught across Jewish, Christian, and African spiritualities alike.
Simple steps to reconnect:
Daily Stillness — Carve out 5–10 minutes each morning or night to sit in silence, listening for God’s presence.
Sacred Reading — Read a Psalm (Jewish and Christian)
Heartfelt prayer — Speak openly to God as you would to a trusted father or friend. No need for formalities, honesty matters most.
Service — Bless others intentionally. The act of lifting others lifts you toward God.
Gratitude ritual — End your day by naming three things you are grateful for — a Jewish practice called Hakarat HaTov (recognising the good).
As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks beautifully wrote:
“To be without gratitude is to be spiritually impoverished; to be grateful is to hear the music of the universe.”
The journey of life is not simply to exist, it is to become fully alive.
To know God.
To know yourself.
And to reflect divine beauty into a world desperately in need of light.
You are more than you think.
You always have been.
