Anatomy of the Fighter
WE ARE MADE UP OF soul and body; therefore this is the basic anatomy of the fighter. This can also be considered the battlefield. All humans are both corporeal (consisting of matter) and incorporeal (not composed of matter). Most people believe this, with the exception of atheists, and materialists. Self-knowledge must include understanding of one’s soul. Ignoring and neglecting the needs of the soul causes many of our issues.
Today the soul is grossly misunderstood—or not understood at all. Because of this lack of understanding, as a civilization we have gravitated towards the needs of the body and neglect spiritual needs.
Modern society has become almost singularly concerned with the body or physical needs and wants. Our belly aches for sweet and salty foods, our hair must be just right, our clothes must be attractive and comfortable, our socks must be made of the right material, and our homes must be set at the right temperature. This pursuit of physical comfort, combined with the dissolution of the concept of the soul has led to a culture of materialism that is rampant with various psychological problems and psychosis. St. John Chrysostom († AD 407) says that these comforts, and the obsession with attention to the body, leads to a lack of consideration for the soul, even treating it as a castaway. He goes on to say:
For this reason, all things are full of confusion, and disorder, and trouble, because it [the soul] is made a secondary matter, because necessary things are neglected…
Throughout history, public discussions on the soul and spiritual life were as common as politics, entertainment and sports are today. The Greeks, Byzantines, medieval European academics, and even common people debated these subjects openly in markets and schools. However, with the rise of modern “sophisticated” man, there has been a marked departure from anything outside the scope of science and material things. Metaphysics, philosophy and theology, all of which address the soul, are of no importance to the modern person. We have lost touch with these great and noble concepts.
The modern materialist is comfortable with the idea that the human experience is only physical matter—that humans are only material creatures with biological systems. For the physicalist, there is a problem with the notion of the soul because the soul, mind and consciousness are outside the scope of science. Therefore, the whole concept of spiritual warfare is absurd.
However, most people when they are falling in love or dying, or are bringing children into the world, tend to want to believe there is something more to life than flesh and sinew. Sure, we make mention of the soul when it comes to art or music, but outside of these acceptable spheres, a discussion of the soul can be awkward.
Western modern people may be generally disconnected from their inner person, but the concept of the soul is found everywhere in our culture. It can be found in forms of creative expression, in literature, in the passionate pursuit of knowledge and science, in some forms of psychology and psychiatry, and in music and movies.
When we say, “I love you with all of my heart,” we are referring to the higher aspect of the soul, the spirit. When we say we need “peace of mind,” we are referring to the intellect aspect of the soul. When we say, “he has a strong will”, we are referencing the appetitive aspect of the soul. You can “bare your soul,” “sell your soul,” “pour out your soul,” and go “soul searching.” It’s even a music genre and type of cuisine.
Although largely undefined, some still believe in a vague and cloudy notion of the soul because of its works: music, art, love, intuition, intellect, and the mind. Consciousness itself leads one to the soul.
When it comes to understanding the soul and its relationship to the body, the usual modern view is that we are a body with a soul trapped inside. This generic and common misunderstanding was challenged by the famed British scholar and author C.S. Lewis who once said insightfully, “You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.” When beginning a discussion of the anatomy of the human soul it is important to approach it from this point of view.
According to the Orthodox perspective your soul is not “trapped” inside your body. The complete person is total unity and harmony of body and soul. It is important to emphasize this balance between the soul and body. The German philosopher Gottfried Leibniz († AD 1716) illustrated this in his concept of the monads. Here he explains that the soul is simple substance and the body is an organic compound of simple substances, which leads to:
the union or rather the mutual agreement of the soul and the organic body. The soul follows its own laws, and the body likewise follows its own laws; and they agree with each other in virtue of the pre-established harmony between all substances…
When this natural balance is not recognized, the soul becomes preeminent to the detriment of the body, which introduces many problems. This misperception has often been adopted in modern western thought. The underlying belief is that the body is inferior to the soul—it is merely a shell that will be shed one day, at which point the person will be liberated. This has led to the vilification of the body, and a deep shame of the body that has had lasting negative effects. In reality, the complete human person is both soul and body; the two function together and influence one another during life. St. Gregory Palamas describes it this way: “The soul of each man is also the life of the body that it animates.”
The soul is in union with the body, and although united to it, the soul remains distinct. Harmony between soul and body lead to harmony with the whole person. The pursuit of this harmony is the aim of spiritual life. As Nikitas Stithatos said in The Philokalia:
The unconfused union and conjunction of soul and body constitutes, when maintained in harmony, a single reality.... When not harmonious, there is a civil war in which each side desires victory.
This statement is a fantastic summary of unseen warfare and its aim, which is the harmony of the human person.
Since the human body has been largely mapped by science, we will skip biology. However, we must explore the five senses. Yes, these are of the body but we are less concerned with physiology here and more concerned with how the senses interact with the soul.