Nepheshiology, The Study of The Soul

The science of Psychology has been around since 1879 as a self-conscious field of experimental study. Wilhelm Wundt founded the first laboratory dedicated exclusively to psychological research in Leipzig, Germany. Wundt was also the first person to refer to himself as a psychologist. The concept of studying the mind and behavior, however such concepts as "Cartesian Dualism (Rene' Descarte), "Phrenology" (Joseph Spurzheim [1776-1832] ) "Psychophysics" (Hermann von Helmholtz [1821-1894], Ernst Weber [1795-1878] and Gustav Fechner [1801-1887]). The principles and foundations for a modern day psychological system go back as far as the 1500-1600's. There has been, if these scholars are the only ones who are considered as forerunners to psychology, a minimum of 400 or more years of compilation of material and principles of psychology. If the study of the brain and thought is considered there may well be thousands of years devoted to the study of the mind and the behavioral patterns of man as a species. There are quite a few scriptures that speak to the process of thinking and the ramifications of such thought.

There exists about 2400 years or more from the ending of the Old Testament Period, with 400 years between the Old and New Testament period (Ray C. Stedman). We may conclude that there are more than 2400 years of consideration of the human mind and human behavior just from the scripture references alone. the problem with much of the data is that it in many cases there is only one perspective of these studies and of the research being conducted. It is generally from a materialistic secular point of view that psychology is generally based as any viable study of human behavior and the human mind. I must conclude that the studies of psychology have been very progressive and in tandem with the neuroscience and biological psychology there have been many breakthrough in understanding the human brain and how it works.

One of the dilemmas of psychology is that it does not examine why it works because there is a consistent refusal to believe in the concept of the "Living Soul" or as it is interpreted in scripture as the "Chay Nephesh". We are now living in the second millennium after the coming of Christ and there is much understanding about alternative dimensions and existences, although the existence of God and spiritual realities are still rejected for the most part. Serving as a pastor for 28 years and serving in minister for over 30 years I have come to understand of a need for a system that expands on the old model of psychology and literally creates a true study of the soul. The very first term used in scripture for the soul is the word Nephesh. This term is regarded as a "living soul" and refers to the entire systemic existence of the soul as a creation of God and as a living, sentient, intelligent individual existence. It seemed only fitting to call it Nepheshiology. Nepheshiology can be said to be the study of the living soul from a biblical and neurological approach. It has been a long time in coming but through the study of Essencology this branch of examining the essence of man has become a reality. Nepheshiology is constructed from a position that the soul is integrated into somatic networks that link it to the physiology of man in such a manner that it can operate through and also operate the living apparatus called the body. It is also constructed on the premise that the soul is also integrated by a pneumatic essential existence that give the soul dimensional qualities and abilities to function in a pneumatic existence that is parallel with the material realm with greater laws of operation that the soul also accesses to aid itself in operating and experiencing the physical material realm of existence. This is the basis for Nepheshiology and Nepheshiological Studies.

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