That part of the human nous that can be activated and bonded with the Holy Spirit, Light, Sophia, etc. (See the Gospel of Phillip, "....the soul bonds with the Holy Spirit..... Nag Hammadi Lib.) According to the "Acts of Thomas", and "The Heart Sutra", and the "Sutra of Cause and Effect" the soul is composed of five 'skandas", or elements, form, perception, consciousness, action, and knowledge. (See "The Jesus Sutras", Palmer, Ballantine, 2001) See also, "Tatian"s Letter to the Greeks", "The soul is a special kind of spirit". (See also; Sutra)