Paramahansa Yogananda

 The soul descends from Cosmic Consciousness to the plane of light and down to the region of flesh. The pure soul, the atman, is called the jiva when it is identified with its mortal coverings—body mind, senses and other principles of Nature. Even so, the true essence of the soul remains untainted Spirit—the Divinity in every being. It is only owing to the outer identification with the physical paraphernalia that the inner light and divine consciousness become screened behind delusion. Meditation clears the cosmic mist as the descended consciousness of the soul starts ascending to its lost higher planes of existence.