siela

Siela is a Lithuanian noun meaning “soul” or “spirit.” It denotes the immaterial essence of a person and is used in religious, philosophical, and literary contexts to refer to inner life, personality, and moral or emotional character.

In cultural and intellectual discourse, siela appears in discussions of identity, consciousness, and the afterlife. It is a common feature in Lithuanian poetry and prose, where authors explore themes of hope, longing, and vitality through the concept of the sielos inner life. The term also appears in religious writings, where it is used to describe the spiritual dimension of a person and its relationship to the body.

Linguistically, siela is part of the Baltic language family and reflects a long-standing semantic field around life and essence shared across the region. The word is typically used in standard Lithuanian and is found in both everyday speech and more formal or literary registers. Its usage can be metaphorical, as in expressions that describe someone’s character or spirit, or literal, in theological or philosophical discussions about the nature of being.

Overall, siela is a central term in Lithuanian for addressing the non-material aspect of human existence, with a presence in classic and contemporary literature as well as in discussions of spirituality and personhood.