The Soul, the Self should be regarded as Brahman (God in truth).+

The Soul or Atman

As a lighted lamp does not need another lamp to manifest its light, the Atman, being the consciousness itself, does not need another instrument to illumine itself. The Soul regains fearlessness by realizing that It is not a Jiva (human body) but the Supreme Soul. The tangible Universe is verily Atman. He is the knower of the Self to whom the ideas 'me' and 'mine' have become quite meaningless. The Self is always the same in all beings and free from old age, death, and fear. The Self is pure which the mind and speech do not reach. The pervading Self is the same in waking, dream, and deep sleep. One's actions come to an end when the Self is seen. There is no ignorance in Self, as it is the nature of eternal Knowledge. The Self should be regarded as Brahman. The intense desire for the realization of the Atman after renouncing all others is alone the means for the attainment of the Atman. 

The nature of the mind is impermanent because it appears and disappears.   The mind is present in the form of the universe.  The universe appears as a waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality). 

The soul is the innermost self. The soul is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the root element of the universe. 

From consciousness, the universe comes into existence. In consciousness, the universe resides. And into the consciousness, the universe is dissolved.   Consciousness is the parent of all that there is. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

People think that if the causal relation exists between two things they must be real.  Even when this relation seems to exist, things are unreal. From the ultimate standpoint, the whole universe is an illusion thus all the contents of the mind is bound to be an illusion.  The universe is not born, produced, or caused because it is only an illusion.

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that there is no cause and effect “this experience has come" "that experience has come" and so on, but one can never prove that they are the cause of each other, because, everything of created out of single stuff. And that stuff is consciousness there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness. 

From the dualistic perspective, there is cause and effect but duality itself is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is consciousness and the consciousness itself is the cause of the dualistic illusion and it is uncaused.  When the dualistic illusion has no value on the  Nondualistic perspective cause and effect theory holds no water. 

 So long as there is individuality, one is the enjoyer and doer. But if it is lost, the divine will prevail and guides the course of events. The individual is perceptible to others who cannot perceive divine force. Restrictions and disciplines are for other individuals and not for the Gnanis. 

Religion and Yoga are useful from utilitarian viewpoints, but they are inadequate and useless in the path of wisdom because religion and yoga are based on the false self (ego or you) and the ultimate truth or Brahman is based on the formless soul, the innermost self. The ultimate truth or Brahman is nothing to do with religion, religious ideas of God, religious theories, and yoga because the ultimate truth is beyond the experience of form, time, and space.  

There is in religion the element of imagination. People think that the religion which they like is the best, which gives them satisfaction, which pleases their taste is true! People who have such a limited view are not fit for  Advaitic wisdom. A Gnani discards this limited view because he is aware of the limitlessness of the soul, the innermost self.  

The question is, how to know that the scriptures are true? One has to look into the facts, for proof of what has the worship of God done for the people! When calamities strike, terrorist attacks, or epidemics brakes, the god is helpless in saving people. Even though, they say God saved him: Such an argument is of no value.

Swami Vivekananda:~  The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods and still die like dogs. Where are these gods?

Knowing this, stand up and fight! Not one step back that is the idea. ... Fight it out, whatever comes. Let the stars move from the sphere! Let the whole world stand against us! Death means only a change of garment. What of it? Thus fight! You gain nothing by becoming cowards. ... Taking a step backward, you do not avoid any misfortune. You have cried to all the gods in the world. Has misery ceased? The masses in India cry to sixty million gods and still die like dogs. Where are these gods? ... The gods come to help you when you have succeeded. So what is the use? Die game. ... This bending the knee to superstitions, this selling yourself to your own mind does not befit you, my soul. You are infinite, deathless, birthless. Because you are infinite spirit, it does not befit you to be a slave. ... Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! Die if you must. There is none to help you. You are the entire world. Who can help you? :~  Swami Vivekananda (Delivered In San Francisco, on May 28, 1900) -The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 1/Lectures And Discourses/The Gita II

The ultimate truth will interest only .5% of people; the rest will follow the religion" Religion is that teaching which pleases minds which lack vigor.

The scriptures are for the ignorant masses, who wholly accept the material world as it presents itself. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is for those who have begun to realize that things are not what they seem and the truth

The famous peace invocation of Isa Upanishad says: ~

Om Purna- madah, purna-midam purnat-purnam-udacyate  Purnaysa purna-madaya purna-meva-vasisyate

This means: ~ All this is full /from fullness, fullness comes when fullness is taken from fullness/ fullness still remains.

 This belief is all-comprehensive and all-absorbing. There is nothing that is not God.

This truth has been told by the seers. This is the only truth but is described by the people differently.

 Truth is one, but people describe it in different ways. Those on the journey to Eternity may differ,  but once reached there, all the differences sink into oneness.

The whole of humanity has to arrive at this eternal truth one day. :~ Santthosh Kumaar