The idea that the soul or vital life force resides in the liver is not universally held across cultures or historical periods, but it does reflect beliefs found in some ancient civilizations. These beliefs are more about the symbolic significance of the liver as a vital organ rather than literal interpretations of the soul’s location.

In many ancient cultures, organs were attributed specific symbolic meanings and were thought to be the seat of certain emotions or aspects of the soul. For example:

• Ancient Mesopotamians regarded the liver as the seat of life and a key to understanding divine will, particularly in divinatory practices. However, their complex understanding of the soul involved multiple parts of the human psyche and body, not localized strictly in the liver.
• The Greeks had various concepts of the soul, often associated with the heart or mind rather than the liver. However, the liver was still considered an important organ for its role in health and vitality.
• In Traditional Chinese Medicine and philosophy, while not explicitly identified as the seat of the soul, the liver is considered crucial for the flow of Qi (vital energy) and is associated with emotional well-being, particularly anger and frustration.

The concept of the soul in historical and cultural contexts is multifaceted, with different civilizations and philosophical traditions placing the essence of life or the soul in various parts of the body, such as the heart, brain, or liver, based on their understanding of physiology and spirituality. The emphasis on the liver in some divinatory practices highlights its importance as a symbol of life and vitality rather than a specific doctrinal claim about the soul’s residence within the body.