In Jain Dharma, “knowing your soul” means directly realizing, “I am jiva (atma), separate from body, mind, and possessions.” This grows as karmas weaken. The traditional, safe path is:

1) Build Right View (Samyak Darshan)

• Learn from authentic Jain teachings and saints.
• Reflect that the soul is eternal, conscious, and different from body and thoughts.
• Begin giving up false beliefs and harmful habits.

Reference:

2) Gain Right Knowledge (Samyak Jnan)

• Study core tattvas (jiva–ajiva, pap–punya, asrava–bandh–samvar–nirjara–moksha).
• Do daily swadhyaya (scripture study and contemplation).

Reference:

3) Live Right Conduct (Samyak Charitra)

• Practice ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya, aparigraha according to your capacity (anuvrat for householders).
• Guard against the four kashayas: anger, pride, deceit, greed.

Reference:

Everyday practices that reveal the soul

• Samayik (48 minutes of equanimity): sit still, drop roles and worries, stay only as “knowing–seeing” (gnata–drashta). Include kayotsarga (stillness) and Namokar mantra jap. Reference:
• Pratikraman: recall faults, ask forgiveness, take fresh vows; it cleanses karmic load and sharpens self-awareness. Reference:
• Anupreksha (reflections): impermanence of body, aloneness of soul, impurity of karmic bondage, etc. These detach you from non-soul.
• Satsang and Seva: stay near the virtuous; serve with humility—this softens passions and steadies inner vision.
• Simple food and careful living: strict ahimsa in diet and daily conduct reduces fresh bondage and keeps the mind light for atma-dhyana.

How you will know you’re touching the soul

• More equanimity in praise/blame.
• Quick awareness when a passion arises, and quicker letting go.
• Natural compassion with inner detachment.
• Growing joy and clarity during silence and stillness.

These are signs of samvara (stopping inflow) and nirjara (shedding) of karma, not ego-claims.

Both Shvetambar and Digambar traditions fully agree on this essence: realization comes through Ratnatraya (Right Faith, Knowledge, Conduct). Ritual details (e.g., specific sutras in Samayik/Pratikraman) can vary slightly, but the goal—atma-darshan—remains the same.

If you wish to go deeper step-by-step, see: