Yeah, soul is matter - and more accurately its field generated by the oscillation of matter. The oscillation itself is basic, its basically „spin“ in physics. Soul doesnt always mean awareness of experience - animals arent as dramatic about death as we are for example (in meditation, awakenning is synchronizing the awareness of experience again back with the body, or maybe its better to call it psycoanalytical process of individuation which integrated persona with self, as Carl Jung and Co put it)

It starts with the tiniest particle, and regenerates the whole tree. Memory and oscilation are even basic to rocks for example. They accumulate matter aswell, just no seeminhg „awareness of experience“ yet.)

With some caution, I really recommend the book „ The Origins and History of Consciousness“ by Erich Neumann. Also meditation is great to move individuation forward.

its truly mind boggling to understand all this, and its a shame this stuff isnt mainstream knowledge. Though i do admit it can get u labeled and make you feel as an outsider as most of us arent aware, and might actively reject the discussion. Like the othet poster said, „scope creep“ - then again, i truly think immortality of experience is impossible. Matter will always re-transform into energy, and viceversa. This is what we essentially are. And the fear of death is why we are violent about it all.