The concept of Atma is alien to western and other culture, so translating Atma into Self is a fallacy. The self, as understood by Western culture and Semitic religions, is only the material self or the consciousness of these Triads. To Hindu philosophy this is not omnipotent omniscient Atma but only a material consciousness. Because, to Hindus, the material self consists of Body, Mind, and Prana. So the self is the collective consciousness of these three, which is very different from the Atma which is the Ultimate Truth of Being.

The Self is unchanging, but our personality is always changing. The real Self remains untouched and observes all changes without being affected by them. Yet, it still experiences these changes as its own.

The mind and ego alone cannot do this work. There must be a deeper and more essential part of our being that stands behind the changing personality. This part is called the mental being or mental person. This mental being supports the ego and allows us to feel a continuous sense of identity through time, even though our body and personality keep changing. It stands between the unchanging Self and the changing outer nature, reflecting the experiences of life without itself being altered.