A Gnani never negates the Soul, the Self, only he negates the dualistic illusion or Maya.

A man who describes Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom as negative (because of Neti, Neti) does not know that this is applied only to the dualistic illusion or Maya; the critic ignorantly believes that it is also applied to the Soul, the Self hidden by the dualistic illusion.

A Gnani never negates the Soul, the Self, only he mentally negates the dualistic illusion or  Maya by realizing the dualistic illusion or Maya is nothing but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Sage Sankara says: - VC-47 All the effects of ignorance, root, and a branch is burnt down by the fire of knowledge, which arises from discrimination between these two—the Self and the non-self.

Until you think you are an individual separate from the world and the world existed prior to you and you are born in it afterward the ignorance will prevail as a reality. Until ignorance is there the universe prevails as a reality.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then why you are indulging in other types of meditation.

Like an ornament made from gold is Gold, which is born out of consciousness is consciousness. Like gold is a permanent thing, in ornaments made of gold, similarly, the mind, which is in the form of the universe is born out of consciousness, is consciousness in its essence.

Sage  Goudapada’s rational exposition of Advaita:~  Whatever is seen, whether external or internal, whether by the ordinary persons or yogis, is unreal. 

Thus, whatever you have seen, known, believed, and experienced as a person within the waking experience is bound to be an illusion created out of the consciousness.  Thus, the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness alone, is real and eternal.  

Consciousness is ever-present. Without consciousness, you and the world, in which you exist cease to exist.   Consciousness is Self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny consciousness, because it is the very essence of the one who denies it. Consciousness is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. Consciousness is everything. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The Soul is the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul is the witness-consciousness that experiences the action, the actor, and the world of separate things. It is like a light that illuminates everything in a theatre, revealing the master of ceremonies, the guests, and the dancers with complete impartiality. Even when they all depart, the light shines to reveal their absence. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar