This text examines Jan Patočka's concept of the "care for the soul," originating from the Platonic notion "epimeleia tēs psychēs." The author traces the historical transformation of this idea in antiquity, specifically in Marcus Tullius Cicero's work. In his Tusculan Disputations, Cicero asserts that philosophy is the cultivation of the spirit (cultura animi). A central point of the analysis is the terminological distinction between the Latin terms "animus" and "anima." While "animus" is frequently translated as "soul," the text highlights the difficulties of this interpretation compared to "anima" and "spiritus." The author argues that for Cicero, it is more precise to speak of cultivating the spirit than the soul in the Platonic sense. This semantic nuance is vital for understanding the reception of ancient philosophy and its impact on modern thought, particularly Jan Patočka's phenomenological reflections on human existence and its ethical direction.