Different Layers of Self

Came to me today... more questions than answers but for now...:

We know Chazal identify 5 components of Self (Bereishit Rabba 14:9)--> נרנח"י

Nefesh usually identified with the physical needs of body, Ruach usually being emotionally related, Neshama being allegedly related to intellect and consciousness , and Chaya and Yechida... not clear to me... but here's the Bereishit Rabba:

נפש, זה הדם, שנאמר (דברים יב): כי הדם הוא הנפש. רוח, שהיא עולה ויורדת, שנאמר (קהלת ג): מי יודע רוח בני האדם העולה היא למעלה. נשמה, זו האופיה, דברייתא אמרין האופיתא טבא. חיה, שכל האברים מתים והיא חיה בגוף. יחידה, שכל האברים משנים שנים והיא יחידה בגוף, הדא הוא דכתיב (איוב לד) אם ישים אליו לבו רוחו ונשמתו אליו יאסוף

Anyway, was just thinking about the implications of a differentiated self and it's relevance to a few different issues...:

1) In terms of defining one's identity, possible the real work of a person in life is precisely in this realm of divorcing his identity from nefesh and ruach (don't know about neshama...), thereby coming to a state of being in which his nefesh and ruach components have been externalized as to how he sees himself, becoming external components of himself i.e. יודע צדיק נפש בהמתו

See Bereishit Rabba 34:10 הרשעים הן ברשות לבן... אבל הצדיקים לבן ברשותן

2)Assertion of the deeper levels of self over the lower ones. Sacrificing physical wants over emotional ones. Sacrificing emotional needs (Ruach) over those of Neshama-related-ones... and so on... and the question then arising "how far deep can we/are we expected, to go? Is there such a thing as sacrificing a Neshama need over one of Chaya? Where would Yosef's sacrifice of לשכב אצלה להיות עמה fall under? (The real question I guess being which components are specifically הויה oriented???)

This being related to להבדיל the capabilities of the David Blaines, Buddhist Monks, etc. Mind over Matter. The subjugating of the physical and emotional layers to conform to the will of the deeper levels (again, which one of the base 3 I have no idea).

3) The necessity (imho) of differentiated layers of self to allow for equality of Bechira... we can amp up the intensity of physical and/or emotional needs to the point of compulsion (like the end of Ms' Kiddushin) and yet there is still, at the deeper levels of self, an equally balanced choice as to what to choose...

[As regards to compulsions on the level of Neshama I don't know, but from my limited reading i don't think so... which is strange since we certainly do see clinical cases of pure stark mental/intellectual pathologies like schizophrenia.. thereby leading me to understand Neshama as being more conscious-related as opposed to intellectual/mental.... וצע"ע]

[P.S. Found another source for יחידה in במדבר רבה יז ב -- stemming from the פסוק of הצילה מחרב נפשי מיד כלב יחידתי --- very troubling to me: How is it possible that a person should be in danger of destruction on the level of יחידה?! Requires more research into the meaning of מיד כלב...