Does a spirit have consciousness?

Is the spirit in a state of consciousness capable of receiving instruction while absent from the body?

The spirit is conscious while the body sleeps, but on coming back, on the waking up of the body, the conjunct being has but a dreamy, confused perception of anything that has taken place. 

Some dream that they have seen faces of friends and others whom they know to have passed away long ago. 

Oftentimes, places and circumstances, belonging to the days of childhood and youth will be brought up in panoramic vision in which the faces and forms of the long lost appear as in active life. But there are dreams that are only caused by the derangement of the bodily system. 

The true spiritual dream, that which is caused by the separate action of the spirit will on the waking up of the body fade away in a minute—

Something may, however, bring up the circumstances afresh to the memory for they are printed there though lost for the time being.

—Hafed, Prince of Persia