Teacher, Guru & Best Friend: Your Higher Self

Our human experience is an ever changing weave of perceptions, physical sensations, thoughts, and internal images. Each strand of sensory/cognitive experience contributes to the unique tapestry of our lives.

But there’s another aspect of our experience that’s often overlooked. It’s overlooked because it’s not a “thing”—not an object or event. It’s closer than close: hidden in plain sight. It’s what we refer to as the Higher Self.

To get a sense of the value of the Higher Self, a brief detour into alchemy and eastern spirituality will be useful …

THE WISH-FULFILLING JEWEL

In western alchemical traditions, the so-called Philosopher’s Stone is a substance which practitioners believe can turn base metals into gold—can transform something that is not so valuable (iron, led, or copper) into something that is supremely valuable (gold). The Philosopher’s Stone can be used also to cure illnesses, create an elixir of immortality, and support spiritual realization.

In eastern spiritual traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, the wish-fulfilling jewel (aka Chintamani Stone) is held to fulfill similarly extraordinary functions of transforming afflictions, bestowing prosperity, and awakening the wisdom of a Buddha.

Now whether, or not, we believe in the miraculous claims associated with the Philosopher’s Stone and wish-fulfilling jewel, they can play an important role in our healing and transformation. How so?

Most essentially, we can understand the Philosopher’s Stone and wish-fulfilling jewel as metaphors for our Higher Self—for the wisdom and power residing in the core of our being. Tuning into the wisdom of the Higher Self allows us to transform psychological suffering into understanding, forgiveness and love —this is the most miraculous and valuable of any form of alchemy.

The Higher Self is the true wish-fulfilling jewel!

So, what exactly is this Higher Self, which turns out to be our most valuable possession?

WHAT IS THE HIGHER SELF?

The Higher Self is our most essential and authentic self. It’s our spiritual core. It’s an aspect of our being that does not share the limitations of the human body or mind. It is infinite, eternal, and indestructible.

The Higher Self is referred to in different ways by various spiritual traditions. These other names for the Higher Self include: Soul, God, Tao, Great Spirit, Atman, Brahman, Buddha-Nature, Presence, Sacred Heart, Being, Pure Awareness.

The Higher Self is the most reliable and trustworthy confidante—infused with wisdom, compassion, and clarity.

The Higher Self is wholly (and holy!) impersonal—like a wise compassionate judge who can see the big picture and knows what the best course of action is.

The Higher Self is what naturally appears when we see through the illusion of the separate-self—a limited “me” presumed to have a permanent, separate, and independent existence.

When we identify with the fictional separate-self, we suffer. When we realize our true identity as the Higher Self, we enjoy inner peace and happiness.

A LIFE GUIDED BY THE HIGHER SELF

So, how do we live a life guided by the Higher Self? The first step is to explore ways of tuning into the Higher Self.

Your Higher Self is perpetually sending an invitation—you just have to accept it. Sitting quietly in meditation; spending time in the natural world; honoring your intuition—are just some of the ways that you might express your interest in getting to know your Higher Self.

As we honor and explore our Higher Self, our everyday activities become more fully aligned with the wisdom of this spiritual essence. The often-repetitive activities of mothering become expressions of intelligence, humor, truth, love, and beauty. Our actions are effortlessly infused with comfort and ease. There’s a sense of deep contentment, fulfillment, and wellbeing that accompanies us throughout the day—even in the face of life’s inevitable challenges.

We come to understand that it’s wise to be an intelligent caretaker of our human body and mind, all the while remembering and staying faithful to our true identity as the Higher Self. This is the essence of living a life guided by the Higher Self.

ONE WHO LIVES IN ALL

Eventually, we realize—directly and intimately—that there is just One Spirit, just one Higher Self that animates all forms. We can say, with certainty: The Spirit flowing through my eyes is not-separate from the Spirit flowing through the eyes of my children, my spouse, my friends, or the stranger I pass on the street. From this realization, compassion flows naturally. —
there is One who lives in all
an absolute loving power
glorious, unfathomable
real and solid
from roots to sky
then
beyond.

And this Higher Self—infinite, eternal, transpersonal—is none other than the Awareness that is reading these words, right now!

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