Higher Self - Do You Have One?
The path to something greater
Let's start with the answer. Yes. You have a Higher Self. Everyone has a Higher Self.
What follows is my interpretation and belief after years of studying and thinking about this. If you feel differently, please share below. It's not easy to describe with words something that's beyond language.
What is a Higher Self?
Our Higher Self is that part of us that remains connected to the Divine. It's the God-self within each of us. I believe that all God-selves within all sentient beings and beyond are Source, God, Oneness, the Universal Unconsciousness, or whatever word you choose.
Yes - you have Source within you. You are part of the Divine Nature of All. Because there are so many words for this, I'm going to use the term Source to make it easier.
Your Higher Self is that gut feeling you get when you feel you should or shouldn't do something. It's your intuition.
Your Higher Self is the space between your words, the stillness that rests within you.
It's the feeling of peace you get when you stand in something beautiful. The timeless, ageless, eternal part of you is always by your side.
It's you beyond your ego, your insecurities, and your fears. And it's always there to guide you. It is you.
How to find your Higher Self
Technically, there's nothing to find. Your Higher Self is always with you. But many of us stop feeling the connection because we're brought up to live in outer reality and the material world around us.
Want to know a secret? You create your reality. The world around you and everyone in your life - or not - comes from your past actions. It's a physical manifestation of what you've already created.
What you do now in this moment is what determines your reality. Don't worry about what surrounds you now; work toward what you want your life to be. Feel your way into your future.
How can I connect with my Higher Self?
You can only connect with your Higher Self, and even Source, by going inward. The texts, the teachings, the Gurus - all the paths and instructions are there to help you figure out your inward journey. No one can do it for you - we must find our own way. What we do or don't do is our choice.
Source is accessed through your Higher Self. If you want to find God, find yourself.
If you want to connect with your Higher Self, be still and listen. Meditation is super helpful, but the word is overused and often misunderstood. Meditation isn't sitting a certain way and emptying your mind of everything - it's being still with yourself. Many people have made it more complicated than it is.
So if meditation is not for you, simply sit. And listen. Walk. And listen. At some point, you'll hear your thoughts (if you don't already). You'll be thinking about what to make for dinner or the work you have to get done. You might replay events from the past or re-do that argument with your friend so that you win. You might also hear your voice scolding yourself and putting yourself down for something you did or said.
That voice is your ego mind. But when you listen long enough, you might sense the stillness behind those words, a calmness that simply is.
That silence, that expanse, that listener is your Higher Self. So to find that part of you, reach for the feeling behind your inner chatter. Focus on the stillness behind the noise.
How can my Higher Self guide me?
Your Higher Self is your connection to Source. It's there to help guide you back to where you were at the beginning.
The best way to connect with and hear your Higher Self is through your feelings. They're your guidepost. If you feel good, you're moving toward Source. If you feel off or bad, you're not in alignment with who you really are.
To get into alignment, you feel your way there. Find thoughts that make you feel better. Watch a show that makes you laugh. Get your mind off of what was keeping you in a negative state. Do what you need to shift your energy toward happiness and contentment.
Side note - if you're in a horrible mood, you're not going to suddenly turn around and feel bliss. And that's okay. The goal is to have your feelings moving in the right direction. It's the movement that matters. If you feel bad, just try to make yourself feel a bit better. The feeling will gain momentum over time.Â
Learning to feel your feelings and not mask them with work, food, booze, drugs, exercise, etc., is vital on this journey. And it's not easy, so give yourself a break. Breathe. Whatever it is, it's okay.
This is a very brief introduction to your Higher Self. There are whole spiritual practices that revolve around this. I think religion and even some spiritual practices have over-complicated our search for self and connection with Source.
Listen within. Do that through how you feel. You have a guidance system that'll bring you back to yourself and connect you with That which is bigger than all of us and the Source that connects us.
I know! It's much easier said than done. I hope to share my path as I learn to listen to my Higher Self and feel my way into my connection with Source. My writing and my upcoming books are my road home.Â
I love getting feedback - please leave a comment below or reply to let me know what you’re up to. Thanks!
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