What Is Your True Self?

One of the most important questions in personal and spiritual growth is “What is your True Self?” The answer is elusive, but the question is essential to ask ourselves, contemplate, and discover.

You may be thinking, “Hey, I don’t really know what my True Self means. How is it different than just plain old “me”?”

Sit with that question a moment. Ask yourself, “What is my True Self?” You may begin to have a feeling in your body, a vision come to mind, or hear some words that speak to who you truly are. Some part of you knows that there is a core essence, a deeply real, empowered, joyful YOU within, that longs to express in your own unique and authentic way.

The Small “s” self

Often, we’re stuck in what I call our small “s” self. It’s what we refer to as “me” – the personality or ego, as well as the body. Our self is what functions in the world for us most of the time. It drives the car, pays the bills, and cooks the meals. It has a very important role in our day to day tasks and getting along in the world.

But the self gets caught up in thinking. It can easily get stuck on a train of thought that disturbs our inner peace and also significantly limits us. The self has a lot of limiting beliefs about who we are, what we’re capable of, and what is possible in life. Those thoughts are usually based on past experiences that are like old computer programs, still running in us decades after they were installed. The self bases a lot of what it perceives, experiences, and feels from the perspective of those old programs. It’s stuck in the past, and often stuck in unhealthy ways of being.

The Capital “S” Self – the True Self

Your capital “S” Self, however, transcends the personality, the ego, the body, and all the thoughts, beliefs, opinions, and even emotions that we experience. It is your Divine nature, your Essence within. And it’s not limited by anything you experience in your mind, heart, or body.

The Self is founded in pure potentiality – just about anything is possible with the Self. It doesn’t look at life with limitation, judgment, worry, or resentment. Those and most other emotions are based on past experiences. The Self is fully Present: fully here in this moment, now, and every moment.

This is your True Self. It’s the quiet place within that watches the thoughts that arise, the emotions that wash through, the sensations that you experience in your body.

Already Whole and Complete

There is great joy in experiencing your True Self, because it is authentic, real, and already full and complete as it is. It is already whole, loving, and loved, simply because it doesn’t separate itself from that love and wholeness. The True Self is immersed in Oneness.

This may be a completely new idea to you. But when we take ourselves beyond the limitations of thought, emotion, and sensation, a whole new way of experiencing life emerges. Freedom within and joy are possible. And we discover what truly fulfills us, what gifts we have to share with the world, and the everyday blessings that life offers us.

It’s a Journey

Discovering and embodying the True Self is a journey. It unfolds more and more every day. Not perfectly. Not instantly, like taking a pill. It’s a process. We will still feel our feelings and have our everyday experiences. It doesn’t make life magically perfect.

But it does shift us into a state where we can embrace whatever is, stay rooted in our center, and find peace and happiness in the simplest of moments, right now. We become grounded in the truth of who we are – to know ourselves deeply, and to understand life deeply.

This website, Awakening Self, is all about sharing perspectives, reflections, body/mind practices, and spiritual philosophies that help us to shift out of the self into the True Self. Together, we look at what gets in the way of being our True Selves and how to let that go (or embrace it with compassion). We open to seeing our Self in potentially new ways, and apply these perspectives to whatever spiritual beliefs we have.

Remember, too, that it’s important to have a sense of humor about the journey, because we can get awfully serious about all this personal and spiritual growth, can’t we?

Again, ask yourself, “What is my True Self?” Rather than try to figure out the answer, just sit with the question. Feel into it. Let it simmer within you. Only you can truly discover that answer, within. As you ask, you begin the process and you initiate your True Self to reveal itself to you. Allow it to happen. Pay attention and open to receive it.

Let me know what you’d like to explore here; I’d love to hear from you. Welcome to the journey – I’m glad you’re on board with me.