THE LOWER SELF

In the context of a spiritual journey, the concept of the "higher self" is often emphasized as an idealized version of oneself to strive towards. However, it is important not to neglect the "lower self," which represents the aspects of ourselves that we may be less proud of but are still an integral part of our being.

Familiar terms such as "shadow work" and "as above, so below" underscore the importance of confronting our lowest selves as a necessary step towards attaining our highest potential. Honesty and kindness are key in this process.

It is common for individuals to reject aspects of themselves that they do not want to recognize, with phrases such as "this isn't me" or "that wasn't like me." However, it is crucial to acknowledge that any action or thought that we engage in becomes a part of our identity, even if it is a small fraction.

Through embracing and exploring the parts of ourselves that we may be ashamed of or want to ignore, we can move towards a higher level of self-awareness, success, and love.

An efficacious method to facilitate this process is to engage in a contemplative exercise that involves reflecting on a memory in which we behaved in a manner that elicited negative emotions or thoughts. By immersing ourselves in this recollection and acknowledging the associated feelings, we can initiate an internal dialogue with this version of ourselves. By attentively attending to our needs and concerns and fostering a mindset of forgiveness and acceptance, we can effectively liberate ourselves from any lingering sense of shame or guilt and experience a heightened sense of inner peace and personal development.

For individuals who desire to deepen their understanding of this concept, I would like to invite you to view my YouTube video that elaborates on the topic of the lowest self and provides a meditation exercise.