The True Self
A Course in Miracles clearly teaches about two selves. The first self is eternal and dwells in heaven, and the second is a temporary illusion and identifies with this world of illusion.
Many spiritual teachings call these two the lower and higher selves. Here is a description from the Course:
“You are what God created or what you made. One Self is true; the other is not there. Try to experience the unity of your one Self.” W-pI.93.9
That which is often called the higher self then is the one that is “true” while the other self “is not there.” but an illusion.
While identifying with this illusionary self, if you listen to the Holy Spirit “you will perceive another self in you. This other self sees miracles as natural.” T-21.V.3
This “other self” or our true self, is recognized by its power to reason, something lacking in the false self:
“You do not realize the whole extent to which the idea of separation has interfered with reason. Reason lies in the other self you have cut off from your awareness. And nothing you have allowed to stay in your awareness is capable of reason. How can the segment of the mind devoid of reason understand what reason is, or grasp the information it would give?” T-21.V.4.
Some believe this false self is the ego but we are told that “the ego is not the Self.” T-4.II.4
“The ego is the questioning aspect of the post-separation self, which was made rather than created. It is capable of asking questions but not of perceiving meaningful answers” T-3.IV.3
So the ego is not the self, but an “aspect” of it. What aspect?
The questioning aspect. This sheds some more light:
“The ego, then, raised the first question that was ever asked, but one it can never answer. That question, ‘What are you?’ was the beginning of doubt. The ego has never answered any questions since, although it has raised a great many.” T-6.IV.2
The ego’s first big question which was “What are you?” was the beginning of doubt.
What is it that we began to doubt? We began to doubt that we were really our true self which shares the mind and attributes of the Father. The ego then went even farther and caused us to even doubt that we had a self and convinced us that our end was not self-awareness, but oblivion for it speaks of “your plan to keep His Son in deep oblivion, and go the way you chose without your Self. It is not God you have imprisoned in your plan to lose your Self.” W-pI.166.9-10
The ego puts its attention on convincing us that we are merely bodies, and what do those who see themselves as bodies believe? They see themselves as having no enduring self and that the destruction of the body results in either oblivion or hell.
“The ego teaches that your function on earth is destruction, and you have no function at all in Heaven. It would thus destroy you here and bury you here, leaving you no inheritance except the dust out of which it thinks you were made. As long as it is reasonably satisfied with you, as its reasoning goes, it offers you oblivion. When it becomes overtly savage, it offers you hell.”
Since the Course places much attention on the true rather than the false self it would seem beneficial to explore what it says about it. After all, “Salvation comes from my one Self. Its Thoughts are mine to use.” W-pI.96.9
In addition, we are told that beyond the body “You go where you would be, gaining, not losing, a sense of Self. In these instants of release from physical restrictions, you experience much of what happens in the holy instant.” T-18.VI.13
It is curious that many seem to think we lose a sense of self when we return to our true spiritual home, but instead the Course says that we will be “gaining, not losing, a sense of Self.”
We then come to the realization that “To be egocentric is to be dis-spirited, but to be Self-centered in the right sense is to be inspired or in spirit.” T-4.in.1
The Course stresses that sharing and unity are essential to finding our true self. The illusionary self sees itself as alone and separate while the true self sees itself as not being alone at all
“You cannot understand yourself alone. This is because you have no meaning apart from your rightful place in the Sonship.” T-5.III.8
Indeed when we realize who we are, we see ourselves as being united with our brothers rather than a separate entity all alone.
“You are one Self, the holy Son of God, united with your brothers in that Self.” W-pI.95.13
“But healing is his own decision to be one again, and to accept his Self with all Its parts intact and unassailed.” W-pI.137.3
Our true self is one in the mind of God, but it is a oneness through sharing:
“Only an illusion stands between you and your brother, and the holy Self you share together.” T-22.IV.7
Some seekers are concerned that they may suffer loss in dropping the false self for the true. To them the Course asks this question:
“Can your self be lost by being found?” T-29.I.9
Realizing our true self is the ultimate act of atonement concerning which it is written:
“The Atonement must be understood as a pure act of sharing.” T-5.IV.2
“If you would give yourself as your Father gives His Self, you will learn to understand Selfhood.” T-15.VI.7
Good advice. Let us follow the example of the Father who “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matt 5:45
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