Exploring Higher Self Meaning: 5 Powerful Methods

What does the “Higher Self” mean?

Is it something that anyone can access?

If so, how do we connect with the Higher Self?

This in-depth guide answers these questions and a whole lot more.

Let’s dive in …

CONTENTS

Higher Self Meaning

The Higher Self refers to a quality of consciousness transcending our regular self-identity and everyday experiences.

As we’ll see, this higher self, or just the Self (with a capital “S”), is understood in contrast to the ego (or small self, with a lowercase “s”).

The Self guides us and brings us Home. It is the source of infinite wisdom within each of us.

Learning how to access, connect, and live from this Self is the focus of many Eastern traditions and Western integrative psychologies.

The Ego versus the Higher Self

The Higher Self is best understood compared to what it’s “higher” than—namely, the ego.

The ego is a complex set of identifications, opinions, positions, desires, preferences, and judgments. It’s our perceived self-identity.

The ego is synonymous with the self (small “s”). It is, in fact, our sense of self. This ego is conditioned by its environment and experiences from early childhood onward. Its storyline goes from birth to death.

In contrast, the “Higher Self” is not conditioned by the external world. This Self remains steady, complete, and silent in the background.

When we fully identify with the ego as the “I am,” this ego construct is in charge. In this context, the Self is mostly inaccessible.

The original Self shines forth when this identification loosens and recedes into the background.

Alternative Names for the Higher Self

Many names for the Higher Self are either identical or have a slightly different meaning. For example:

Self (capital “S”)
True Self
Authentic Self
Inner Self
Higher Mind
Oversoul

Many traditions and Jungian psychology use the term Self (without “Higher”).

True Self and Authentic Self ultimately mean the same thing; however, the context in which these terms are used is often different.

For example, we might contrast the false self or persona (social mask) with one’s True Self, which is one’s real personality.

An inauthentic person is guided by their prior conditioning. Someone connected to their True Self behaves in alignment with who they truly are.

Inner Self, in some respects, is more accurate than “Higher Self” because “higher” signifies a location above oneself whereas “Inner Self” points within.

The higher mind or Oversoul are two additional terms used to represent the Self. The higher mind is contrasted with the lower mind (or ego).

The Higher Self in Psychology

Several forms of psychology refer to the higher self, including Carl Jung’s depth psychology and Richard Schwartz’s Internal Family Systems (IFS).

In both cases, the “Higher Self” is referred to as the Self.

In Jungian psychology, the Self is the archetype of wholeness and self-transcendence.

To Jung, the Wise Old Man/Woman or sage archetype represented this universal image of the Self.

Jung described the Self as the “totality of the whole psyche,” distinguishing it from the ego.

Jungian psychologist Edward Edinger writes in Ego and Archetype:¹

Psychological development in all its phases is a redemptive process. The goal is to redeem by conscious realization, the hidden Self, hidden in unconscious identification with the ego.

The goal of the individuation process is to organize the ego so that one can return to the hidden Self.

The Higher Self in Eastern Philosophy

Jung borrowed the concept of the Self from Hindu philosophy.

The Eastern traditions have a host of additional terms for the Higher Self that have been used for millennia, including:

The Spirit
The Center
Original Spirit
Original Nature
Original Face
Higher Soul
Purusha
Atman

Similar to alternative terms for the Higher Self listed above, each term has various meanings depending on the context and the tradition.

Think of the Self as an unknown, inner divine center of one’s consciousness. This center guides us to the truth within ourselves.

In kundalini yoga, the Higher Self is sometimes associated with the heart chakra. In other branches of Hinduism, it’s called Purusha, which means, “The Self which abides in the heart of all things.”²

The Self is often used synonymously with Spirit. As I explained in A Wildly Practical Guide to Authentic Spiritual Awakening:

While the ego accumulates knowledge through learning, the Spirit intuits reality by what it is. The ego thinks. The Spirit knows. While the ego is always doing, the Spirit remains eternally in a state of being.

The goal of these Eastern traditions is to strip you of everything you are not so that you can arrive at what you are.

In this context, the Self is not personal (dualistic); the Self is nondual.

Higher Self Example: The Host and the Guests

Perhaps the clearest explanation of the Higher Self is found in the Complete Reality School of Taoism.

They use the analogy of the host and the guest.

The psyche—the totality of one’s body and mind—is your house. At present, this house is inhabited by many guests.

This collection of guests is sometimes referred to as “ghosts and spirits.” This cohort of guests is what they call our conscious spirit (ego or mind).

The host represents the higher self (or just Self). Taoists more often use the term “Original Spirit.”

The guests are consumed by an endless stream of thoughts, emotions, and commentary. In contrast, the Self is neutral, clear, alert, and empty.

The role of the host (Self) is to keep order in the house; however, the host is not present, and the house is overrun by unruly guests.

In this context, Eastern practices aim to restore order to one’s house (psyche) by bringing back the host (Self).

The Qualities and Attributes of the Higher Self

What are the qualities of the higher self that one can identify?

What are the signs that we’re moving toward one’s higher self?

Attributes of the Inner Self in Eastern Traditions

Qualities of the Self in Eastern Traditions

The experience of the Center, where one accesses the higher self, is described in the Eastern traditions as:

Neutral
Clear
Alert
Empty
Active

Because the Self is not conditioned by things, it does not engage in constant thinking. Further, it’s not triggered by an endless stream of emotions.

However, as we’ll discuss below, there’s an important difference between being free of emotions and repressing them.

Similarly, “neutrality” doesn’t mean listlessness, dullness, or numbness. The Center is active and alert. Neutrality here means not striving. In Buddhism, this quality is referred to as the Middle Way. In Taoism, it’s called Wu Wei.

Attributes of the Self from Internal Family Systems

Qualities of the Self in Western Psychology

Schwartz’s IFS Institute and the Foundation for Self-Leadership developed a scale called the “8 C’s of Self-Leadership.”³

In the IFS model, the qualities of the Self include:

Calmness
Clarity
Curiosity
Compassion
Confidence
Courage
Creativity
Connectedness

For detailed descriptions of each of these qualities, see How to Cultivate Self-Leadership.

The Primary Difference Between Western & Eastern Approaches to the Self

A fundamental difference between Western psychology and most Eastern traditions is how they approach the ego (small self).

In Western psychology, the focus is mainly on building and developing a “healthy ego.” This healthy ego is realized by going through specific stages of psychological development to reach maturity, or what’s often called integration.⁴

In contrast, in Eastern traditions, the ego or small self represents what they call Maya. The illusionary self-identity—the false self.

In Buddhism, this false self is considered the cause of one’s suffering. Its existence leads to a never-ending stream of desires and cravings.

As psychologist Abraham Maslow used to say, “Man is a forever wanting animal.”

Eastern traditions would say that it’s not Man who is forever wanting; it’s the illusory ego, which is confused and driven by endless attractions and aversions.

What Blocks Us from the Higher Self

In the context of both Eastern and Western approaches to the higher self, the principles are the same. Instead of trying to seek out one’s Higher Self, you arrive at it by removing the impediments.

So what blocks us from accessing the Self?

The answer, which borrows from Taoism, is called “mundane conditioning” and the “acquired mind.”

Attachments of the Acquired Mind (Self-Identity)

How the Acquired Mind is Formed

Mundane conditioning refers to virtually everything that happens to us after birth.

Through our interaction with our parents, other family members, friends, teachers, and so on, we become conditioned by our environment.

At a very elementary level, as many Sages point out, our sense of “I” is conditioned into us originally from our initial interactions with our mothers who tell us repeatedly that we have a name and a separate sense of self.

From that point on, the conditioning continues as one develops what the Taoists call the acquired mind.

The acquired mind includes all of our attachments and self-identity. For example:

Emotional trauma
Social class
Age
Ethnicity
Wealth status
Popularity
Political ideologies
Diseases & Ailments
Indoctrination
Family lineage

Religion
Nationality
Career
Education
Body image
Biases
Preferences
Prejudices
Media influences
Social expectations

All of these things—and many others—form attachments within the mind. Collectively, they construct a self-identity that codifies the ego. Virtually all of the attributes of the acquired mind relate to what Maslow called basic human needs.

This acquired mind then runs the show. As it does, one’s higher self remains silent and hidden within one’s psyche.

Trauma and the Divided Mind

A large component of our acquired mind that forms our sense of self is a consequence of childhood trauma.

Trauma essentially translates to emotions that get stored in our bodies. This emotional trauma causes numerous splits within our psyche that get reinforced over time.

Back in the 1930s, psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich called this phenomenon body armoring:⁵

“Armoring is the condition that results when energy is bound by muscular contraction and does not flow through the body.”

More recently, physician John E. Sarno, author of The Mindbody Prescription, and psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, have highlighted the profound role past trauma plays in our lives.

This understanding of trauma has been a core principle in Eastern systems like qigong and Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries. In fact, from their view, almost all mental and physical illnesses are psychosomatic. That is, blocked emotions lead to stagnant energy. This stagnant energy leads to imbalance and disease.

But more than that, this stagnant energy feeds the acquired mind and blocks us from our Inner Self.

The Creation of The Shadow

From the perspective of Jungian psychology, everyday trauma from childhood creates many splits within the psyche.

It causes us to repress certain attributes, qualities, and tendencies within us, leading to what Jung called the creation of the Shadow.

The shadow represents everything within us that we are presently not conscious or aware of.

As long as the psyche is split—as long as the conscious ego is divorced from one’s shadow—we cannot access the Higher Self.

For this reason, the first step in Jung’s individuation process is to get to know and integrate one’s shadow.

The Inner Critic

The beliefs, judgments, biases, and prejudices of the acquired mind create the inner critic.

This inner critic or saboteur then becomes a constant voice in our heads, leading to inner commentary about virtually everything.

In contrast, the Higher Self is nonjudgmental and unconditioned. It does not have a critical voice and only gently and wordlessly guides us.

However, when the inner critic is in the driver’s seat, the Self is drowned out by this mental commentary. (More on this topic below.)

The Acquired Mind and the Archetypes

Earlier, we explored the Taoist analogy of the Host and the Guests to illustrate the Self versus the ego.

Now, let’s revisit the analogy from the perspective of depth psychology.

Here, the guests represent archetypes, subpersonalities, or parts (IFS).

This collection of subpersonalities makes up what we call the mind, ego, or small self.

Said another way, this collection of parts within the psyche makes up the acquired mind.

As long as we’re being influenced, possessed, or driven by these archetypal forces, the Higher Self is not in charge.

This understanding is important as we turn our attention to accessing one’s Inner Self …

How to Connect to the Higher Self

There are many pathways to accessing one’s higher self. Some of these methods are temporary, while others are developmental.

Temporary methods provide a momentary higher state of consciousness that provides access to one’s Higher Self.

Developmental approaches lead to structural stages within one’s consciousness. These approaches create organization within one’s psyche over time so that the ego is no longer split. Through this process, the acquired mind gets stripped away.

This integration provides the foundation for the Self to return as the “silent commander” of one’s psyche.

Temporary Approaches to Connecting with the Self

Examples of temporary approaches to the Self are found in the performance literature.

In A Definitive Guide to Understanding Peak Experiences, we highlighted Timothy Gallwey’s distinction between Self 1 and Self 2.

Self 1 is the voice that commands and criticizes. It represents the brain (prefrontal cortex), which likes to instruct. Self 1 also represents the Inner Critic we discussed above.

Self 2 stays quiet and does the actions. It represents the subconscious mind or body and it likes to act or to be.

Techniques that reduce the “noise” of Self 1 (inner critic) help us access our Inner Self (Self 2).

Athletes, musicians, writers, and other artists access this Self by entering a flow state. Intuitively holding to the Center, they quiet the chatter of the conscious mind and allow the Self to take command.

Developmental Approaches to Accessing the Higher Self

Developmental approaches to the Inner Self require patience and conscious effort on the part of the individual.

Releasing Trauma and Emotional Issues

The first stage relates to the resolution of trauma and emotional baggage that we’ve been carrying with us from childhood.

Remember, trauma is at the core of the split within the psyche. Trauma leads to neurotic behaviors like anxiety, depression, and a great deal of our collective mental illness.

So resolving this trauma and releasing these emotional issues is an important first step. There are many different approaches including trauma release exercises, bioenergetic analysis, psychedelic psychotherapy, EMDR, and analytical psychology.

I discuss many of these methods in How to Release Repressed Emotions.

Refining and Stabilizing the Mind

There’s a good reason why all Eastern traditions and transpersonal psychology emphasize the importance of meditation.

Meditation is a means of quieting, refining, and stabilizing the mind. It helps us cultivate the Will and develop an Inner Observer.

This Inner Observer can then watch the acquired mind and begin to resolve and release layer upon layer of its prior conditioning.

This Inner Observer helps us resolve our emotional issues and unravel our societal norms, expectations, and programming.

Through inner observation and self-inquiry, we peel away all of our prior conditioning, including our belief systems and self-concepts.

That is, everything that was once part of our self-identity (acquired mind) comes under the microscope.

Integrating the Body and Mind

As we dismantle these components of our prior self-identity, we begin to reorganize our connection with the body.

Recall that early conditioning and trauma cause splits within the psyche. The primary split is the separation between the body and the mind.

This split is the result of a natural defense mechanism. The young child doesn’t yet have the consciousness to process and understand what has happened. So the mind separates from the body to protect itself from pain and suffering that it cannot process.

This separation leads to numbness in the body. It also leads us to live mostly unconscious of ourselves.

Unconscious living leads to harmful and destructive habits including overeating, drinking, drug use, technology addiction, excessive media consumption, the destruction of our life force via sex and ejaculation, and so on.

Divorced from the instinctive body and the wisdom of the Self, we are like ships without a rutter, susceptible to the whim and caprice of our environments.

Now, as we begin releasing the stored negative emotions from the past and stabilizing our minds, we can reconnect with our natural connection with the body.

By integrating the body and mind, these destructive habits and tendencies begin to naturally fall away, as do much of our old programming.

This body-mind integration brings us in closer contact with the Self.

Two Key Ways to Connect to One’s Self

Emotional issues lead to neurotic behavior. One of the most common expressions of our neurosis is moving too quickly.

Moving fast through life is such a common behavioral pattern that society considers it “normal.” However, it’s not!

So the first key is to slow down.

The more you can slow down, the easier it is to connect with one’s Inner Self.

The ego loves drama, which is why most people are addicted to stories, novels, television series, and films. Drama leads to problems and internal tensions.

In real life, drama translates to an endless stream of thoughts and continuous emotions.

When we watch drama on the screen or in real life, the ego can take a moment’s reprieve from its personal drama. It can live vicariously through the protagonist on the screen

The more you can hold to the Center, the less the ego’s drive for drama hooks you.

So the second key is to hold to the Center.

Holding to the Center helps you stabilize the mind so the Self can become more available.

How to Access the Higher Self: An Integrated Approach