We need to understand the process of realizing our true selves. This occurs when we achieve inner knowing and the unity of mind and heart, and when our conscious and subconscious selves work together, allowing us to clearly perceive our true nature.
We will realize that we are not creating anything; our true self already exists. We are simply shifting our perspective by realizing our true self from within. Once realized, we naturally act authentically because it becomes our nature. We simply are who we are meant to be. We don't need external validation. Our faith and inner knowing in our true self, not some specific outcome, is what matters.
The process of self-realization—whether marked by inner knowing or inner conflict and resistance—begins with the perception of an external event.
Our reaction to this event creates an emotional charge, to which we assign meaning, labeling it as good or bad. This creates a feeling that constitutes our state of being. By purposefully and repeatedly experiencing this state, we develop a sense of inner knowing: "I AM THAT."
Responding to the challenge: Our plan of action
Inner knowing arises when our self-concept aligns with our being. Conversely, inner resistance stems from our reaction to external stimuli that our being resists. Perception is creation. Before we perceive reality through our senses, it's first evaluated by consciousness and our higher selves. The problem isn't the situation; it's our attitude toward it. We allow negative situations to unfold through our attitude.
Whatever we perceive as true becomes reality, unfolding according to a divine order. Our perception allows the universal substance to manifest. We experience repeating patterns until we realize this truth: "Our attitude toward the world is reflected in our environment." To stop experiencing these patterns, change your attitude. If a negative event occurs, it's likely to repeat if you react to it with a negative attitude. This will perpetuate the pattern.
Imagine someone is rude to you while driving. If you react negatively—yelling or swearing—similar situations will recur until you change your attitude and stop reacting to external circumstances.
Our self-perception is shaped by our external environment. Consciousness constantly provides impressions of our environment, people, and situations, influencing our self-perception. We perceive ourselves within these perceptions, revealing who we truly are. We never perceive ourselves as separate entities but always in relation to something—the subject is always in relation to the object.
When you perceive others gossiping, your self-perception might feel inferior because you perceive them as separate. You've entered your ego, identifying with a character needing to prove worthiness. To break free, change your attitude. Treat them as you would treat yourself. Ignore their gossip; ceasing to react will eliminate the behavior. The problem lies in engaging your ego-mind. When you're not one with everything, you perceive yourself as an outsider, not following the Law of One.
Perceive yourself as a spiritual element; you'll experience oneness. There will be no perceived separation between mind, body, and spirit. From this perspective, in a state of inner knowing, you'll be true to yourself and aligned with the divine.
We then realize an essential aspect of our true self, which already exists; it's not created but realized from within. Living, observing, and experiencing life lead to this realization.
Mapping the mind: A look at its developmental stages
Having understood the elements that constitute our true self, we can now examine each stage of the process individually.
There is no mind in man, but we are influenced by our minds as we go through different stages of life.
During this process, we refer to each aspect of ourselves as "ours." While these aspects are not our true selves, they influence us at every step. This is because we must first observe them before we can disidentify with our mental processes and the sense of a separate "doer" of our actions. We need to recognize that we are merely observers of our actions and the narratives we create; we are not our ego, mind, or body.
Knowing what we are not allows us to disidentify with our mental processes and ultimately attain a state of no-mind.
When examining each aspect of ourselves, we must honestly assess it for what it is. Always ask yourself, "Am I responsible for this aspect?" Let's begin with our perception of unfolding events in the present moment.
Imagine you are walking down the street and perceive people as staring at you. You become self-conscious and nervous, feeling separated from others because you identify with a sense of inferiority. You've engaged your ego, assigning it a negative meaning. Feeling inferior, you project this inferiority onto the world, believing people are staring because of it.
Imagination
We perceive or imagine things and insights that we intuitively believe to be real. Imagination helps us transcend our three-dimensional reality and the limitations of our five senses. We believe we perceive the external world through our senses, but this perception is first processed by our consciousness and a higher aspect of self that governs our imagination. Our imagination interprets events based on our present self.
Truth cannot be created, but only perceived based on our self-identification. We cannot change events in our three-dimensional world because they are already materialized. We can only change our self-identification.
Intellect
Our ego is not the same as our intellect. The ego is a protective mechanism and a sense of self, especially self-importance. Our intellect is a conscious faculty that can direct our attention, set intentions, and evaluate our empowering and disempowering thoughts and mental images. This means we can express our attitudes and react to these thoughts.
When we identify and react to these thoughts, stories, or mental images, we relinquish our power. We are then more likely to experience similar events in the future that are associated with this experience. We can use our discernment to evaluate empowering and disempowering thoughts that arise from the universal substance and our higher selves. We need to perceive all thoughts, give them our attention, and then let them go without reacting or exerting any effort. We need to see them for what they are so that these patterns we normally resist can be released.
Emotions
When we react to these thoughts or mental images, we increase our emotional charge. Emotion, in other words, is energy in motion. It's a bodily sensation with no inherent meaning—we give it meaning. We are inherently emotional beings, often perceiving these emotions as good or bad, and basing our perception of reality on that judgment. We give them meaning; we give them a thought. When we label an emotion, we give it power within our dualistic world.
Thoughts
All thoughts vibrate eternally within the universal substance. Thoughts are universally, not individually, rooted. We are not our minds; thoughts are merely borrowed from the great database of the universal substance and a higher aspect of ourselves. Thoughts originating from the universal substance can also be perceived as mental states. We are conscious of those thoughts we connect with based on our self-concept. The continued focus on those thoughts expands their influence.
Ego-mind
When we focus on a particular line of thought, our ego creates a story based on our past identity. The ego isn't a physical entity; it's a construct that generates narratives. It highlights past failures, perceived shortcomings, and limitations. It's a sense of self, often characterized by self-importance. It thrives on certainty and familiarity. If you attempt something new that feels unsafe or unfamiliar, the ego will quickly steer you back toward established patterns of behavior.
Once you find your inner center, create a gap of no-mind: a state of high alertness without thinking. Unaffected by external circumstances or inner worries, you remain present within yourself. When you transcend time—past and future—you are left with the eternal now, God's essence.
State of being
Our self-identification determines our feelings. Our state of being is who we are and dictates how we feel at any given moment. Continuously and repeatedly inhabiting a particular state cultivates an inner knowing of our true self.
We might experience happiness due to external circumstances until we recognize it as an inherent part of our being. Conversely, identifying with our ego can lead to feelings of guilt.
Inner Resistance
Inner conflict arises when the mind and heart clash. This happens when we resist our experiences, worry about future outcomes, or deny our reality. We inflate our sense of self-importance, prioritizing a person, thing, or event excessively. This increased energy then requires a balancing, a restoration of divine order. Otherwise, the worst possible outcome may manifest as we are shifted to the opposite energetic spectrum.
When we're conscious of something unpleasant in our experience, we resist the present moment, specifically the feelings associated with it. We often try to change or escape our external circumstances while unconsciously resisting our inner feelings—the essential part of ourselves.
Imagine an important meeting; you're on your way, but it suddenly begins to rain, and you have no umbrella. Resisting the experience by attempting to change it—for example, running to avoid getting wet—only increases your sense of self-importance.
Worry
When we are conscious of a future event, we often worry about its outcome. We worry about what we don't want. We are attached to the desired outcome and expect a specific result, believing ourselves separate from others.
Imagine you have important test results coming. You worry about the results: "What if I fail?" This creates a separation between you and a positive outcome. You are focusing on the negative.
Fear
When we fear future outcomes, we often try to control the situation by preventing what we fear. We want a positive outcome but paradoxically prepare for the negative. In this case, the unwanted outcome may come true because we are vibrationally aligned with it.
Imagine you're going on a trip; you don't know the destination or duration. So you decide to prepare: "What if there's no food or drink? I'd better eat and drink more beforehand." In this way, you're preparing to be bloated, and you are therefore aligned with that outcome.
Denial
When we're conscious of a problem we dislike, we tend to pretend by denying our feelings and experiences. We resist these feelings and experiences, which will prevail because they're stuck in our unconscious and want to be brought to light. That's why they're often reflected in the outer world and our experiences as repeating patterns.
Imagine you're at a party and see people you know from your past. You decide to ignore them because you're ashamed of your past. You're only denying a part of yourself and the feelings attached to it. The same experience will likely happen again because this part of yourself wants conscious awareness. Whatever you resist persists.
We can find more examples of the states of our ego.
The Mind-Body Connection
The mind-body connection is the process by which a felt experience is validated by the intellect and integrated into one's self-concept. This self-concept is then reflected in one's environment through the people, events, and situations one experiences. This represents a shift from being to becoming.
Imagine you are conscious of your swollen legs. You have suffered pain in these legs before, and you need to do something to prevent it from happening again. You are going to elevate your legs, apply cream, and avoid physical exercise to protect them because you are worried.
You are resisting the pain. You are attached to it. You worry about your swollen legs and try to prevent the pain; in doing so, you are preparing for what you don't want. You are preparing for the pain. This increases the energy of your state (feeling) and creates a vibrational alignment with the pain. You and your emotional state are aligned with the pain. Your self-perception is that you are feeling the pain, which will manifest as actual pain.
To release this energy, don't deny the pain, but acknowledge it for what it is. Don't resist anything and stop being afraid of your legs. Take only necessary actions and stop preparing for what you don't want by increasing the energy of your emotional state. Don't take action directed at the problem.
Imagine you were restless in the cafe after sitting there for a while. Past similar experiences brought back uncomfortable memories and associations. You worried about being judged by others and missing your train. You felt judged and uncomfortable, trying to escape both the experience and the feelings it evoked.
Stop abandoning parts of yourself. Look at the situation truthfully: you feel judged, and this feeling is shaping your experience. The shift is from feeling judged and uncomfortable to being judged and uncomfortable. At this point, don't react to the feeling of being judged and uncomfortable, but don't resist the experience either. See it clearly and truthfully for what it is.