Self-perception is how we understand and identify ourselves at any given moment. It largely reflects our current state of being, which constantly changes and evolves over time. This is primarily because our state of being is influenced by our self-concept, and vice versa. Our self-concept is shaped by our most dominant beliefs.
If you believe you are an unworthy person, this belief will manifest in the external world. For example, you might feel inferior while shopping at the luxurious mall, constantly checking yourself and comparing yourself to others.
Our self-concept drives 95% of our behavior. We think the same thoughts, feel the same emotions, and take the same actions because we believe we can't be any other way. You believe you are inferior because of past experiences that reinforced this self-image. You feel inferior because you believe this is who you are. This is the difference between being and becoming.
"It is insanity to do the same things over and over again and expect different results."
When consciousness recognizes itself, unity arises. When a character perceives its existence, division arises. Being and non-being give rise to each other. We can transcend this endless cycle and find inner unity by changing our perspective.
Meditation is a way to change our self-perception in any given moment. When we meditate, we look inward and become aware of our state of being, connecting with our inner self. It's a paradox: we use mindfulness and emptiness simultaneously, giving our full attention to our being without effort.
The Power of Mental States
Our state of being is our current mental, emotional, and psychological condition. It encompasses diverse experiences, because what we perceive as real is what we experience and remember. Our state of being—feelings of happiness, sadness, joy, anger, fear, etc.—is often linked to specific past memories that shape our self-concept. We might say, "I am a happy person" or "I am a sad person," because we are internally convinced this defines who we are. Our mental states are part of a universal, constantly evolving substance.
The inner qualities of our being represent the highest form of self-identification. This encompasses our purpose, our inner calling—who we are meant to be in this world. Therefore, when we are aligned with this essence, rather than with denser forms like mind and body, we are true to ourselves. To experience oneness with our inner essence, we must first transcend the layers of mind and body. We need to experience silence to achieve alignment with a higher power, for it is in silence that we realize the truth about ourselves.
Unveiling the Layers: Physical, subtle and causal
To access our inner essence, we must first penetrate the different layers of our physical and subtle bodies. We can become conscious of our physical sensations, mental states, and energy centers; therefore, it's important to recognize that these influences are not us, but rather affect us. What we are conscious of being, and identify as ourselves, is our self-concept. Our self-concept is a holistic self-perception shaped by our past experiences and knowledge. We might say, "I AM physically ill," "I AM sad," or "I AM low in energy," because these are self-perceptions of our being. Our state of being encompasses every sensation we perceive in our body. Therefore, to discover our inner qualities, we need to delve deeper within ourselves.
Imagine a pond with waves representing the different layers of our mental states and physical sensations. When we exert mental and physical effort, we experience these waves, and our clarity is distorted. However, when we cease all mental and physical activity without resisting it, we can see through the waves to the still water beneath, and clearly perceive our true selves. We then reach the essence of our true being.
We can't resist anything in our experience because resistance to any physical sensation or mental state only ensures its persistence, obstructing our path to truth.
The Art of Effortless Attention
We possess an inner will that allows us to direct our attention. This divine will can penetrate deep within ourselves, revealing our essential inner qualities. To release resistance, we need to direct our attention to different parts of our subtle body. This involves inner attention—not looking with our physical eyes, but with our "third eye," located between our eyebrows. This energy center is responsible for our imagination, a function also overseen by our higher self. Since our will and divine will are one, focusing attention on different feelings and sensations becomes possible.
Can you focus your attention on the feelings and sensations you are aware of? Can you imagine that center of attention precisely where you feel resistance? These unpleasant sensations are part of you; you are not meant to eliminate them. However, by consciously acknowledging these sensations without resistance, you can release them. Using your imagination to direct your attention releases pressure. There is no need to possess these sensations; simply be conscious of them as consciousness, and as expressions of your higher self. This effortless attention directs focus to different bodily sensations without force.
We need to embody our higher selves when directing our attention, so that we become creators and true to our being. When we are in a state of inner knowing, we are aligned with God, and there is no perceived separation.
God's essence is the manifestation of the higher self in the inner world. We can consider our higher selves as the universal aspect of ourselves, inseparable from the source of its power and possessing almost unlimited potential. The spirit of our higher self, residing within, is the center of consciousness surrounded by the triple ocean of energy, mind, and matter. The higher the vibration, the purer the substance, and vice versa. The higher self is the purest form of ourselves, with the highest vibration and perspective. Matter, energy, and mind are simply different manifestations of the same universal substance, varying only in their degree of vibration.
The Universe Within: All is Mind
Everything in existence is a mental construct, implying that all perceived reality is a projection of consciousness. Everything we observe in our reality changes its vibratory state from energy to matter. Perception, influenced by our self-concept, is creation. We each have a share of reality that we can influence with our minds. Consciousness projects our self-concept into space, so we see ourselves reflected in the world as people, events, and situations.
We live in a holographic universe where information about the whole is encoded in each individual part and reflected in outer space. This principle proposes that our three-dimensional universe (three spatial dimensions and one of time) might be a projection from a two-dimensional surface at its boundary. The universe is fundamentally about information, not matter.
We are not merely passive observers but active participants in its creation, empowered by our imagination. What you imagine yourself to be will become your self-concept. This self-perception is reflected in outer space as mind; mind is a subtle form of matter. The space and distance between us and all material forms are illusions.
Thoughts arising from the universal substance are perceived as mental states. All self-perception is the mind. We can always locate ourselves in physical sensations, energy patterns, or mental states—all forms of the universal substance at different vibrational levels. The universal substance is the mind. The universal substance is not separate from us; the outer and inner worlds are one complete whole. When you recognize this oneness and your word as an accomplished fact, you will demonstrate the truth.
Self is not separate from character. When the self is conscious of its feelings, they constitute its character. This is a progression from being to becoming. When a person is conscious of their feelings, they identify with them as part of their self.
Exploring the state of no mind
When you realize the truth about yourself and no longer identify with your mind, you arrive at the state of no-mind. No-mind is a state of emptiness, a feminine path to Buddhahood and surrender. It is a mental state where the usual stream of thoughts and mental chatter ceases. This doesn't mean a blank mind, but rather a mind that is not fixated on any particular thought or idea. It's about being present in the moment without judgment or analysis. We suffer because we assign negative meaning to our experiences; we don't act in accordance with our true being.
We suffer because we take action towards the problem. By engaging with the perception of our reality that is based on the problem, we allow it to unfold.
All suffering arises from attachment, craving, and ignorance. Buddhahood involves overcoming these attachments and achieving liberation from suffering. These attachments are created when we perceive a dualistic nature in the outer world. We try to achieve particular outcomes, either by chasing pleasure or avoiding pain, and become attached to the feelings associated with these pursuits.
Liberation occurs when we surrender all the mind's likes and dislikes. It is the cessation of the mind, a state of silence and meditation. Introspection reveals our inner nature, and through self-meditation, we realize that this inner nature is our true self. We perceive thoughts, mental states, and physical sensations, but we do not identify with them.
Self-inquiry helps us understand what we are not before we can understand what we are. We can repeatedly ask ourselves, "Who am I?" As we move through different mental states and bodily sensations, we observe them without resistance, allowing them to pass. If it is not our true self, we need not remain attached; we can release the connection that holds us back.
Our evolution of consciousness is based on a shift in perspective and perception of ourselves in relation to our environment. When we change our self-perception and become conscious of our inner essence, this change manifests in our experience. In the state of oneness, we are united with our being.
Feeling: A Kaleidoscope of Emotions
We can embody a particular state by focusing our attention on the feeling of that desired state. Imagine state A as your current state and state B as your desired state. Our intention is to reach state B. Logically, we would need to take some action toward our intention—a movement or expansion of consciousness from state A toward state B.
Unfortunately, we cannot use logic alone to achieve our goal because we cannot use force. We cannot think like a character striving to achieve a goal; it requires no effort. We simply change our perspective by imagining the embodiment of our new state, because we already are that state.
When you think of your intention—your desired state (state B)—from the perspective of state A, you experience separation. But when you focus your attention on the feeling of state B, you experience it in the present moment. You cannot think of the state, but from the state. You must embody and experience the state, here and now.
You can place your attention on the feeling of state B using your imagination. Don't think about state B, but from the perspective of state B. Experience state B now.
We are not supposed to try or strive to reach state B through effort. Effort involves mind and body movement, meaning we're using something external to reach the truth. If you are trying to reach state B, you are not yet there, and a separation exists between you and state B. Can you imagine what state B feels like, so you can experience it now?
If you are trying to embody the spiritual element, you can’t expect that the mind and body movement would work. It is your inner conviction that you are already in alignment with state B. It is a movement of consciousness, the subject, not the object, your mind and body. You can’t move your mind and body, it is the universal substance. It is the movement of subject towards object which is your intention to embody your true self.
Cultivating perseverance
When you try to embody a certain state, you might perceive negative feelings and external circumstances that will try to lead you away from it. Don't react to external circumstances; instead, persist in faith in your state. You are persisting in the unknown. You can't see it, you can't feel it, but you have faith that it is still there.
What’s the difference between feelings and emotions?
We need to realize that feeling is not the same as emotion. A feeling is a byproduct of perceiving an emotion and assigning meaning to it.
Imagine you've just won the lottery. You're sitting in your living room, watching the numbers you picked being drawn on TV, surrounded by your closest friends. Can you envision that feeling? Can you make it feel real? Imagining winning the lottery means you're thinking from the end.
If you've just imagined it, you've successfully assigned meaning to that experience, even though it is not physically real.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
You've just won the lottery; you feel blessed. This is your current state. It's your reaction to the circumstances. Whether your higher self—the part of you that governs your imagination—assigns positive or negative meaning, you'll feel it intensely. In this case, you feel blessed; in others, it might be a disaster. You can imagine things without your higher self's help, but those imaginings won't manifest in reality.
Imagination helps to release any resistance we feel in order to change our self-concept. You probably don't believe you could ever win the lottery because you feel resistant to the idea. You don’t feel like a person that can win a lottery. This is what resistance feels like. We don’t believe that we could ever win a lottery. Once you imagine it as real and justify it with your intellect, it will unfold in your reality.
"It is not your will, but your higher self's will."
What you experience is God's will. Your state of consciousness is how you imagine something to feel, allowing you to experience it. What you imagine yourself to be, you will become.
Emotions are merely bodily sensations without inherent meaning—the meaning is assigned by us. "E-motion," literally energy in motion, can become mind in action, originating from the creative source of all. We perceive an emotion and assign a meaning to it—a thought. This is the creative process of our being, resulting in expansion or contraction, always aligned with our intention. We intend to expand when we are one with the will of God, and we intend to contract when we feel separate from the source.
This energy can manifest when we perceive separation from others. We might feel anger toward others or fear of a certain event, sometimes intensely. We need to let go of these mental states.