Secret Chief
nirvana is samsara
All is without self, so one could say the difference between the lower and higher self is the realisation of this?
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Higher and lower self.
- Thread starter Spirit of Light
- Start date
All is without self, so one could say the difference between the lower and higher self is the realisation of this?
Spirit of Light
Be who ever you want
In my understanding yes
osgart
Nothing my eye, Something for sure
I suppose if someone were truly superior then ego wouldn't be a bad thing. Superior with compassion for instance.
An angel or a God might think themselves vastly superior and yet be of greater love and justice.
A deserved ego.
The higher self must be attained to. The lower self is human error and ignorance.
Skill, or talent does not make one higher. The truth of their justice does or doesn't.
An angel or a God might think themselves vastly superior and yet be of greater love and justice.
A deserved ego.
The higher self must be attained to. The lower self is human error and ignorance.
Skill, or talent does not make one higher. The truth of their justice does or doesn't.
Spirit of Light
Be who ever you want
In my understanding higher self is realized
Similar to enlightenment
osgart
Nothing my eye, Something for sure
So to reach enlightenment one must put the work in?
Does everyone have this capacity?
Spirit of Light
Be who ever you want
It is hard work all the time yes.
In my understanding yes everyone can realize it, but it is very very difficult
Hmmm... As someone who is a materialist, I guess I'd put the concept of higher and lower self in terms of perspective.
Lower self would be the basic, instinctual, subconscious, and first hand perspective thoughts we have and our immediate concerns. It considers the subjective world we interact with directly.
Higher self would be thoughts that consider things outside of the self and remove the self from the equation. It considers others, it considers greater consequences, and it considers the inner workings for how things function in reality. It considers the objective world we can't interact with directly.
To me, lower doesn't mean lesser, and higher doesn't mean greater. They both have their place and time to be utilized. They are merely a shift in thought from ego centric to ego suspended.
Lower self would be the basic, instinctual, subconscious, and first hand perspective thoughts we have and our immediate concerns. It considers the subjective world we interact with directly.
Higher self would be thoughts that consider things outside of the self and remove the self from the equation. It considers others, it considers greater consequences, and it considers the inner workings for how things function in reality. It considers the objective world we can't interact with directly.
To me, lower doesn't mean lesser, and higher doesn't mean greater. They both have their place and time to be utilized. They are merely a shift in thought from ego centric to ego suspended.
osgart
Nothing my eye, Something for sure
So might there be the realization and the attainment? The realization might be easier then the attainment.
Spirit of Light
Be who ever you want
That i do not yet have the answer to
Sounds dangerously like the difference between ought and is.
firedragon
Veteran Member
I think this is more philosophical than scripture. Or at least the language of it.
Spirit of Light
Be who ever you want
It is a part of sufi teaching, there are many sufi texts about it.
firedragon
Veteran Member
Is it possible to give me the actual words used?
Spirit of Light
Be who ever you want
I believe i added this link to this thread yesterday. (it is not from the sufi order i am a part of, but it is sufi teaching.
Transforming the self: the essence of Sufism by Robert Frager (katinkahesselink.net)
Interesting! Lower self needs to eat. Higher self needs to fly.
I’ll just give a direct quote because I cannot say it any better.
In man there are two natures; his spiritual or higher nature and his material or lower nature. In one he approaches God, in the other he lives for the world alone. Signs of both these natures are to be found in men. In his material aspect he expresses untruth, cruelty and injustice; all these are the outcome of his lower nature. The attributes of his Divine nature are shown forth in love, mercy, kindness, truth and justice, one and all being expressions of his higher nature. Every good habit, every noble quality belongs to man's spiritual nature, whereas all his imperfections and sinful actions are born of his material nature. If a man's Divine nature dominates his human nature, we have a saint. Man has the power both to do good and to do evil; if his power for good predominates and his inclinations to do wrong are conquered, then man in truth may be called a saint. But if, on the contrary, he rejects the things of God and allows his evil passions to conquer him, then he is no better than a mere animal.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 60
PearlSeeker
Well-Known Member
(St. Theophan The Recluse: Spiritual Life)