Part 7
Higher Self: Conduit between Self and Soul
The higher self is not a new concept or idea. Many cultures, spiritual traditions, and religions recognize a higher consciousness within the self. It goes by many names—the Inner Self, the True Self, Atman, the Christ Self—and its description can vary from one culture or religion to another, but there seems to be essential agreement that this part of the self is a connection to the Divine.
There are many schools and practices whose aim is to help a person access this level of themselves. Unless it is being blocked, connecting with one’s higher self is not hard to do. It is always saying yes to the self’s deeper connection to Source. Most people already have this open connection to the higher self, some more strongly than others. It is the part of ourselves that knows it is the Light, sees the Light in others, and knows the truth. It’s a deeper knowing that does not lend itself to words.
n Soul-Centered Healing, once the unconscious signals have been established, the next step is to communicate directly to this part of the self. SCH views the higher self as a soul consciousness, separate from the conscious self, that possesses intelligence and is able to communicate. This is not an idea that easily fits with our Western culture. A person’s higher self, besides being a conduit to the soul’s light, also is able to play a very active role in his or her healing process. With its knowledge of the inner world and other realms, and its ability to communicate, the higher self will play a central role in the healing process.
Once again, though, you have to know what to ask. There are a great many things the higher self can do to assist in the healing process, but there are also things it can’t do, or won’t. It will not turn against the soul. That would be turning against itself. Unlike the conscious personality, when the soul incarnates, the higher self doesn’t forget. It knows it is part of the soul’s light.
In one of our early dialogues about the higher self, Gerod said the “the higher self is not a chooser.” If we ask the higher self to choose for us—should I take this job? Should I break off this relationship?—it won’t do it. That’s not its function. He said the conscious self is the chooser. If the higher self tells you what to choose, then you know you’re not talking to the higher self or you have asked the wrong question. The higher self will not violate the soul’s free choice. It also will not violate another soul’s free choice. We can ask it to intrude or force something on another person at a psychic level, for example, but it won’t do that.
What the higher self can do is bring Light/Love energy to those parts of the self, and into those areas of the self/soul, that have become cut off from the Light. This can include the conscious self as well. Sometimes, even the conscious person has become cut off from his or her own inner light.
Once valid communication is established with the higher self, it is asked to review the presenting complaints or symptoms. Unless it is being blocked, the higher self can usually identify whether there is an ego-state(s) involved, or an outside intrusion, an energy blockage, or whether what is happening is at a strictly physical level. The higher self is able to work in direct communication with the therapist to address these different phenomena and situations. The higher self, for example, can communicate directly with ego-states and bring them Light; it can enforce a soul boundary against intruding spirits when the self is in agreement; or it can retrieve information from the soul that may be relevant to a person’s present problems.
In Soul-Centered Healing, there is no predicting what is going to present for a person in his or her healing process. What the higher self identifies as the source of a problem, or what presents on its own during the session, is going to be unique for each person. This is always the unpredictable part. No two souls have the same story. In each person’s healing, though, the higher self will be an inner guide and active agent to help in each step of the way.