Who Am I? The Ego Or The Higher Self?

(Photo credit)
“Who am I?” is one of the most popular article on this blog. That article has a lot to do with soul shifting, and in this new article, I’d like to discuss this fundamental issue of our existence by focusing on the ego and the Higher Self.

We exist on two completely different levels, or as two beings, the ego and the Higher Self. This split and identifying with the ego rather than the Higher Self is the cause of troubles and pains in life.

Definition of the ego

Ego is your form identity. By definition, forms appear to be separate from one another, so your ego thinks you are a separate being in this world. Therefore, your ego is invested in your survival. It does everything it can possibly conceive to make sure you survive in this seemingly wide cruel world.

The main tool the ego uses for this objective is thinking. In fact, the ego is so much about thinking that 99% of the time you are thinking, I can safely assume it’s your ego thinking. (The remaining 1% or so is when you are actively solving specific problems, such as when you are working on a math test.)

Thinking isn’t bad by itself, but when the ego uses it in its signature obsessive manner, it is no good. When it’s extremely obsessive, we call it “worrying” “obsessing” or “paranoid”, but really, most of us are addicted to compulsive thinking.

Think of your ego as a little creature who is scared of just about everything. So the ego is always on the defense and thinks, thinks, and thinks . . .

Oh, and the ego also likes temporary pleasures. Of course — who can just go on and on worrying without the occasional relief of a pleasure? The ego is greedy for a reason.

The ego also likes competition and argument. Or, more accurately, the ego sees everyone else as competitor and every conversation as argument.

Your Higher Self

Whether you have ever thought of it or not (here is the word “thought” again — that’s the ego talking), you also exist as your Higher Self.

In this context, I am using the word “Higher Self” as pretty much the same as spirit or soul. Your Higher Self is the formless part of you (but not your mind — mind is formless by itself but is attached to the form), and therefore is interconnected with all other existences and one with God, or the Source.

Your Higher Self is not concerned about your survival. Your Higher Self survives the death of your current body and has already seen many such transformations. So your Higher Self has a completely different purpose.

Your Higher Self is a wise and powerful creator. Your Higher Self knows so much better than all the knowledge and reasonings your ego can gather.

Two worlds

Where is this formless world where our Higher Selves live? Behind the world of forms we are used to see. It’s not somewhere in the sky, really, it’s a dimension that is connected to this world.

I want to make a point that the world of forms is not inferior to the formless world. Look out the window and notice how beautiful this physical world is. We incarnated to experience this world of forms. It is a wonderful place to pass by.

The ancient Indians taught that the four elements (earth, water, fire, air) that make up everything in this universe all come from one ultimate element, Akasha, and eventually return to Akasha. Akasha is the primordial element that is formless and cannot be detected by our senses. In other words, this physical world rises from the formless and returns to the formless. Yet, the manifestation is a joy and is meaningful.

Likewise, let’s not make the ego our enemy. That’s what many people do, as I wrote in this article about releasing negativity. No need — rather, we just dis-identify with the ego and live as the Higher Self more.

How to tell the ego from Higher Self

So the golden questions are:

• How do you tell your ego from your Higher Self?
• When you want something, how can you tell if it’s your ego’s desire or your Higher Self’s wish?
• How do you release your lifelong identification with the ego?

If you know the answers to these questions, the Garden of Eden is your playground. You shall live in child-like bliss there. The Law of Attraction works for you without fail.

The trouble is, as soon as we start thinking about these questions, it’s very likely your ego kicks in, and from there, it’s all about ego’ s playing with words and logics. Your Higher Self knows your ego (it knows everything) but your ego doesn’t know your Higher Self, so this thinking by the ego about itself and the Higher Self (which it has no idea, really) is futile.

The answers to these questions can only be received intuitively. Meditation is helpful.

However, my spirit guides and I have been working on a step-by-step approach for those of you who are more left-brained or for those times when your intuition seems to be working on the low. It doesn’t replaces intuition, but it can supplement the working of intuition by giving some structure.

I’ll write about these steps in the next article.

Related post: Motivation vs Inspiration (Motivation is about the ego and inspiration is about the Higher Self)

What Do Ascension and Clearing Clutter Have in Common?

This is a guest post by Tisha Morris.  She is a certified life coach, feng shui consultant, energy healer, and author of 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home.  For more information, you can visit her website and blog at www.mindbodyom.com.

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If you’ve found yourself ravenously cleaning stuff out of your home lately, you’re not alone.  There has been an increasingly popular trend of clearing clutter – from closets, basements, and drawers to entire rooms or even homes altogether.   For many people, this urge is so pronounced and unlike anything ever experienced before and perhaps even confusing.

So what is going on?

You don’t have to be psychic or even extra-sensitive to notice that the world is changing.  We, along with Planet Earth, have been undergoing a fast track evolutionary process, oftentimes referred to as “ascension.”  Inherent in this process is a letting go of the old in order to make room for the new.  Put another way, as the vibration of the Planet raises, lower vibrations must fall away.

What does this have to do with the stuff in your closet?

All of the stuff that we accumulated over the last couple of decades just doesn’t feel good anymore.  Stuff feels like a big weight.  Why?  Because it is.  Things hold an energetic density that is no longer a match for the frequency or vibration under which we are currently living.  As we evolve, we become less and less dense as different vibrations cannot co-exist. And just as many people lose energetic density in their body and mind through bodywork or healing modalities, the emotional density in our homes must also be released.

Matter is the highest form of density.   Whereas, energy before it manifests into a physical form is a lighter density, but still some level of density.   For example, a kidney stone would be emotional energy like anger that has manifested into a physical form.   As we evolve, we purge this density on the physical, emotional, and mental levels.  And, our home, which is an extension and reflection of ourself, needs to as well.

Another reason we are having the urge to purge stuff is because we simply no longer need things to fill a void like we once did.  In other words, we are healing to where we no longer need our old crutches.  And for some of us, accumulating stuff was at one time equivalent to an addiction – but harder to recognize as it was often affirmed by family, friends, media, and economic policies.

It is no coincidence that foreclosure phenomenon is occurring at this time as well.  It is a bigger picture example of a clearing or purging of the old.  For example, more foreclosed homes are being purchased by investors, who in turn clear out trash that has been left, make improvements, and either rent or flip the properties. The former owners in effect go through a purge as well, albeit involuntary.

In an even bigger picture, Planet Earth is doing the same thing through earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, and tornadoes.

What Does This Mean For You?

If you have the urge or even an inkling of a thought to clear clutter, then by all means do it.  For some of us, it is very natural and habitual to clear things out.  For example, you may be one who automatically gets rid of an item when you buy something new.  For others, however, it may not be so easy.  Clearing clutter can bring up a lot of emotion.  In my book, 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home, I provide a 4-Step process to clear clutter in order to not be overwhelmed by the process.  I also address some of the areas in which people tend to get hung up on, such as unwanted gifts or “just in case” items.

How Clearing Clutter Will Benefit You

Once you start the process of decluttering, you will quickly notice the benefits.  Many people can feel an immediate physical difference, including an ease of breath or increase in energy.  (Notice how your breath changes after you clear something out).   This is all part of a return of living close and in harmony with the Earth.  In fact, you may notice that you are more drawn to purchase items that are organic, made of natural fibers, or artisan-made.

As you clean stuff out of your home, you are assisting in an important and necessary part of your spiritual growth, which is paramount to your physical and emotional well-being.  You may even notice some resistance well up along the way.  Be conscious and notice what the resistance is.

As you clean out your basement or storage areas, you are cleaning out your subconscious mind. In other words, you are bringing things from the subconscious to the conscious mind in order to effectively deal with it.  Prior to that, things were stuffed in the basement, just like in the body, to avoid dealing with it or even having to see it.

What about closets?  This is where we stuff things we don’t want others to see, perhaps including ourselves.  As we clean out our closet, we are all “coming out of the closet” in some aspect. In your own unique way, it is allowing you to live more authentically.   This again is a letting go or purging of anything dense, such as lies, fronts, and fakes.  Even with regards to your clothing closet, perhaps there are clothes that no longer seem to fit who you are anymore.

We are all evolving to our highest vibration and most authentic selves, which is love.  So, when you get the urge to purge your home, go with it.  As each of us purge our own corner of the world, we are contributing to the evolution of the entire planet.

For more information on clearing clutter or implementing feng shui techniques, you can visit my website at www.mindbodyom.com or refer to my book, 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home.

What Do You Create If You Are Totally Free?

Hi, I know I haven’t been posting for a while, which is quite unusual. As you can see in the Archive, I’ve been posting at least once a week for more than two years.

I have been in a strange place — not physically, but energetically. It was like caught in an air pocket. Nothing was holding me down really. I was completely free to go anywhere. Yet I had no idea where to go or what to do. Life felt like unreal, as if watching a movie.

Have you had this experience? I think more and more people are getting caught in this strange air pocket as the Ascension progresses.

Before, we created out of need

Life is about creation. We incarnate in this physical world to create freely and joyously so that we may experience love and abundance in a tangible way. We create relationships, home, work, arts — even new lives.

The thing is that, so far, we usually created out of need or habit. We felt insecure by ourselves so we created relationships. The world felt harsh and even dangerous so we created safe and comfortable homes. We had to make our living so we created businesses and jobs.

Something is changing for some people. We are getting into a place where we don’t have particular needs.

I don’t mean I have tons of saving that I don’t need to work. But I know money comes along when I need it. Likewise, I am single, but I feel safe and secure by myself. In short, I am already content.

So what do you do when you don’t have needs?

We can still create. In fact, this is the best place to create from. It’s so much easier to start a new project when we don’t have to worry so much about money and other restrictions. And we know we have the best relationships and friendships when we are happy with ourselves.

But it does feel — strange. It’s new. There is no “drive”. It’s so easy to get lazy and sit where I am. In other words, I was getting a serious question from the Universe, “Okay, so what do you do when you don’t HAVE TO do anything? What do you CHOOSE to create? You are completely free to choose, you know.”

Have you asked these questions to yourself before? Try it. You may find a new aspect of yourself.

So here is my new creation. . .

After some lazy and at the same time tormenting time (the latter is totally self-inflicted), I decided to start a new blog. Well, actually two. I am starting a bilingual blog, one in English and one is Japanese, both about Akashic Records and related topics such as Spirit Guides, reincarnation, chakras, and more.

I am not quitting this blog Real Life Spirituality. This is where I discuss spirituality in the bigger context, such as spirituality in business and entrepreneurship, spiritual healing, and how I am doing personally in my spiritual and personal growth. I may be posting less often, but I promise I will post, so please don’t unsubscribe!

The blog at Akashic Record Reading, on the other hand, will be focused on Akashic Records. There may be some over-wrap with what I have written here, but plenty of new contents are coming, too.

For me, this is a fun experiment. I will be posting basically the same content in English and Japanese. Will the comments be different? I guess so. Depending on readers’ feedback, the introduction of each post will have to be different between the English and Japanese blogs. How will each grow up to be?

If you read Japanese or know someone who does, here is the link for the Japanese blog. (And while you are at it, please click on the button at the end of the post that has the red R. It helps to spread the news of this new blog. Thank you.)

This is also my attempt to nurture my root more. I’ve been in the US since 1995, and although English is my second language, it is my primary language now. I haven’t been writing nor reading Japanese for a long time. Will my brain produce something more interesting if I stimulate it with my first language?

We still have a long way to go in Ascension

We are so used to the “creation out of need” mode. It’s a lot easier — well, at least it feels easier — to create when we have needs. This is why people with particular needs, such as needs to care for small children or sick family members, become surprisingly strong.

That’s fine, but we do want to learn to motivate ourselves. To create just because.

Welcome to the world of no polarities. (Photo credit)

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