The Authentic Self
OPERATING from the conditioned self takes us farther away from who we truly are and what it is we want.
Image: Darius Bashar/unsplash
Part of harnessing our power for creation involves connecting with the authentic self.
Creating a life that is fulfilling seems like a dream to most of us. Is that even a thing? Where we thrive and spend our days in spaces that inspire and nurture us. To experience the entirety of life, its important for us to be in situations that aren’t always uplifting and peaceful, we were created as multi-dimensional beings that evolve when we allow the fullness of the light and shadow aspects of life.
The issue is that we live in a society that feeds the shadow aspects of life to keep us in a sense of survival so that we are more easily manipulated. If you live in America, you need to know that it is an opperation, a business that thrives when its people are furthest from themselves, And, unfortunately this way of thinking has rippled through other areas of the world and has become a way of living the new normal.
Those that have experienced trauma also tend to live from a self that was created out of safety. In Mesoamerican tradition we call this susto, which means soul loss, a folk disease when one does not feel fully present or as if they are not truly themselves. This affects the spiritual self, the aura that surrounds us, this part of us that is most vulnerable to trauma. For more information on susto and the folk medicine used to bring about balance, visit my page Ceremony and Ritual
The authentic self has the experience of being truly present and alive. Feeling real is more than existing; it is finding a way to exist as oneself... and to have a self into which to retreat for relaxation.– Donald Winnicott
This is what has created the “conditioned self”. These stories passed down from society, from some of our ancestors, and our families. Stories of what needs to be done to survive, not thrive. Often times we don’t know who we truly are because we are so wrapped up in everyone else; society, our family, partners, friends, work…it’s important to make as much time as you can to be with yourself, to do what it is that you love.
The more time you can create to explore your likes and dislikes the louder your inner voice will become, deepening your connection to your center. These stories that we have been told, that build around us, start to fall away. The more time we spend with ourselves, learning about who WE are, we are then able to strip away at these false versions of who we have been, who we have created to please others around us.
“Your authentic self is your true identity, who you are at your core. It’s the part of you that’s not concerned with what others think. ”
When we start to operate from the center of who we are, this authentic version of ourselves, we create more environments that feel better to our systems, and it should, being that we created it from the core of who we truly are, and not from a conditioned part of us trying to please others. When we create from the conditioned self, our life often feels like a suit that just doesn’t quite fit.
It’s important to state that stepping out of versions of ourselves that aren’t who we truly are, will require; time, awareness, motivation, understanding, acceptance and often times extra support. Please don’t be afraid to ask for help from a trusted individual, maybe a therapist or healer in your community. Hopefully they can highlight the versions of yourself that you wish to feed, helping to water the seeds that you are planting in order for you to blossom.
Self-acceptance plays a key role in the uncovering process of who we truly are. A deep desire to understand and to accept the layers of conditioned self and the patterns often attached. It isn’t always easy to look deep within, it is a courageous act not many are ready for. Imagine the world we could create and live in if we all spent a little time peeling away at these outdated versions of ourselves.
There are some practices that can aid us in uncovering these, often times, hidden parts of our truest selves. Yin Yoga is one of them. In a space of stillness and restoration we witness the emergence of the quiet voice within. For more info about my private and group sessions of yin yoga, click the link below.
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
May we all be fearless on our endless pursuit of the truth within, trusting that the journey is the result and it is worth every minute.
“So that we all might have light, peace, love, consciousness and harmony.”
Con Amor,
Amanda