REDISCOVERING THE AUTHENTIC SELF

The Authentic Self is always present, and it is only our attachments that keep us from remembering who we really are…When we were born, our parents lifted us up and held us in their arms. They envisioned endless possibilities for us in their love for us. They saw the unlimited potential of our Authentic Self - the life force that could take any action in any direction that would lead to those possibilities.

~ The Five Levels of Attachment

Practicing awareness takes discipline, a strengthening of our will that allows us to remain in a state of harmony with the world around us. Many religious and spiritual traditions in the world have created a discipline that fosters this harmony, such as prayer, meditation, yoga, chanting, and dancing, among others. This knowledge is an instrument of transformation, and experiencing it is the manifestation of the Authentic Self.

I used to think that the world’s greatest masters of every tradition were the best examples of the Authentic Self. Now I realize that everyone I know and see is a personification of the Authentic Self. We are all creating, producing, learning, engaging, and loving life. We are all the personification of life; we are always the Authentic Self. We simply make the choice to see it in ourselves and others.

Practice

With awareness, remember that every person you see is a manifestation of the Authentic Self. Say to yourself: “Today, I choose to see the Authentic Self in me, and the Authentic Self in you. Today I choose to see the Realized Master in me, and the Realized Master in you.”

Living a Life of Awareness

~ Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.