Self-Realization means realizing Self, or knowing who we really are, our true Self.
Self-Realization means knowing what is ultimately real and what is ultimately false, and therefore seeing what is real as real and what is false as false. The result is clarity and Peace of Mind.
The opposite of Self-Realization is ignorance.
Ignorance means not realizing Self, or not knowing who we really are.
Ignorance means not knowing what is ultimately real and what is ultimately false, and therefore seeing what is real as false and what is false as real. The result is confusion and suffering.
That which is real, exists in its own right. It does not come and go and never changes. That which is false, does not exist in its own right. It does come and go and forever changes.
Therefore, Self-Realization is simply realizing what is real, what exists in its own right, what does not come and go, what never changes, i.e. our true Self.
Self-Realization – Which Self?
One of the best ways of illustrating who we are is the iceberg model. It describes all the relevant parts of ourselves (our “Selves”). Imagine an iceberg. The largest part, which cannot be seen, underwater. The smallest part, which can be seen, above the water. And for decoration, also imagine a flag on top. These are the three main parts that make up ourselves.
The fictional self is that part of ourselves that can be experienced with the mind. It is our selfimage, or ego.
The phenomenal Self is that part of ourselves that can be experienced with the physical senses. It is our physical body, our emotions and personality.
The absolute SELF is that part of ourselves that sustains both the phenomenal Self and the fictional self. It exists prior to the phenomenal Self and the fictional self. Therefore, it cannot be experienced with the mind or the physical senses. And so, to the mind and the physical senses, the absolute SELF does not exist.
However, the absolute SELF is that part of ourselves that is always there, that does not come and go, be it in waking state, dream state or deep sleep. It exists in its own right. In that sense, only the absolute SELF, which is our true Self, is real.
The fictional self and the phenomenal Self both come and go and don’t exist in their own right. Therefore, they are not real. They are both false.
Retracing Our Steps
The moment we are born, the absolute SELF (true Self) is our most natural perspective. And as time goes by, we slowly settle into the perspective of the phenomenal Self (body). At this point, life is a joy.
In the process of socialization, eventually the fictional self (ego) appears. That usually happens at around age two, when we start identifying with our name.
Later, as teenagers, the perspective of the fictional self becomes of primary importance. And by the time we have become adults, it has become our main perspective through which we see and interact with the world.
By that time, the perspective of the absolute SELF has been gradually forgotten and is practically unavailable.
As we move further into adulthood, the perspective of the phenomenal self is gradually forgotten as well. The result: most adults live in their heads, stuck in the perspective of the fictional self.
This is the time when we feel disconnected from the world and ourselves, when life becomes a burden instead of a joy. And that is because we are now fully identified with what is false instead of with what is real.
The only solution to this is Self-Realization. We have to see things in the right perspective again, reconnect with our true Self, stop indentifying exclusively with the fictional and phenomenal selves. In short: we have to retrace our steps. Then life becomes a joy again.
More on how to retrace your steps in the Personal Course, Level 5.
Law of Attraction vs. Law of Assertion
The Law of Attraction and the Law of Assertion are both attempts of making sense of life experience.
Law of Attraction assumes that we create our own life experience based on who we are and not based on what we do, our state of being and not our actions. Here the focus is on allowing things to happen instead of making things happen.
Law of Assertion assumes the opposite, that we create our own life experience based on what we do and not based on who we are, our actions and not our state of being. Here the focus is on making things happen instead of allowing things to happen.
Both approaches to life give results. But the difference in experience is huge. The first approach is the natural and therefore easy way of going about life. The second approach is the unnatural and therefore hard way of going about life.
Most people operate under the assumption of Law of Assertion being the Universal Law. Very few people operate under the assumption of Law of Attraction being the Universal Law. And so, only a tiny minority manage to live a life in comfort, ease and flow, while the vast majority struggle and don’t seem to get anywhere.
That is because the Law of Assertion doesn’t actually exist. In reality, there is only Law of Attraction.
Which means, most people are operating under a false premise. It is as if they are taking part in a game without knowing the rules of the game. And so the entire game becomes a hit-and-miss affair, i.e. it doesn’t make sense and it’s not fun either.
At NNC International we will consider both equally. Because that is the key to having the best of both worlds.
More on Law of Attraction in the Personal Course, Level 2.
