The Higher Self
Beliefs about the inner self follow a similar pattern whatever part of the world they come from. In ancient Egypt, for example, the inner self was known as ‘ka’ or life force and the immortal spirit of man. This ‘karest’ eventually became the root meaning of the word ‘Christ’.
The inner self also has many names including the higher self, true self and essential self. Throughout this book these terms are used interchangeably and mean the same thing - the belief that our physical body’s purpose is to gain vital experience in order for us to learn and evolve.
This bodily experience can happen repeatedly and follows the cycle of rebirth and reincarnation. Our spirits will continue to be reborn until the necessary spiritual lessons have been learnt, thus enabling us to unite with our higher selves and the Universal All. Material existence and physical experience have a vital purpose, one that allows us to gain knowledge, self-awareness and evolve through stages of ever-increasing spiritual enlightenment. This is the point of our ‘being’ and the purpose of living on the earthly plane in the first place.
Ancient teachings show that the personality comprises three things:
- The physical (biochemical and life force)
- The astral (emotional)
- The mental (the right brain intuitive and the left brain analytical)
The Trinity is also the union between the Universal All, humanity and the inner self. Our journey towards enlightenment and connection to our higher selves necessitates the transformation of these three facets by spiritual means. In Sanskrit teachings, for instance, the higher self is defined as ‘the divine aspect in the sevenfold constitution of man; his highest principle’.
Conversely, disconnection with the true self can have negative consequences. This separation can cause illness and depression interrupting the flow of energy. Using the Tarot cards correctly strengthens our connection with the universe, reinforcing our bond with the Source Spirit and realigning the flow of energy. This has many physical and emotional benefits; that is just on the material level, but worth noting nonetheless.
Unfortunately, we live in a world where being disassociated with our spiritual form is all to commonplace. We consider the material of more worth because it is easier to understand, has physical presence and is visible (even though the physical world is made of pure energy at the sub atomic level). As we become less and less sensitive to nature, we depend on organized religions whose sole purpose is to help us contact the divine, an ability that is contained innately within all of us. Furthermore, not everybody is interested in the divine or metaphysical. This simply tells us that they are on a different spiritual level, and as their lives and experiences evolve, there is always the chance that they too will become more receptive to such things. That is their path, and for the rest of us we will continue to seek self-knowledge and to develop not only our minds and bodies, but also our spirits…
The inner self sees everything. Being always with us, and part of us, it connects us to everything else. Through it we can not only communicate with the collective consciousness, which stores the timeless knowledge of all earthly experience throughout history, but also with the Divine Spirit, the very source of life itself. Our bodies might change with age but the inner self does not. Time is a concept invented by man, but the spirit is not constrained by such principles. It is beyond past, present and future. It encompasses each person’s experiences and lessons throughout all our lifetimes and is aware of which paths to follow to gain enlightenment. It will always help us once we ask…
Mat 7:7 Ask and it shall be given you;
Seek and ye shall find;
Knock and it shall be opened unto you:
Remember that the higher self, by its very nature, has gained enlightenment and it will help us achieve the same. With regular Tarot readings, we make contact with the higher self and the cards can give us an overview of what is happening in our lives in the material everyday sense. We can then analyse the situation, see any hidden themes that we have missed and then act on them accordingly. In this way, the Tarot will help you through difficulties and guide you on your path of self-development. It will lend focus and give you encouragement as you mature spiritually, ultimately freeing you from negativity and bringing more happiness into your life. Many people use the Tarot to unlock their true potential and hidden talents as well as aid them in making everyday choices.
Whilst the Tarot guides us as to why things happen, it also warns us of possible problems. It is important not to fear the obstacles, as they are also essential to our development as we journey towards spiritual understanding. Thus, we continue to evolve along life’s path, and we can be confident in facing whatever problem that comes along and solving the situation with forewarned advice. Then we simply move on to the next lesson.
“The Tarot embodies symbolical presentations of universal ideas, behind which lie all the implicits of the human mind, and it is in this sense that they contain secret doctrine, which is the realisation by the few of truths embedded in the consciousness of all, though they have not passed into express recognition by ordinary men. The theory is that this doctrine has always existed – that is to say, had been excogitated in the consciousness of an elect minority; that it has been perpetuated in secrecy from one to another and has been recorded in secret literatures, like those of Alchemy and Kabbalism; and behind the Secret Doctrine it is held that there is an experience or practice by which the Doctrine is justified.”
- AE Waite (Creator of the Waite-Colman Smith Tarot Cards)
