In humanistic psychology Carl Rogers differentiated the actual self: the person you are now, with the ideal self: the person you want to be. This short essay will be an analysis of the ideal self and some insight into becoming your best version of you.
The Transcendent Self
In most eastern traditions, the ideal self can be likened to the transcendent self. This transcendent self is your intuitive natural state of being. The version of you after you have let go of all conventions, thoughts and feelings, free to experience the present moment in its infinite abundance. After all, the present moment is all we have, and all we ever will have, so we might as well live totally and completely in it. Put another way, the transcendent self is you when you are only paying attention what is happening right now. The present moment holds many profound insights that do not feel taught, rather remembered. This is because you are aligning again with the ideal self, letting go of who you think you are and being what you are. Pay attention to the present and the future will take care of itself. It is common for monks and yogis to say that you to not arrive at this state of being, but rather return to it once you remember who you really are.
Jesus Christ
In supposing that the bible is a book of metaphor, wisdom and stories created as a guide to lead a just life, Jesus Christ in my opinion can be compared to the perfect incarnation of a human being. If we take the western notion of God as the infinitely just and benevolent judge seriously, Jesus Christ is God in human form. A totally moral and ethical being that seeks to guide others to reach the heights of a good, meaningful life – heaven. Is this not the function of the ideal self? An intuition we have that ultimately and fairly judges what we do? It has to be fair because it is coming from within you, it is as much part of you as your body. It’s important to note that this judgement is sourced from the self’s fundamental love of itself – God is love. We all have the part of ourselves that is constantly judging what we think and do, and I believe that Jesus Christ is a metaphor for the ideal self. After all, God is within us all.
Integration
I believe the ideal self to be your fundamental driving force, the part of you that intends to guide you to reach your maximum potential. So then, what does it mean if we are not aligned with this part of ourselves? Put simply, we suffer – hell. Living in the unchangeable past usually leads to thoughts of regret or despair and living in the unpredictable future of the vast unknown delivers anxiety and nihilism. The reason for these feelings roots in unsuccessfully trying to resist the changing world. So then, the only sensible place to live in is the present moment, where you can transcend all of this and live in total peace with everything that is going on, go with the flow of it all.
Suffering with our ideal self manifests itself in another way. You suffer more the further away from the person you know you can be you are. Jesus died for our sins – the ideal self takes a hit each time you act out something that you intuitively know isn’t in alignment with your ideal state of being. This is why the further away you are the more you suffer, the more harshly you are judging yourself because you know deep in the core of your being you could be better.
So how do we overcome or transcend all of this? Firstly, we must reconnect with the present moment. Only then will you realise the impermanence of all things and organise your lives with real meaning being the priority. The present also gives us the opportunity to listen to our ideal selves and live a life based on intuition built on love. These are the things I have done in order to realign myself to living a meaningful life. I do believe in heaven and hell are not places but mindsets in which you live, you have the power to choose, choose wisely.
From the ashes, you will rise.
Liam