Ego or Higher Self: Whos Behind Your Decisions?

When you make a decision, you hope it is ultimately one that supports your highest interests and that leads you toward greater joy, so it is important to consider what part of you is offering you your options, so you can make your choice based on sound advice and come to a conclusion that takes you in the direction you want to go! There are two primary sources of input in any such decision-making process: your "Higher Self" and your ego.

Your Higher Self operates from the place of all knowing, because it is perfectly interfaced with Source, the font of wisdom and repository of all knowledge. Your ego, however, operates from finite information, gathering its data from the world it can observe and measure-it doesn't have access to the repository of all knowledge because it is a maverick entity who has chosen to be separate, and operate without full interface with Source.

Your Higher Self always has your role as an integral part of the Whole of Creation in mind, and guides you to your highest possibilities based on that. Your ego sees you as a stand-alone entity and thus sees everything in those terms. Because you truly are fully woven into the fabric of Creation, anything that affects you affects everything else, and anything that affects everything else, affects you. Your Higher Self also has the advantage of not being time-bound-it can see the past, present and future all at once. Your ego can only remember the past and guess about the future. When you're making a decision that you want to serve you going forward, being advised by an entity that can see the future is a distinct advantage!

The decisions your Higher Self steers you toward are always going to lead you in the direction of more Love, greater harmony, authentic ease, and true joy. Though the ego promises these desirable things, it simply cannot deliver them. It is not equipped to. It is important to recognize that your ego is the puppet of the reptilian brain, the reactive don't-think-just-do-it part of you that is in charge of physical survival. It doesn't need a long view-its job is to protect your physical body at the moment of threat. The ego, as the psychological overlay for the reptilian brain, is equally short-sighted, territorial, greedy, fearful, and status-motivated, though it masquerades as being able to offer you all that your Higher Self does. If authentic ease, joy, harmony and Love are what you would like to move toward, gravitating to the beckoning of the fearful ego will not get you there!

So how do you differentiate between these two sources of input as you contemplate a decision? Pay attention to your thoughts. If they are fear-motivated, it's your ego. If they are greedy, it's your ego. If they are status-oriented, its your ego. If they are territorial, it's your ego. But if they are fearless, expansive, generous, compassionate, inclusive and harmonious, they are Higher Self-driven.

An example: Let's say you are making a career choice, and you have the chance to take a job where you can do what you truly love and make a moderate salary; and you have another opportunity to do something you are pretty good at (but don't particularly like), and make a huge salary, which appeals to you because you'd like to buy a fancy house and you need the money to fund your retirement. Your short-sighted, survival-oriented ego mind will be lobbying for the big salary, not-very-enjoyable job. Your Higher Self will likely be prompting you toward the job you would love doing, but with a lower salary. Is this because your Higher Self is just a sentimental, impractical softy as your ego may want you to believe? No. Your Higher Self can see things that the ego cannot. All kinds of things could be wrong with the ego's choice, because the ego can't see past the immediate lure of status and security. But the Higher Self is not deceived by appearances, and can steer you in the direction of what is smartest for you over all, and what will lead you toward the greatest joy, ease, and harmony. Besides, doing what you love may just lead to an opportunity to make even more money than you could in the other job, and even if not, it will most definitely offer you the deep fulfillment that only being aligned with your purpose can. The Higher Self would know that-the ego would not.

Wouldn't you rather have an advisor that is all-wise, with your highest interests in mind, than one that is reactive, misguided, short-sighted, and without a clue what's right for you in the big picture? Your Higher Self is the one to turn to when there's a decision to be made.

©2005 Julia Rogers Hamrick

Julia Rogers Hamrick has been a spiritual-growth facilitator for over two decades, and is the author of Recreating Eden: The Exquisitely Simple, Divinely Ordained Plan for Transforming Your Life and Your Planet. Julia writes about and leads seminars on Spirit, ego, proactive joy, and the relationship between frequency and experience. For more information on Julia and on recreating Eden, visit http://www.recreating-eden.com To read about Julia's own dance with Spirit, ego, and frequency, read Julia's blog, accessible from her website.

---

You Cant Direct the Wind but You Can Adjust the Sails

Dear Friend,First of all, let's take a look at the... Read More

Anamcara - The Blessing of Love

â??The snow goose need not bathe to make its self... Read More

A Magnificent Obsession Is The Best Medicine!

The idea I'm about to share with you can bring... Read More

Transformational Counseling - Part Two

Once one becomes present to his or her self-limiting belief,... Read More

Breaking News: The Answer May Not Be In The Infomercial Financial Course

The other night, leg cramps kept me up at night... Read More

Awaken The Genie Within

Ancient lore tells us that there's a magical genie who... Read More

Listening Is As Important As Speaking

While engaging in conversations with friends and co-workers, how often... Read More

Attraction Tools for Success: Manifesting Your Intentions

There are several books now that discuss the power of... Read More

Embrace Change

Last Sunday I was sitting in on a class we... Read More

Why Doesnt This Manifesting Thing Work for Me?

You've written out your goals. You read them every day.... Read More

How To Put An End To Rejection

Rejection is one of the most painful experiences in relationships.... Read More

The Metrosexual Male vs. The Cowboy - What Do Women Want?

He always looks perfectly put together. He can be in... Read More

The Likeability Factor ? Do You Have It?

Growing up, we all had a mental picture of the... Read More

Feng Shui To Attract Love

Not having much luck in love lately? Relationship falling apart?... Read More

Pheromones Myth or Fact. Do Pheromones Work?

I did a quick search on the Internet for pheromones.Pheromones... Read More

One of the Many Ways That The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles Gets It Right

I probably would not be able to count the number... Read More

The Mirror Man

Lady Twilight felt angry. It was one of those days... Read More

Limiting Perceptions and Broadening Horizons

If you live in modern society I'm sure at some... Read More

Finding Your Passion

Where does our motivation come from? What makes us want... Read More

First Impressions ? Turn Fear Into Courage

The top business people all say the same thing ?... Read More

Do You Have Your Best Life?

For many years I had a good life. My illness... Read More

Want to Feel Rich? Shop Til You Drop...

Just about everybody gets them...I had them just recently...Yup, I... Read More

What Characters Teach Us about Character

Character is that which defines us; it's what people will... Read More

Just Allow? But How?

If you've been practising the Law of Attraction, then you're... Read More

How To Get Lucky

Would you like to get lucky? There are at least... Read More

Jekyll vs. Hyde, 2 Faces of Immortality!

Meet the most important person you will ever meet in... Read More

What Will It Cost You?

What will it cost you if you don't do it?Everyone... Read More

The Secret of Self Care

Wherever you go, there you are. There's no escaping it... Read More

How Do You Attract Opportunity Into Your Life?

Someone recently asked me the question: "How can I have... Read More

How to Take Control of Your Self Confidence

If you think success, happiness and love are going to... Read More

What the Young Man Heard

In the latter half of the 1800s, when the telegraph... Read More

How To Know You Are Living Your Dream

How To Prove To Yourself That You Are Going After... Read More

Bad Luck ... Or Blessing In Disguise?

There was a woman who was in such a hurry... Read More