Who is in charge of your thoughts and actions - your lower mind or your higher mind?
 

Lower Mind – Our Ego Wounded Self

Our lower mind, located in the lower left brain, is comprised of all the false beliefs we have learned since we were born. Our lower mind is programmed with many false beliefs, and is, therefore, not a dependable source of truth. In fact, the programmed aspect of the mind cannot discern the difference between what is true and what is not, and it has no access to truth.

Also, our instincts for the survival of the body are contained within the lower mind – the fight, flight, or freeze mechanism. Because survival of the body is so important, it is not easy to let go and surrender the control of the lower mind.
 

Higher Mind, Heart, and Soul

Our soul is who we really are - the immortal part of ourselves that is within us and around us. This is the part of us that is an individualized expression of spirit. Because our soul has existed for eternity, it has vast knowledge and experience and can discern the difference between what is true and what is not true. Our heart connects us with our soul within, and our soul that is all around us.

It is in our highest good to give our heart and soul dominion over our choices, yet this is very challenging to do. Our lower wounded mind has had dominion since we were very young. Even though our wounded self is filled with false beliefs, it believes that it knows what is best for us. Because it believes that it is the source of our survival and our truth, it does not want to give up control over our intent and our choices. It believes it has to maintain control to be safe.

For those of us who embrace a spiritual journey, it's a huge challenge to consciously let go of the ego wounded mind's control and open to being guided by our higher mind, heart, and soul. Yet this is the spiritual journey - moving from lower mind dominion to higher mind, heart, and soul dominion, from ego to higher self. This is a major goal in the practice of Inner Bonding.

The wounded self believes that it can know what is best for us, yet the lower mind has no true "knowing." All it has is learned beliefs, and these beliefs often create much fear, anxiety, anger, hurt, depression, guilt, and shame.

"Knowing" comes only from higher mind and soul. Yet in order to access this knowing, we need to let go of the programmed thinking of the lower mind. The wounded self's addiction to thinking and staying in the head blocks knowing. You might want to try the following Inner Bonding process to experience moving out of your limited mind and into your higher mind, heart, and soul:

1. Take some deep breaths, using your breath to move you out of your mind focus and into your body. Follow your breath into your body, scanning your body for any physical sensations. Move toward all feelings and emotions, welcoming and embracing them.
    
2. Breathe into your heart, consciously opening to learning about what is true and what is loving to you. Visualize you - your true self, your soul - as a beautiful light within you and all around you. FEEL who you are. Relax into the warmth of your soul.
    
3. Ask your soul, "What is the truth about who I am?" or "What is the truth about this situation?" or "What is the loving action toward myself right now in this moment?"
    
4. Stay in your heart, staying open to receiving the information. It can come as a feeling, as a picture, or in words. Let go of having to have the answers now. Stay open to receiving the answers whenever they come.
    
5. Take the action you are being guided to take. It may be an inner action such as moving out of judgment and into compassion for yourself, or it may be an outer action such as showing warmth, compassion, and understanding to another person. It may be an action such as talking a walk, or going to sleep early, or getting to work, or taking time to play.
    
6. Notice how you feel as a result of the loving action.

This is a process you can do throughout the day. You don't need to be feeling upset to do this process. If you keep practicing this many times a day, you will find yourself moving more and more into your higher self dominion. The more your higher self is in charge of your choices, the more you will progress on your spiritual journey and the more peace and joy you will feel!

The spiritual journey is one of moving from wounded self dominion to higher self dominion. This shift is the key to inner peace and joy.
 

Learn to connect with your spiritual Guidance with Unlocking Your Inner Wisdom, A 30-Day at-home Experience with Dr. Margaret Paul.