Aligning Your Inner & Outer Self

Ultimately, a spiritual journey is about bringing our inner and outer self into perfect alignment. This happens when we no longer protect, control or project self-images. When this occurs, all that extends outward is fully rooted in our inner self—love and light.

But up until this point, we’ve got work to do to bridge this gap. We have to look for the places in ourselves where we’re trying to protect certain self-images, understand the motivations behind this desire to protect and work to heal those inclinations.

Sometimes this process occurs on a one-by-one, case-by-case scenario by looking at the root-causes behind each image that we’re trying to protect, whereas other times the collective urge to protect can be healed, in one fell swoop, when the overall structure of that part of the ego is understood.

I recently learned that there are many different ways that the ego continues to hold itself together, while it’s being cracked apart…

Think of the ego as a solid concrete pillar:

For some people, there may be a complete dent on one side of the pillar, leaving the other side intact.

For others, there may be tiny cracks throughout the pillar’s surface, indicating that the ego is just beginning to be cracked.

In others, the entire interior may be hollow, but the shell remains intact.

In someone else, there may be a large crack that stretches the length of the pillar, where it’s been weakened but not fully cracked wide open. One more whack and the whole thing could fall at once! (Wouldn’t that be nice or scary, depending on your view?!)

Fortunately, wherever there is a crack or full indentation in the pillar, progress has been made (yay!). But we’re not out of the woods until the entire pillar comes down, since ego remains active to the degree that the pillar remains standing.

I fall into the category of having made progress in the interior of the pillar and a bit of an indentation on some side of the pillar, buuuttt the shell remains in place. I know this because I still react in ways that protect public images of myself.

I can freely write my blog posts without thinking about who is going to read it or what they’ll think about me, but as soon as it’s time to post it, I get a little nervous regarding these two factors. It doesn’t stop me from writing or posting them, but this vulnerability still arises, nonetheless.

(To help alleviate this vulnerability, I say a quick prayer before each post asking that it be received by those who are meant to see it and to gently pass by those who aren’t meant to see it).

Aside from social media, it happens when I interact with someone outside of my normal element for sharing…

With someone from my past, I assume they know me in a certain light and that what I share will likely contradict with whatever self-image they’re holding of me. I think they’ll have an opinion on that discrepancy and it makes me feel vulnerable.

With someone new, I have no idea what makes sense to them so I don’t want what I share to accidentally challenge them and prompt confrontation.

To minimize my vulnerability, I work to figure out what I think will be comfortable, or agreeable, to the other person, and then I keep the conversation within the bounds of that comfort.

What I’ve discovered, is that I’m still run by the inclination to protect certain self-images based on what I’m comfortable with others knowing about (and thinking of) me.

The desire to protect is stemming from a self-image that wants to be seen in an agreeable manner. It’s why confrontation is viewed unfavorably. It’s why the opinion of others is still held in such high regard. And it’s absolutely constricting.

Ego is always concerned with upholding self-images, whereas truth is about total transparency. This transparency can only occur if our inner and outer selves come into full alignment. In this way, we cease projecting self-images, since there’s no longer anything to conceal or protect.

We become invulnerable in our complete vulnerability. It’s the root of true connection, since this is the place where truth is allowed to flow freely from you to another, without obstruction.

No more masks. No more roles. Just you shining and extending as the full truth of which you are—love and light.

But to come to this point, we must constantly ask ourselves what we’re protecting so that we can bring light to it. If not, whatever we’re protecting remains in place as the intact parts of the pillar that are unconsciously operating in our awareness.

The ego is an entire web of self-images that it’s constantly working to uphold through projecting, concealing, and defending. Our role is to uncover these self-images so that we can break ego’s desire to protect and project. As this happens, our inner and outer self begin to come into alignment, allowing our truth—love— to flow freely.

To point the way for this healing process, begin to notice where, when and how you’re protecting (concealing / defending) or projecting self-images. This awareness will kick-start the healing process by bringing light to the shadows that are currently preventing you from knowing your true Self.

Is there a certain light that you want to be seen in? Do you do (or avoid) things to enhance the chances of being seen as that? This is fear running you, not love.

The goal is to become free of both praise (those who agree) and blame (those who disagree), so that we’re free to express ourselves from our highest-nature…right action and right-mindedness based in love.

Let’s commit to doing the inner work that needs to be done so that we can bring our highest selves to the world!

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To mastering complete vulnerability!

Shanna