Know Thyself, Self

 

Know Thyself, Self

In many ways the Self is the opposite, or converse, of the Persona. It is the place where one makes the decisions that direct his body and his mind. The introvert is at home here, but an extrovert may be so extroverted that he will avoid it in any way possible. He will constantly seek the company of others, and even when he is physically alone, he will maintain contact with the outside world by means of TV, or a cell phone, or with earbuds and satellite radio.

This quiet part of the mind both influences and is influenced by the other complexes. If it dwells on thoughts of beauty, friendship, honor, and such, the effects will be seen in the Persona and in the speech and actions of the body, and even in its health. These thoughts may be instigated entirely by a decision of the Self, or they may be be brought home to the Self from recent experiences with the outside world. The same reasoning applies to negative thoughts like worry, hatred, revenge, etc., which tend to cause poor health and harmful speech and actions. If it dwells on any particular type of thought, that thought and its accompanying emotion gradually seep into the subconscious, where they are suppressed until a time when inhibitions are loosened, and then they can spring forth, with unpleasant consequences.

The Self may plot a strategy for a military action, a chess game, or a bank robbery. If it plans a con game, it will make clever use of the Persona to inspire trust in the targeted victim. If it focuses on a math or physics problem it will search for pertinent knowledge throughout the banks of data stored in the brain, and it will call on the Higher Self for inspiration.

The Self is law maker and enforcer for the personality. Needs and desires of the body, thoughts and emotions associated with The Ego, The Shadow and other complexes constantly press for attention, but it is up to the Self to keep them in rein and under its control.

In short, it is within the Self that we take the responsibility for our lives by making the decisions that direct our thoughts and actions and ultimately define our character. Unfortunately, there are many who turn over this responsibility to the cultural environment of the outer world. They look to the news and entertainment media and the behavior of others to tell them what is acceptable and even favored in the present time and location, and then model their lives accordingly.

And there are others who abdicate the Self completely and simply react to each situation as it arises. They take no responsibility for living a life but are, in a sense, “lived by life”.

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