All you have to do is hold the center still

The Two Selves

There are essentially two selves – the outer self – the one that wants things and wants to shape the world to obtain those things. And the inner self, which is quieter and which wants nothing but the quietude that it was born with.

  When you feel angst, chances are you are interacting with the real world in an effort to fulfill your desires, wishes. You are not in the ‘inner layer’ (inner sanctum) of your self. The inner self desires nothing and wants nothing. It is peaceful the way it is. Hence, it feels no angst.

Some signs

Some sign that you are operating within the ‘outer self’ include:

1. Feeling of angst, depression, worthlessness
2. Rushed feeling. The mind feels rushed – and one feels that one has too many things to do.

Getting back to your inner self

Whenever you start feeling angst, think about which self you are currently in (the outer). To get back to your inner self, focus on holding the core still. That is all that you are required to do at any point in time. Any other action is simply driven by wants/desires – and muddies the waters – so to speak.

The Buddha said that the source of all suffering is ‘desire’. When we desire something, we necessarily interact with the ‘real-world’ using our outer self. This interaction, according to the Buddha, is nothing but interference with the general scheme of the universe. 

The inner-self, on the other hand, cannot be touched by the outside world. When Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years of imprisonment, he still had a peaceful smile and equanimity on his face. His ‘inner-self’, which had been untouched by the imprisonment, was showing through.

We need to keep returning to our inner self whenever the outside world starts weighing in on us.

Recognizing the outer self in other people

The Buddha spoke of the purity inside each individual. He was referring to the inner self that each of us possesses – but isn’t always manifested. This inner self is all compassion, all loving and does not bear ill-will or harm towards another person. However, often, we fail to see this inner self in a person and only see their outer selves. This outer self can take on many personas – from mean, fiesty, angry to hurtful. When we see someone acting in a hurtful manner, we need to recognize that it is their outer self which is responsible for this behavior. Their outer self is driven by fear, hate, greed and other emotions that have been developed by the person to compete and survive in the ‘real-world’. If we recognize their actions as such, we will not be harmed by their hurtful actions.

Further Reading

One of my favorite Buddhism books is titled ‘The Center Within’ by Gyomay Kubose.

THE CENTER WITHIN