The Higher Self Explained: A Nondual Perspective

By Tchiki Davis, M.A., Ph.D.
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Across countless spiritual traditions, the idea of the higher self has inspired seekers to look inward and upward toward a deeper sense of truth. The higher self is often described as the part of us that is pure, wise, and eternal, in contrast to the ego or lower self that seems caught in fear, doubt, and attachment. For many, the higher self represents the guiding light within, the connection to divinity, or the soul’s eternal essence.

But while this concept has served as a cornerstone in psychology, religion, and spirituality, a deeper exploration reveals that it is just a stepping stone. Some traditions suggest that even the higher self is not ultimate truth. From a nondual perspective, when awakening deepens and certain core beliefs dissolve, the very sense of a self—whether higher or lower—disappears. What remains is not a more elevated identity, but the recognition that no identity is real at all.

In this article, we’ll first explore conventional definitions of the higher self, then compare it with the lower self, and finally turn toward the radical perspective of nonduality: the insight that there is no self—higher, lower, or otherwise.

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What Is the Higher Self?

The phrase higher self has roots in both ancient and modern teachings. It is a term used in Theosophy, Hindu philosophy, modern psychology, and New Age spirituality. Despite variations in language, the core idea remains the same: the higher self is the deeper, wiser part of you—the part untouched by fear, conditioning, or egoic limitations.

In many traditions, the higher self is portrayed as:

A guiding presence: An inner compass that points toward truth, integrity, and love.
An eternal essence: The soul or spirit that exists beyond the physical body and continues after death.
A connection to the divine: A spark of God, universal consciousness, or source energy that resides within each person.

From this perspective, connecting with the higher self means quieting the noise of the mind and ego so that this deeper wisdom can shine through. Practices such as meditation, prayer, journaling, or intuitive listening are often recommended as ways to strengthen the bond with the higher self.

The Higher Self vs. the Lower Self

To understand the higher self more clearly, it helps to contrast it with the so-called lower self. While the higher self is associated with wisdom, love, and spiritual awareness, the lower self is often linked to ego, desire, and fear.

The lower self represents the conditioned mind—the personality shaped by upbringing, culture, and survival instincts. It is the voice that worries about status, clings to possessions, and resists change. In contrast, the higher self is seen as transcendent, a voice of deeper truth untouched by the turbulence of worldly concerns.

From this dualistic view, the spiritual journey involves learning to recognize when we are operating from the lower self and shifting toward the perspective of the higher self.

For example:

When fear arises, the higher self offers calm presence.
When anger flares, the higher self responds with compassion.
When confusion clouds the mind, the higher self offers clarity.

In this model, the task of awakening is to move from the limitations of the lower self into alignment with the higher self. And indeed, this is very much what occurs in pre-awakening or early awakening. Yet, while this framework provides scaffolding for further growth, it is only a stepping stone—a profound realization that, itself, is discarded as more profound realizations follow.

The Nondual Perspective: No Higher Self, No Lower Self

When we look from a nondual perspective, we encounter a more radical teaching. Nondual traditions, such as Advaita Vedānta, Mahāyāna Buddhism, and certain modern expressions of awakening, suggest that both the higher and lower self are spiritual illusions. They are useful mental concepts but not ultimate truth.

In nondual realization, it becomes clear that the entire sense of being a separate “I” is a construction. The egoic “lower self” is seen as a bundle of beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and memories mistakenly identified as me. But the higher self, too, is revealed to be just another construct—an idealized version of identity (ideal self) projected into a more refined, spiritual light. Although we may indeed experience a wise part of the mind—a higher mind—it is still mind, and mind is filter that obscures true reality.

Nonduality points beyond both higher self and lower self. It suggests that when awakening deepens, we see that selfhood itself—whether elevated or base—does not actually exist. There is no permanent essence inside us. What remains is simply life unfolding: sensations, perceptions, and experiences arising inseparably in the vastness of awareness. Even the idea of higher versus lower is a duality—it doesn't exist except in thought or mind.

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Breaking Through the 8th Fetter

In Buddhist teachings on the fetters—ten chains that bind us to the cycle of suffering—the eighth fetter is the conceit of "I am". This is not merely the ego in its ordinary form, but the deep-seated belief in the existence of a self_it is the belief "I exist".

Breaking this fetter is a profound moment in the awakening process. It is the recognition that even the subtle sense of “I exist” is an illusion. What dissolves here is not only the illusion of a lower self but also the cherished idea of a higher self, a soul, or an eternal essence.

In this breakthrough, we disidenitify with the idea of selfhood entirely. Everything is revealed to be inseparable: the breath, the sky, the sounds, the sensations, all moving as one. There is no aware witness observing an outer world. There is no separate self—higher, lower, or otherwise—to claim anything as its own.

The Higher Self as a Transitional Teaching

From the nondual view, the higher self is not bad or wrong, but simply misunderstood. It serves as a helpful transitional teaching—a bridge for those beginning to look beyond the ego. For someone mired in fear or self-criticism, the idea of a higher self can be liberating. The experience of finding the voice of the higher self can be life-changing. It provides a way to access qualities like self-compassion, trust, and insight that feel larger and wiser than the ordinary self.

However, as awakening deepens, the limitations of this perspective and experience become clear. Even the higher self is still a concept, an experience, and a self. It subtly maintains the illusion of separateness by suggesting there is an individual essence that can be discovered or aligned with. It maintains a reliance on positive experiences—or identities—as a source for happiness. And it maintains conceptual reality—a reality that arises from mental processes and inner voices. The nondual realization goes further: it reveals that no such essence exists at all.

This does not diminish the value of the higher self as a concept. Instead, it reframes it. What we call the higher self may simply be the natural knowingness that shines when the chatter of the ego quiets down. It is not another identity to cling to, but a glimpse of the vast insight that is an interpenetrating part of everythingness.

Life Beyond the Idea of Higher Self

So what happens once the belief in all iterations of self dissolves? Life continues, but without the overlay of identification. Thoughts arise—even wise thoughts—but they are no longer claimed as “mine.” Emotions come and go, but they are not held by a central someone. Decisions happen, but they unfold naturally as part of the whole, not as the action of an isolated agent.

From this perspective, words like “higher self” or “soul” are simply labels for certain kinds of thoughts, energies, or sensations. They are not pointing to an actual entity inside you (or outside of you). When the illusion of self is seen through, there is only the seamless flow of life—vivid, direct, and free.

This recognition does not make life dull or meaningless. On the contrary, it often brings a sense of embodiment. Without the filter of “me” and “mine,” everything appears alive, immediate, and interconnected. The wind moves through the body, the sun shining down heats the body, and our little window into the experience of everythingness is treasured.

Higher Self, Lower Self, and Beyond Any Self

Aspect	Higher Self	Lower Self	Beyond Any Self
Nature	Wise, timeless, spiritual essence guiding growth.	Egoic, reactive, shaped by conditioning and desire.	No fixed nature at all; only changing appearances.
Identity	“I am connected, loving, aligned with truth.”	“I am anxious, needy, accomplished, separate.”	No “I” to hold qualities; only life unfolding.
Emotions	Witnessed, softened, and integrated with wisdom.	Identified with and resisted, fueling cycles of struggle.	Arise and pass freely; not owned by anyone.
Decision-Making	Guided by intuition and long-term spiritual values.	Driven by fear, craving, or social approval.	Choices appear spontaneously without a central doer.
Goal of Practice	To embody love, wisdom, and deeper purpose.	To protect the self and avoid discomfort.	If practice occurs, it is just an arising and not the result of a doer.
Result	Peace, clarity, and felt connection—yet still an identity.	Temporary satisfaction, recurring cycles of struggle.	Freedom, intimacy with life, nothing to defend or own.

How to See Through the Higher Self

For many awakeners, the idea of the higher self feels deeply reassuring. It offers a sense of guidance and an inner source of wisdom. Yet, if the goal is to move beyond all illusions of self, even this comforting concept must eventually be questioned. Seeing through the higher self does not mean rejecting wisdom, love, or clarity—it means recognizing that these qualities do not belong to a separate identity. They are simply natural expressions of life itself. And you always have access to it.

The process of seeing through the higher self often begins with observation. When a sense of deep peace or clarity arises, notice the subtle thought that labels it “my higher self.” Instead of following that thought, ask: What is actually here, before the label? You may discover only sensations in the body, a quiet mind, or an expansive awareness—not an entity or person within.

Meditative inquiry can also be a powerful tool. Questions such as “Where is this higher self located?” or “What is the boundary between higher and lower?” expose the absence of anything solid. Each time you look directly, the higher self dissolves into open experience, leaving nothing to grasp.

Importantly, seeing through the higher self does not diminish the beauty of your wise qualities. Rather, it frees them from ownership. Kindness flows not because “the higher self” chose it, but because kindness is an easy movement of life when the illusion of self is absent. In this way, the energy once invested in holding onto another identity—whether higher or lower—returns to the simplicity of what is.

Ultimately, to see through the higher self is to realize that what we call “higher” is not separate from anything else. It is not a special inner being but the ordinary wholeness of reality, shining when the veil of self-concept falls away.

Deconstructing the Duality of Higher vs. Lower

Both “higher” and “lower” selves are constructs of thought. The mind labels some experiences—such as compassion, clarity, or stillness—as belonging to a higher self, while labeling others—such as fear, craving, or confusion—as the lower self. But the experiences themselves are simply appearances. They arise, linger, and fade without any intrinsic hierarchy.

Second, the division depends on judgment. To call one state higher and another lower is to compare them from a perspective that assumes a separate “me” who can measure, evaluate, and progress. This assumption subtly reinforces the very identity that spiritual practice seeks to dissolve.

Finally, the duality of higher versus lower implies separation where none actually exists. Joy and sorrow, wisdom and confusion, love and fear—are all made of the same nondual stuff. They are inseparable aspects of one flow of life. When seen clearly, there is no boundary that divides higher from lower; there are only ever-changing experiences.

Final Thoughts on the Higher Self

The higher self has long been a guiding concept for those seeking truth, wisdom, and connection. It serves as a valuable stepping stone, inviting us to look beyond the surface layers of ego and conditioning. Yet the nondual perspective reveals an even deeper freedom: the realization that there is no self at all, not higher, not lower, not eternal.

When the eighth fetter is broken and the belief “I exist” dissolves, life is revealed in its true nature—inseparable, whole, and unowned. In this light, the higher self is not an ultimate truth but a provisional pointer. What remains is not a better version of self but the recognition that life is already complete, just as it is.

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