The True Self

Illustration by Michael Leunig

The true self... for some of us, this might seem like a strange concept, as if we could be anybody other than simply who we are. It might seem strange to hear me speak of masks, or of the notion of inauthenticity. For such people, I'd guess that you might be one of those rare "people without guile," as Jesus referred to Nathaniel. My dad was such a person... what you saw was what you got, and vice versa for that matter.

But I don't think that describes the majority of us. Most of us had experiences early on where we didn't feel sufficiently "well held," and as a result, developed ways and means of taking care of ourselves-- of getting the resources we needed to feel safe, secure, etc. Speaking from personal experience, I grew up in an environment where I was very much loved, yet despite that love, I was not quite convinced of my mom and dad's ability to take care of me. Some fear or doubt crept in from I know not where. Perhaps when we talk about original sin, one way of understanding it is that gap between reality and our perceptions, where fear and insecurity filter what we experience and lead us to doubt the value of our true self.

Do you know what I am talking about?

So, what is this true self? I believe that nature of the true self was revealed to us through Jesus' experience at his baptism in the river Jordan. There, Jesus had a powerful experience of his belovedness-- such that it was as if a dove had descended down upon him, sending waves of the Father's affection for him with each flap of its wings. And Jesus in turn shares repeatedly how we have a share in that belovedness. This is our true nature, just as it was Jesus' own... beloved and precious in God's eyes, children.

But unlike Jesus, most of us forget that true nature, mistaking other messages for the one that God revealed to Jesus that day at the Jordan.

More to follow... have a great week!