Originally Posted by
notforgotten 
I'd also like very much to believe in the higher self concept... and in my better moments, I verge upon it. I feel life is precious in and of itself. Given the statistical unlikelihood of animal life, of consciousness emerging in humans... what an amazing stroke of luck we have, if nothing else. And what a shame to waste it. (If something else... brilliant... would love to be a believer.)
My problem with the idea of a higher self - would love correction, here - is that gut instinct doesn't always steer you right. (This is too often true in my case, yes; and for others, whose early lives have been sub-optimal, let's say.) I'm not sure instinct/the life force is ever free of culture, bias, and belief.
What a thoughtful, well-articulated post. Thank you. I would have quoted all of it, but wanted to address the part above.
I will not characterize this as "correction," but more like the way I reconcile the dichotomy you pointed out.
These are my beliefs only, and I do not expect or even care one way or another to have agreement from anyone else.
I
do believe that gut instinct always steers you right. I believe it
is the higher self looking out for me in ways I don't always understand or heed. The biggest problem I have is the ability to
discern the gut instinct. The parts of me that are conditioned by culture, bias, etc., are generally
not my gut instinct, but something else pretending to be it--such as my ego. I also have to try and sort out the
committee of voices that try to pretend to be the gut instinct as well (mom, dad, that harsh grade-school teacher, my ex-husband, the person who once told me my forehead was abnormally large, etc.) So, my ongoing challenge is to learn what is my higher self, and what is not. I don't expect to ever completely master it, but getting it right more and more often is what I'm trying for.
L