Connecting to Your True Self
The connection with the self—the soul, an inner power that is “a part of God from above.”
What does this mean in practice?
The connection with ourselves = the connection with our soul.
And the soul is a part of the Creator.
So when we truly connect with ourselves, we meet God within us.
Let’s break this down into simple and deep components:
I am not my thoughts, not my fears, not my habits.
Everything I’m used to thinking about myself—these are klipot (shells/husks).
They are garments.
They are not “I.”
The Tanya calls this “the animal soul.”
The Ramchal calls this “this world, the level of darkness.”
The Zohar calls this “externality.”
Torat Mashiach calls this “the lie of consciousness.”
Strengthening the connection with myself begins with agreeing to ask:
Who am I beyond what I feel, think, or do?
My true “I” is a quiet, divine, simple, loving point.
This is the soul (neshama).
It needs no proof.
It needs no success.
It needs no comparison.
It is already one with the Creator.
It is already loving and beloved.
It knows the way.
Every time I am silent within and listen, I draw closer to it.
The real work is to remove the partitions.
I don’t need to rebuild myself.
I need to discover myself.
To clear the noise, not to fight it.
Ramchal: Clarify your purpose, straighten your heart.
The Tanya: Learn to recognize when the “false I” is acting and when the “Godly I” is.
The Zohar: Refine your will—to transform from a will to receive into a will to love.
Torat Mashiach: Look deeply—you are already redeemed, just remember who you are.
Stop identifying with the masks, the fears, the low self-image.
Recognize that the true identity is the divine soul,
not the body,
and not the acquired personality.
This is the process of “rectifying consciousness” (tikkun ha’daat)—
seeing the world through an eye of unity,
of wholeness, of love.
This is what is known as “Mashiach consciousness” (da’at Mashiach).
The Path of Ramchal: Connection Through Purpose
The Ramchal, especially in “Path of the Just” (Mesilat Yesharim), teaches how to return a person to themselves by clarifying the purpose of life. The core principle: man did not come into the world to survive or enjoy, but to cleave to God and to rectify his character traits. When I understand my role in the world, I feel meaning, and thus connect to myself. The more I refine myself, the closer I get to my true essence through daily self-reflection and examining my actions in light of my purpose.
The Path of the Tanya: Connection Through Recognizing the Godly Soul
The Tanya teaches that a person has two souls: an animal soul and a Godly soul. The true connection with myself is the connection to the Godly soul, which is “truly a part of God from above.” The work is to learn to distinguish when I am acting from the animal soul (selfishness, lust, sadness) and when from the Godly soul (love, devotion, joy). It is recognizing that every fall is part of the work and to never despair, using the power of the mind to contemplate divine truth until it is felt in the heart.
The Path of the Zohar: Connection Through Rectifying the Will
The Zohar teaches that man was created to cleave to God, but his “I” creates a barrier between him and the Creator. The “true self” is the will to bestow: love, giving, aligning with the Supernal Light. The more I rectify my will, the more I discover who I truly am.
Reflect:
Who would you be if you were not your thoughts, your fears, or your accomplishments?
When you are quiet, can you feel the difference between the “noise” of the false self and the stillness of your soul?
Which path resonates most with you now: clarifying your purpose (Ramchal), observing your two souls (Tanya), or purifying your will to love (Zohar)?
I’d love to hear what this stirs in you.