Blurts & Spasms

In answer to Quora question: "What is Self (capitalized)?"

It depends on who is using the term. "Self" can mean:

- True Self (psychoanalytical term - "authentic Self" or "realized Self")

- True Self (spiritual Self)

- Supramental Self (Aurobindo)

-Whole/Individuated Self (Jung's archetype of fully integrated Self)

-Innermost Self

-Higher Self

-Angelic Self

-Selfless/Surrendered Self

-Unitive/Undifferentiated Self

-"Complete Self" or "Self of Light" (Sufism)

-Essence of Being

-Atman-Brahman

-Witness Consciousness (Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism)

-Pure Presence/Awareness

-Buddha nature

-Divine Spark (Kabbalah)

-Ground of Being (Perennial philosophy)

-Divine Self

-The Perfect/Mature (Christianity)

-"Christ in Me"

-Soul Light

-The One

These are all contrasted with "self" as individual identity; egoic self; dream display self; false self; artificial persona; transitive self; narrative self, etc. However, it is important not to conflate all of these definitions of "Self" (as happens sometimes, particularly in New Age thinking here in the West); some are similar, others are not. Again, we must qualify the source and understand the Self through the prism of each particular tradition. Another caveat is that I've also probably forgotten to include some definitions of "Self," so there's that.

My 2 cents.