Definitions HQ

The Self (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not something that lies deeply concealed within one, but rather, immeasurably high over one.

The Self (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not something to be 'known' as in 'know thyself', rather it is what one becomes through willing, such that one must 'will a self in order to become a self'.

The Self (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠that aspect of ourselves of which we are conscious. Like our neighbor, it is something outside of us, something external, on the outside, an image.

The Self (n.) seeketh ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠with the eyes of the senses, it hearkeneth also with the ears of the spirit.

The Self (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a mighty lord, an unknown sage behind one's thoughts and feelings; it dwells in the body, it is the body.

The Self (n.) we ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠were educated into may need guarding against — God guard me from myself, that is to say from the nature already educated into me.

The Self (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠is truly yours lies not concealed deep within you but immeasurably high above you: ask what you have truly loved, set those objects in a row, and they form a stepladder by which you climbed up to yourself.

The Self (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠in danger of being kidnapped — a kind of agreement exists to kidnap you out of your own cave; the dreadful resolve 'I will remain my own!' sends you down into existence with questions: why do I live, how have I become what I am?

The Self (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠willed by active natures, not known: they act not on 'know thyself' but on 'will a self and thou shalt become a self'; the contemplative brood over what they chose once on entering life.

The Self (n.) we ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠have outgrown is a shed skin we are tempted to throw back over our shoulders when praised for it — playing the comedians of our own past, from vanity and from goodwill to our admirers.

The Self (n.) must, ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠once found, be lost from time to time and found again by a thinker — being tied to one person all the time is a disadvantage.

The Self (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the powerful commander behind your thoughts and feelings, an unknown sage — it lives in your body; it is your body.