Essentialization: Moving closer to one’s essence
The above definition came to me in a dream one night and later became the basis for my book, Portals of Peace: A Path to Inner Peace and a Healed World.
The truth is that most of us have two selves – the self that we present to the world and the deeper self, which is our essence or soul. The fact that we have a presenting self may sound bad, but it’s actually a good thing. Growing up we are taught how to control our instinctive impulses and how to present ourselves in a socially acceptable manner. Without the socialization process we’d be living in a barbaric world.
At a certain age, however, we are called to integrate these two selves and allow the essence of who we are to fully emerge. Joseph Campbell referred to this as the hero’s journey. It is a time for us to take some risks by entering unknown territory where we are sure to discover our untapped potential, dreams and gifts.
Mystics believe that we are assisted by supernatural forces in this process that I call essentialization. Because life energy is the great alchemist, we are only asked to do what we know in our heart is the next right thing and life will do the rest, transforming us into our highest, most authentic self. Sometimes this is a small thing and sometimes it is a big thing. We know we are on the right path when the thing that our heart is leading us toward invokes a sense of fear. It feels like a risk, but at the same time we know it is important – imperative even.
Be still. Listen to your heart. Follow it. This will lead you down the path of essentialization. It may look dark and scary at times but it is certain to reveal your most authentic self and lead to your highest and most fulfilling life.