the higher self

A common theme in the esoteric philosophies of the Middle East (Gnosticism, Manichaeism, Ishraqism, Sufism, etc) is that of the Heavenly Twin, the Angelic Spirit, the Guide of Light.  This theme of the Guide ties in with the idea of the "guardian daimon (angel)" of the Platonic tradition. As Henry Corbin explains:

"...Plotinus (Enneads 3:iv) speaks of the daimon paedros into whose care we are given, and who is the guide of the soul throughout life and beyond death....Apuleius (De Deo Socratis, 16) (deals) with the higher group of daimons to each of whom the care of one human individual is entrusted  and who serves as its witness and guardian...Philo of Alexandria calls the Nous (Divine Intellect) the true man, the man within man...who dwells in the soul of each of us, now as archon (ruler) and king, now of judge...on occasion he plays the part of a witness, sometimes even of a prosecutor..."

 

 What is being referred to here is not an impersonal or transpersonal principle, like the Vedantic Atman or Buddhist Shunyata (Emptiness) or Dharmata (Reality), but rather the Divine Soul or Higher Self. Which is not to deny the impersonal Absolute but simply to say that this exists as well. This is a principle that is not so much impersonal but super-personal.  It is the True personality, the god within, the indwelling Divine Presence.  As a Personality, it is both a Guide and a "Heavenly Twin".

It could be said that the Higher Self constitutes a definite Personality quite distinct from the everyday personality and ego. The distinction between these two personalities is important, for here we have the  fundamental polarity of the human being (and for that matter, of any evolving being).

On the one hand, there is the everyday personality, derived from the physical body and from the various psychic principles. It is this which constitutes the ego; what we mean when we say "I", and indeed the faculty that does say "I"; the imperfect worldly  being.
On the other hand, there is the Higher Self, the Divine principle, immortal and perfect yet paradoxically still evolving; the Spiritual Guide, the "inner voice", the Divine Presence, the true soul.


In short - a very, very anthropomorphic & operating Higher Self,a Great Person who is you ( your Higher Self is not mine, although at the root...).
A Self is like a wave in the ocean of the Universal Self; or like a sun in the galaxy with great central Sun ).
You ( and I and everyone ) have, this moment, right now, inside or above ( topologically irrelevant ) a (Trans)personal Guide, Watcher who eagerly ( and patiently ) waits for your call or pledge ( not only "spiritual" ). As a Sufi saying goes "You make a one step towards me - I'll make ten towards you".
see also http://www.spiritsjourney.net/t2072-higher-self?highlight=higher+self

stuff like this makes me nuts... reads like a thesis...
most normal people loose interests after first sentence must less the first paragraph.

it is not necessary to make all this this seriously complicated.

we  .ARE
we..DO
we ...See
we Feel
we are higher beings in human bodies supposedly having a human experience

thus.I AM

Complexity is for me not such a problem,but I, like you
prefer the simple.
I AM says it all.
Thanks for the comments.