The self and the Self

In order to know the true Self you must know the self first. There is no way you can ever get to know the true Self, the ego-less, non-judgmental self, until you know your self.

So, you may ask, "Who is the self?"  The self is who you think you are. You think you are someone who was born and grew up somewhere, went to school, had various interests, developed values, feelings, wants, desires, and dislikes. The self has many labels, names, and titles such as son, father, mother, daughter, doctor, teacher, housewife, brother, sister.  The list is continuous and almost endless.

The best way, and maybe the only way, to know the self is through self observation.  Constantly observing thoughts, emotions, reactions, and actions will develop a thorough understanding of the self. Once the self is understood you don't have far to go in knowing the true Self. You will understand that the true Self is not a who but a what. The true Self is actually what you are. 

Once you know the true Self there is no longer any fear because the true Self is everlasting, always present, and never lost.