Harnessing the Instinctive Center

Harnessing the Instinctive Center

Of the four lower centers, the instinctive center is most opposed to conscious evolution because the concept of self-awareness challenges its belief that it is already conscious. The instinctive center, which has the vital duty of keeping the human machine – our bodies – safe, healthy, protected, and alive, uses sleep to its advantage. It functions invisibly and distributes energy to parts of the body to keep the physical organism functioning smoothly, which is a positive aspect to its job. However, it exists for itself and unobserved it makes decisions and governs the lower centers and does not wish to allow its cherished energy to be used for creating a soul. Awareness reminds the instinctive center that it is mortal, and sleep keeps us sufficiently in imagination to buffer the inevitable death of our physical bodies.

A noble man compares and estimates himself by an idea which is higher than himself; and a mean man, by one lower than himself. The one produces aspiration; the other ambition, which is the way in which a vulgar man aspires. — Marcus Aurelius

Aurelius aspires toward ideas higher than himself, while the lower self – a vulgar man – ambitiously uses lower ideas to promote itself. These two “men” exist inside of me, and it reminds me of the parable of “Two Wolves,” which is sometimes attributed to the folklore of the Native Americans. A brief summary of the story is a black wolf (the lower self), and a white wolf (the higher self) are fighting for superiority. A young child asks the Teacher, “Which wolf will win?” The Teacher answers, “The one you feed.”

Somewhere in the middle of this dichotomy is a place where higher centers can be nurtured and exist while keeping the lower centers reasonably contented or at least undisturbed by the pursuit of higher aspirational ideas, that is, conscious evolution. It is important to give the instinctive center its appropriate due and respect because until we live beyond this world of matter, it is the vessel that carries us and filters the world through the five senses.

The Higher Self is like a light and the lower self like a shadow. — The Upanishads

It is a matter of balance and priorities, finding common ground in circumstances that produce higher states, while at the same time coupling these experiences with a little something that appeases the instinctive center. Refinement has been useful to me in this regard. For instance, rather than the instinctive center’s functional version of “eating,” make dining an intentional event with a beautiful table setting, a centerpiece of flowers, using the fine china and wine glasses, eating slowly and being aware and present to the instinctive center through the sense of taste. These efforts feed the white wolf while throwing a bone to the black wolf. After all, the Fourth Way is also called the “Way of the Sly Man” - a path of self-remembering and conscious effort within daily life.

I am trying to teach my own instinctive center to eat more slowly. Try not to be the first to finish. — The Teacher

When I make an effort to be present in an uncomfortable situation, the instinctive center desperately tries to remove itself from the circumstance which makes it feel out of control and uncomfortable. The inner struggle begins, and the lower self tries to avoid using up energy that it thinks needs to be used for survival in a threatening situation. This can be as simple as public speaking where the body feels vulnerable in front of an audience. Overcoming the lower self takes courage and the experience of living in Higher Centers – even for a few moments – is where this courage can be found.

When the believer has mastered his lower self, so that it serves as a riding mount beneath him, the deeds of his heart will shine forth upon his face. — Al-Jilani

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Shiva the Archer Riding a Bull, Indian Miniature