To the Core of Man: A Series of Reflections on Man and His Inner Self

Written by: Psychologist Isa Pašalić

Have you ever wondered how to make better and more quality decisions? We all carry within us the potential to reach our own truth. By breaking down the barriers between illusions and truth, we gain the ability to achieve this capacity.

In the previous article, we reflected on intuition and reason, and how developing them contributes to the betterment of personal and social life. In this text, we will expand and connect the concept of developing intuition with developing a sense of truth and improving psychophysical health. We mentioned that by going through the process of somatic psychology, we develop a better capacity for rational thinking. The mechanism through which we gain the ability for rational thinking is that, through this path, we develop an inner sense of truth.

This sense of truth is what is given to every human being, and when that sense is not "tainted" by impulses, intellect, and traumas, we gain the ability for honest reflection and awareness of when and in which situation we should or should not do something. This is precisely that intuitive "gut feeling" we spoke about in the previous text. However, what makes intuition powerful is that vein of truth, or sense of truth, that flows through our body. Our ability and clarity of intuitive thinking come from our ability to get as close as possible to that vein of truth.

On the other hand, our approach to this innate truth also contributes to psychophysical well-being. People affected by trauma are, by definition, unable to reconcile with some truth that lies within them, and as such, they suffer both on a mental and physiological level. In this sense, our body and psyche strive toward truth in order to be healthy, and the inability to connect with truth is what causes us problems and pain. In this regard, the entire psychotherapeutic process is based on gently breaking down the barriers that a person has created between themselves and their inner truth. This breaking down of barriers is actually the cure. In this way, we come to the true illumination of the ancient wisdom from spiritual texts that states that truth is what sets us free.

The concept of this understanding of truth is not only characteristic of spiritual interpretations but has been popular since ancient times. According to Aristotle, in order to comprehend the truth of every object, we must know its form and matter. Matter is what the object is made of, i.e., its material characteristic, while form is the function of the object. In living beings, the role of form is taken by the "soul." This Aristotelian "soul" is where we get the modern terms psyche and psychology, from the ancient Greek word psyche, meaning soul. It is important to note that in Aristotle's context, the word "soul" does not have the same meaning we use today. A closer term for psyche, contextually, would be life energy. It is precisely this life energy that is released through the therapeutic path, and people, by releasing their life energy, gain a sense of truth and begin to restore vitality and health to their body, mind, and reason.

What we today call the subconscious is actually hidden in our body. The subconscious is not some mystery from which we are necessarily separated and which we are unable to comprehend without complex methods of dream interpretation and journaling. It is hidden within ourselves, in our body. All the mystery of psychology is given to us in the body if a person deigns to explore those mysteries. Viewing the subconscious as something separate from ourselves is an indication that we are not healed and that we are actually not in contact with our life energy and inner truth.

A healed person, by the very meaning of the word, is whole, and as such has an advantage over those who are unable to reach their life energy and inner truth. Those who are able to reach their life energy are, by the nature of things, more capable, resilient, and healthier than those who avoid the truth.

Change in society begins with change in ourselves. Now imagine a society in which a significant number of people acquire this ability. The courage with which public opinion would be imbued, after such a rebirth, would have an immediate result and initiation for change!