Some people feel the Higher Self is meant to be used only spiritually, as it is the part of you that contains your higher characteristics and can also help you come closer to whatever spiritual belief you hold. This is certainly true, but the Higher Self also has a strong practical side to its nature, meaning that it does not confine its wisdom to the spiritual realm, but looks to support you in every aspect of your life – including your relationships.

In general, when we are in touch with our Higher Self, we are listening for the inner voice that is present, loving, guiding us to make choices that promote interior contentment and fulfillment.  It is the work of this, your higher spiritual consciousness, to get in the mundane, practical world with you about how to bring this more purposeful life into being, which includes insights on how to better connect with others. Through a deeper connection with your Higher Self, you gain access to the capacity to access deeper more meaningful connections with others.

Here are some insights into how the Higher Self can help you create happier and more fulfilling connections with the people in your life:

Understanding Yourself through the Higher Self 

As mentioned above, to connect with others we must first be confident in connecting with ourselves. If we are constantly rejecting aspects of our own being we will never be able to look fully on another person and love them beyond our ideals of how a person should be.

Therefore, the first step to connecting with your Higher Self is to gain an understanding of who you are, truly and completely. This includes exploring your values, beliefs, and what makes you truly happy and aspects about yourself that you find difficult.

When you have a clear understanding of yourself, and you can practice self-acceptance, you are better able to communicate your needs, express vulnerability, lean into trust, and become more comfortable with intimacy. Without the need to maintain a false version of yourself, your relationships will become less performative and more nourishing, less of an obligation and more of a pleasure.

Connecting with Others on a Deeper Level

With the guidance of the Higher Self and your expanded capacity for acceptance of self and others, you’ll experience a new, deeper level of connection that will begin to foster a renewed sense of interest in the world around you.

When you are in touch with your Higher Self, it is less possible to live disingenuously. You can only present your truest most sincere self, and this makes it possible for you to have meaningful, emotive exchanges with those around you. Instead of acting from a place of ego-centric, self-defense where you constantly have to build yourself up to others, you can relax into truly relating to others.

You’ll notice that a new, natural interest in others arises. You’ll become a more active listener, and this more authentic style of exchange will foster sincere trust and intimacy. As you reflect the empathy you have for yourself onto those you encounter, you’ll fill the world with a feeling of safety and care.

Practicing Empathy and Compassion

This perpetual practice of empathy and compassion will expand from the micro to the macro. You’ll soon be practiced in relating to the world from other people’s perspectives and understanding their feelings and needs. This is a true evolution in character and is rare in today’s busy world. You’ll naturally lend yourself to build stronger connections with others while fostering an environment around you that is naturally more harmonious.

Letting go of Judgment and Criticism

With this new, expanded capacity to have a deeper perspective on the experience of others, it becomes easier to move away from a worldview that keeps us locked in judgment and criticism. Instead of focusing on what’s wrong with others, you are able to see their positive qualities and recognize the good in them. We can celebrate what people have overcome and feel a renewed sense of tolerance for the ways in which they may cope with difficult aspects of life. From there, we naturally build better relationships and bring a more positive, supportive vantage point to the world.

The Higher Self can play a crucial role in our relationships by helping us connect with others on a deeper level, practice empathy and compassion, and let go of judgment and criticism. By staying close to the wise being within we live with authenticity and transparency that allows others to relax and share their truest self in return. When we reflect this sense of personal acceptance onto others, we foster a strong foundation of trust with everyone we encounter and our world becomes bigger, brighter, and more interesting.

This post is adapted from the second Chapter of Nanette V Hucknall’s latest release, Higher Self Yoga: A Practical Guide, available now on Kindle, and Paperback.

Further exercises on how to contact the Higher Self can be found in these books and on the Higher Self Yoga website.