Self-Observation and the 3 Levels of Identification
When we practice self-observation, we notice that our identifications (which in the chinese medicinal classical philosophy, they will call the “Gui” or “Demons” / “Ghosts” - some unconscious parts of ourselves acting like “hungry ghosts” or “demons”) manifest in different, often contradictory ways. A part of us is completely serene, while another part, in a more invisible way, is irritated or discouraged. One part of the self is in exuberant joy, while another part is in resentment. Sometimes, we observe with astonishment that the demon is the source of the expression of our joy (like an escape), while other times, we notice with even greater astonishment that it expresses itself as our fatigue.
According to the Chinese tradition, there are three levels of energy in the human organism. These are three levels in which our “demons” (uncouscious parts) may or may not manifest, in the most unimaginable forms. Only conscious observation with the Heart (a deeply quiet and sincere part of ourselves) can help us understand them.
Here is the description of the three levels in which we can observe our inner demons.
Self-knowledge and identification
Intermediate Level - Our Self-Awareness (Consciousness)
This is the space of intimacy with the self, our inner world. It is what we are conscious of. It's how we are conscious of feeling. Here, the demons that haunt us are those that are literally "in our face." Whether through a conscious choice to let them take over our thoughts, or through an unconscious choice, we open the door to our inner world to them, and it is their presence that makes us feel bad. This intimate space corresponds to our blood level, to its composition including hormones and micronutrients that regulate our state of mind, our nervous system, but also to the soul that is connected to our blood, like a physical imprint of the soul.
Our Surface, which is largely Unconscious, an Acquired Automatic Reaction
Here, there is what people outside see in me, and that I normally do not see well in myself (unless I have an hyper-vigilance of my outer facade, of course) because these are automatic behaviors, behaviors taken for granted, numerous multi-structural defenses that take all sorts of varied forms. Traditionally, the surface includes the energetic barrier, the face, the hands and feet, the skin, the throat, the mouth and nose, the lungs, and the superficial muscles. These are the parts of me that people see the most. For example, someone might tell me: "you are irritable," because I always "look mean," or that "you are stressed" or that "you are judging" because you have frown lines. But you don't feel irritable, stressed, or judgmental! This is because you inhabit the deeper part of yourself which is generally clearer and purer. But not always. Sometimes, one can also have chronic bitter emotions there.
At the surface, somewhere in the surface of our mind, there is a judgment, a part of me that judges what I see (and it is not necessarily the other person! Sometimes I judge myself, sometimes it's the situation, etc.). But this is what transpires at first glance. Some "well-educated" people have almost no demons reaching this layer because their personality has been formed to block them access to this level. They therefore always look amiable, but that doesn't mean they are not full of hate, judgment, fears, etc., but they have learned not to let them pass to the surface. Whereas other people may have very few negative emotions in their depths but have many demons passing to the surface because they do not know how to orient themselves facing the external world, and this stresses them a lot, which triggers the few negative emotions they have. While another person who looks amiable all the time may be constantly ruminating against the people he or she meets in their depth, filled with toxic resentment. Our breathing will be greatly affected by what is happening on the surface of our being. The demons are activated there, whether we are aware of it or not, setting the tone for our current state of mind.
Our Depth (Latent Potency, True Nature, Repressed energies)
Here there is normally a large range of parts of us that are misunderstood and repressed due to personality and social pressure, and which await favorable circumstances to manifest. This is a part linked to our traumas, but also to our genetics and intergenerational traumas. It is our origin and what we carry in our deep identity, whether acquired or innate. It is the part of us that is so deep that we have become that, even if it is not our true nature. For example, having experienced so much anger in our lives that it becomes our normal, and we remain, as it were, crystallized, frozen in this emotion daily, without any real reason. It corresponds to our joints, our adipose tissues, our bone and nerve marrow, our bones, our reproductive organs, and our genetics. Here, our fertility, our hormonal production, and the state of our nervous system will be related to what we carry in our depths. Gaining weight, developing a genetic disease, or having chronic pain are often a sign of too much repression that is poisoning us from within. The demons do not have space to manifest, but what triggers them in everyday life continues to stir them up in our depths, causing them to devour us from within.
It must be understood that each emotion can be situated at each level, completely independently. For example, I can feel a deep despair at the deep level, an indifference at the intermediate level (conscious), and a great joy at the surface level. This will mean that inwardly, I would feel pretty neutral, but outwardly, people would see me as pretty joyful, and deep inside, I would have a deep despair which would block me from taking initiative in life towards the things that truly matter to me.
People generally do not see the deep level, although it is still possible to see a few lines of it. We can usually see it only when it is brought up to the surface / intermediate level by life circumstances. We can see a certain deep bitterness with which some people spend the majority of their lives by noticing their posture and certain features of their face, while noticing that these people don’t seem to be aware of how big their frustration towards life is.
Other features shown on our face correspond to our external demons, those that are constantly activated on the surface of our being, and which imprint themselves on our face. Sometimes, we notice that someone seems to carry great anger, but the person does not seem to be aware of it.
In fact, most of the time, what we see is the surface layer of a person. Their posture (voluntary muscles), the features of their face, the tone of their voice (throat), etc. But it often happens that this external unconscious surface part corresponds to the deep part (yet not always!), which means the person may have the same repressed emotion as the one they demonstrate in public, and yet not be aware of it, because they do not let that emotion enter the intermediate level where their consciousness is located.
Other times, it is quite the opposite: on the surface, it is beautiful and luminous, with big pure eyes, an innocent and relaxed face, full of love, but in the level of consciousness and depth, it is cold, filled with visceral fear or fierce hatred. It is hard to believe this is possible until one shares intimacy with such a person, who has learned not to let any demon pass to the surface, and who only knows how to repress them. The demons stir and poison from within by being forced down, and this colors the person's view of the world. And this is revealed only when we are close enough to this outwardly friendly person. This is often very surprising to see the contrast.
By learning to know ourselves in our 3 layers, and to observe them in real time in the heat of the moment, we discover many unsuspected facets of ourselves, and we learn to better understand people and their manifestations. This helps us to be less vulnerable to manipulation, narcissists, etc. In learning to know ourselves, we are often astonished by the contrasts that exist within us. On the one hand, we feel so happy and light, at peace, but our face expresses disgust or judgment. How can that be?
On the other hand, we can feel so bitter, but we cannot break through our shell to share it with others. We are unconsciously afraid of their reactions, and we take it for granted that it is not possible. So we express beauty and charisma on the surface, but deep down, we are disgusted, horrified, sickened.
This helps us not only to protect ourselves, but also to better connect and love others by better understanding people regardless of what they manifest. We see the other side of the coin better.
And this also helps us to better manage our energies, and to reclaim a certain power over our lives. Because what we do not know manipulates us, and these demons drain us of our best energies almost entirely automatically, without us realizing through which door we let them enter.
