Thomas Merton

We remain in the realm of multiplicity, activity, incompleteness, striving and desire.

the true inner self, the true indestructible and immortal one, the true I, who answers to a new and secret name known only to themself and to God, does not have anything, even contemplation,

This I is not the kind of subject that can amass experiences, reflect on them, reflect on themself.

For this I is not the superficial and empirical self that we know in our everyday life.

It is a great mistake to confuse the person, the spiritual and hidden self united with God, and the ego, the exterior empirical self, the psychological individuality who forms a kind of mask for the inner and hidden self.

This outer self is nothing but an evanescent shadow.

Its biography and its existence both end together at death.

Of the Inmost Self

There is neither biography nor end.

The outward self can have much, enjoy much, accomplish much.

But in the end, all its possessions, joys and accomplishments are nothing.

Nothing.

and the outer self is itself nothing, a shadow, a garment that is cast off and consumed by decay.

It is another mistake to identify the outer self with the body.

and the inner self with the soul.

This is an understandable mistake, but it is very misleading because after all, body and soul are incomplete substances.

Parts of one whole being

And the inner self is not a part of us.

It is all of us.

It is our whole reality.