17 Overcoming our negative intention by identifying with our spiritual self

With our negative intention, we will punish life for what it’s done to us. Crazy, right? The Pathwork Guide brings us to a pivotal turning point on the path: confronting and transforming our negative intention—the hidden part of us that actively resists love, growth, and fulfillment. Unlike general negativity (such as fear or anger), negative intention is a deliberate inner “no” to life. And until we see it clearly, it quietly shapes our reality. The Guide explains that this discovery can feel shocking. Consciously, we want happiness, connection, and success. Yet unconsciously, a part of us prefers separation, withholding, and even suffering—often as a way to maintain control or protect an old identity formed in childhood. Letting go of this stance can feel like losing ourselves. The key to transformation lies in identification. If we remain identified with the ego or the Lower Self, change feels impossible or threatening. But when we begin to identify with our Higher Self—the deeper, spiritual essence within us—we access a new foundation of trust, strength, and possibility. This shift doesn’t require perfection. It begins by observing our negative patterns without becoming them. As we develop this “observer” capacity, we loosen our attachment to destructive tendencies and open the door to real change. Ultimately, freedom comes from realizing we are not our negativity. By aligning with our spiritual self, we reclaim our true identity—and with it, our capacity for love, truth, and a fully alive life. Listen to BonesBones, Chapter 17: Overcoming our Negative Intention by Identifying with our Spiritual SelfRead Original Pathwork® Lecture: #195 Identification and Intentionality: Identification with the Spiritual Self to Overcome Negative Intentionality