Regarding the questions you asked: self has really two
meanings, or is used in two senses, in the Bahá'í writings; one is self, the
identity of the individual created by God. This is the self mentioned in such
passages as "he hath known God who hath known himself", etc. The
other self is the ego, the dark, animalistic heritage each one of us has, the
lower nature that can develop into a monster of selfishness, brutality, lust
and so on. It is this self we must struggle against, or this side of our natures,
in order to strengthen and free the spirit within us and help it to attain
perfection.
Self-sacrifice means to subordinate this lower nature and
its desires to the more godly and noble side of our selves. Ultimately, in its
highest sense, self-sacrifice means to give our will and our all to God to do
with as He pleases. Then He purifies and glorifies our true self until it
becomes a shining and wonderful reality.
- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 10 December 1947
written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; The Compilation
of Compilations, vol. II, Living the Life)
