Yes these are indeed called thoughts. From what the faithful describe, as being outside of thought, leads me to conclude we live in a vast nation of schizophrenics.

Among many others

My inner voice is the Entire Album - Close To The Edge by YES, or Days of Future Passed by The Moody Blues...and alternate Thursdays Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd

I have to really monitor my inner demon. If I ever come down with Tourette's Syndrome, things will get very ugly!

I've always spent a fair amount of time talking to myself about various concerns, important decisions, and working through losses, etc. I've never felt the need to add mystique to it by calling it my Higher Self or something.

I gotta say though, there are so many things you can't think your way out of, I'm not sure it accomplished much sometimes aside from making certain I've done what I can to see things as they are and respond appropriately to them.

I figure it's okay to talk to yourself, so long as you don't answer

I call it my "higher self," although I used to assume it was "God." If we are our own gods, then this is correct.

The inner voice has saved my life outright several times, suddenly telling me to "get on the sidewalk NOW" and "get off the horse!" an instant before a disaster. It would tell me where the migrating warblers were in the woods, explain bird "flyways" to me, tell me exactly where to wait in the woods for the next flock to pass, and how many minutes until their arrival, etc.

My inner voice sounds like Pee Wee Herman.