class Ability
  include CanCan::Ability

  def initialize(user)
    # Define abilities for the passed in user here. For example:
    #
    #   user ||= User.new # guest user (not logged in)
    #   if user.admin?
    #     can :manage, :all
    #   else
    #     can :read, :all
    #   end
    #
    # The first argument to `can` is the action you are giving the user
    # permission to do.
    # If you pass :manage it will apply to every action. Other common actions
    # here are :read, :create, :update and :destroy.
    #
    # The second argument is the resource the user can perform the action on.
    # If you pass :all it will apply to every resource. Otherwise pass a Ruby
    # class of the resource.
    #
    # The third argument is an optional hash of conditions to further filter the
    # objects.
    # For example, here the user can only update published articles.
    #
    #   can :update, Article, :published => true
    #
    # See the wiki for details:
    # https://github.com/CanCanCommunity/cancancan/wiki/Defining-Abilities
    user ||= NullUser.new
    user.generate_abilities(self)       
  end
end

class Ability
  include CanCan::Ability

  def initialize(user)
    # Define abilities for the passed in user here. For example:
    #
    #   user ||= User.new # guest user (not logged in)
    #   if user.admin?
    #     can :manage, :all
    #   else
    #     can :read, :all
    #   end
    #
    # The first argument to `can` is the action you are giving the user
    # permission to do.
    # If you pass :manage it will apply to every action. Other common actions
    # here are :read, :create, :update and :destroy.
    #
    # The second argument is the resource the user can perform the action on.
    # If you pass :all it will apply to every resource. Otherwise pass a Ruby
    # class of the resource.
    #
    # The third argument is an optional hash of conditions to further filter the
    # objects.
    # For example, here the user can only update published articles.
    #
    #   can :update, Article, :published => true
    #
    # See the wiki for details:
    # https://github.com/CanCanCommunity/cancancan/wiki/Defining-Abilities
    user ||= NullUser.new
    basic_abilities(user)
    user.generate_abilities(self)       
  end

  private
  
  #Define abilities that every user should have here
  def basic_abilities(user)
    can :manage, User, id: user.id # a user can manage her profile
  end
end

Add basic_abilities method to Ability Model
Add basic_abilities method to Ability Model

The Ability#basic_abilities method loads all abilities that apply to
every user. At this point that is only can :manage, User, id: user.id
which allows a logged in user to manage there own user profile.
