Something about Egos

I think you're thinking about it too hard : ) ...

It is so simple that it is usually beyond anything we are capable of experiencing in the first place unless we are using an alert perception with our clear consciousness.

We can enjoy life and not create a psycological attachment at the same time.

Alot of the things you described, eating, smelling roses, etc... are not "egos" in that sense. They are the senses of the physical organism we wear. You can enjoy what you experience with awareness instead of identity.
Awareness would be paying attention to what your experiencing while using those senses and not letting the mind wander into cyclic thinking patterns about it. Then we can clearly see if there is an underlying desire attached to the act we are carrying out.

"....trying to abstain from egos and living a normal life without living like a stoic mannequin."

Who can say that the usual mundane mechanical life people live is "normal" and that kind of life isn't living like a manequin? What is generally accepted as normal by most people is very far from any truth to begin with.

Word....thanks for the insight!!!

So about the senses, I apreciate what you said. I read on something about egos as subjective mental constructs, more like, anything that distracts us from the objective reality of truth. On such a tangent, anything that wasnt real seemed to be more of an ego-based idea, thats how i came up with the notion that even the senses themselves were-ego based, since "I" see red, but its nothing of the sort on the other side of my retinas.

But yeah, I respect what you said about it all, well more than respect lol, of experience and participation without psychological attachment. But me, thinking too much as I do, would like to see if you have something to say about this follow up: does this remove the dichotomous line between good and evil? What difference does it make if one is "good" or "bad" if one's detatched from it all? Bhagavan Krishna advises Arjuna to kill his enemies and fight the war in Dharma, for "the soul is immortal, and it is God working through humanity"...this is a struggle between the left and right-hand paths, and I'd like to clear things out. It involved the notion of "seeing the gold, marble and clod as one and the same." I think anyone who reads this would benefit too, because if one is detached and free from the egos, some say that even doing the "bad things", but with awareness of the truth, would NOT feed them!!!....hmmmm......talk to me, Apakhana!

To me, good and bad are just ideas. In truth, there is only an omnipresent law of opposites. This law was created by "God" itself and creation is subject under it.

There is correct action and incorrect action in the context of right-and-wrong though; you have the free will to make a choice in which direction you'll move.

"...doing the "bad things", but with awareness of the truth, would NOT feed them!!!" ...

Whoever said that doesn't comprehend the underlying psychology, if I understand the context correctly.
The desire is still fed because the action was taken. Doesn't matter if you were aware or not. You still did it.
(Let me know if that's not what you were getting at).

In my case, I have egos that use any excuse they can to justify doing something and that seems to be universal among everyone. When you you are aware you're doing something you shouldn't be and do it anyway, there's some pretty bad consequences.

Self destruction is the obvious end of the road when someone consciously creates evil.

Hi Shivoham,

You raise some interesting questions, and ones that I don't really know the answer to myself. But I can suggest a way that may help you in finding out if something is an ego or not....

Within each of us is our own essence - the "real me" if you like. We can discover that "real me" by sitting quietly, and observing within ourselves. We will most likely see a passing parade of thoughts and emotions, travelling by at different speeds - some lingering longer. Eventually as the activity of our mind quietens, we will start to get a sense of the true us. And we will start to experience the peace that comes from being aware, from being in the moment. Anything that takes us away from this peace, this awareness, comes from an ego. Smelling a rose, listening to elevating music can all be activities that contribute to this peace, and feed our essence. Or they can be activities that allow us to indulge egos - the only way to tell is by checking if we still have that peace that comes from being in the present moment. If we don't, then we search within once more until we find it. Life is a continual search for the peace in the present moment... And that peace when you find it, is very precious, and so easily lost in a moment. But worth fighting to get back, again and again and again.

All the best with your search,
Vicki

Hi Shivoham,

I guess you raise a question we all struggle with.

The most important thing is to try and keep awareness during the day, learned in the self discovery course. With time AND effort we gradually learn to see the difference between being aware and the egos.

During awareness we should be aware of our 5 senses and then life is enjoyed in a good way -as you say.

The problem is to see when its an ego feeding or the consiousness observing the world through the 5 senses.

Its difficult in the begining, but you will become aware when an ego is present with enough practice of being aware.

The consiousness always knows what the right action or reaction is. I often ask myself-what would Christ do in this situation?- This often helped me act correctly.

If you see an ego feeding do the death and act in a consious manner.

Master Samauel said our actions must be passive but our consiousness active.

There is a difference between smelling a rose consiously or by dreaming-with the ego...i.e. smelling while not being in the present moment observing with all 5 senses...

Hope this helps

My dear friend Shivoham,
reading your post was as if I was reading my thoughts. My sign is virgo, I am analytical and reasonable (such a powerful tool, must be cautious when one is using it :P). All the above answers are very helpfull. Use your willpower to observe yourself every moment but I advise you to be carefull with reason and analysis. They distract me a lot during the day, repeated thoughts, disturbing my concetration, hiding my egos. I have found a way to balance understanding which comes from analysis and silence it but it is a matter of practice and discovering yourself to apply it. Reasoning things keeps you "to earth", can help you fight fantasies and stop daydreaming. But it can be a nuisance when you have an experience and the "ego"-reason says stuff as: you are paranoid, it was your fantasy etc. After a period of searching the analytical-reasoning mind I discover it's power and I am working on ways how to use it as it is supposed to work.
I believe you will discover it yourself. And then, I hope you will discover the way to do the "vice-versa" I call it. Feel with the mind, think with your heart. And the most important thing. Don't forget you are not alone, we have friends that help us, in the physical and in other dimensions, they talk to us every night give us precious lessons, help us to see how we are doing, what we need etc.
Be strong and enjoy every moment of peace

Hello,

I had similar thoughts when I started these courses but I realised we dont need to act like robots or be too mental about what is and isnt an ego. I agree with Jaco to try and be aware as much as possible during the day and observe the egos as they arise. In awareness the consciousness manifests and the more we do it the more we can learn how it and the egos work.

Check this video of Rabolu speaking about joy -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep8wuLneh78

All the best

Jared

Yes Jared, thanks for that link. Gnosis is a hopeful thing, no one makes us do anything, life is going on all around us, we are a part of it, and it a part of us... We all have the choice to do whatever we want to do, that is something to be happy about. Sometimes egos are hidden and make us feel bitter even about dying to the egos, so even we have to die to that. Keep dying if there's not peace, because if there's not peace then there's not consciousness. I find that when I feel stuck, like someone is making me do this Work, that's when I feel bitter, because I forget that actually no one and nothing is making me do the work, but that I've chosen to do it, so if I've chosen to do it then I need to do it wholeheartedly without putting responsibility on anyone or anything else.

Thanks so much, all of you! I love you all!

I think that egos are complicated and illusory, but the essence is simple and real. Sometimes we intelectualize things too much... but through self-observation and learning to master the mind, we can see egos clearly and become conscious. I find Koans very helpful to stop the mind thinking so our intuition can give us the answers that we need to eliminate egos. And I guess that it's better to focus on an ego at a time.