My last blog began a discussion of the ego by identifying some of the ego’s many faces: self-criticism, complaining, grudges, being right, minutia and ownership. The ego has many, many faces. Lets continue to explore some of them.
Specialness: The ego takes everything personally, and believes you deserve to be treated better than others because you are special. “How dare you treat me this way?” “Don’t you know who I am?” “Because of my superior knowledge (or my name, or my religion or my contacts or——- this or that) you are inferior to me and must show proper respect.” The ego will refer to views and opinions as facts to bolster its specialness. The ego loves being offended so finds endless opportunities to do so. The ego loves to keep you in a constant state of self-inflicted turmoil.
Scarcity: Scarcity is the mantra of the ego. ”There is never enough of anything.” Not enough time to volunteer, not enough money to help others, not enough resources, not enough food, never enough to share.” So the ego says someday I’ll volunteer, someday I’ll donate, someday I’ll do this or that. Someday when there is more…….. This earth is plentiful and the truth is the more you give, the more you get.
Positions and Titles: The ego loves to identify with positions and titles. And these positions and titles come and go as we travel through life. Mom, Dad, Graduate, Supervisor, Manager, President, and CEO are but a few of life’s titles. The ego loves to attach your self-worth so tightly to these titles, that when the title goes away, your sense of self-worth goes with it. Just make sure your sense of who you are goes much deeper than any title. Shakespeare in his play As You Like It wrote these words for Jaques: “All the world’s a stage. All the men and women merely players. And one man in his time plays many parts……Whatever your part, act it well.” Realize the transient nature of all things and remember; “This too shall pass.” Good or bad…..This too shall pass. So anchor your sense of self-worth deep within.
Competition: Competition abounds and the ego loves it! We teach our children to be the best at whatever they do. We all strive to be the best. Can this be wrong? Certainly not! Competition has brought some truly amazing accomplishments. But make no mistake we are feeding our ego if we turn winning into a sense of superiority. Take pride in what you do, but remember your self-worth is not dependent on winning a competition.
Thought: Ego is expressed totally through thought. Many are so caught up in the constant stream of thought; they mistakenly believe they are their thoughts. You are not your thoughts……you are the one who notices. You are the witness of thought. Everyone has thoughts racing through their minds and most thoughts are not unique but common to all. You may have heard that the U.S. Patent office often receives several patent applications for the same invention from different areas of the country. These inventors do not know one another and yet the idea for the same invention simultaneously occurred to them. How does that happen?
Ego is purely materialistic, non-personal thought totally identified with form. In fact, according to Eckhart Tolle, the earliest definition of EVIL is a complete identification with form. Ego consists totally of thought and is devoid of feeling. It cannot understand spirituality. According to David R Hawkins, “The world of the ego is like a house of mirrors through which the ego wanders, lost and confused, as it chases the images in one mirror after another. Human life is characterized by endless trials and errors to escape the maze. At times, for many people (and possibly for most), the world of mirrors becomes a house of horrors that gets worse and worse. The only way out of the circuitous wanderings if through the pursuit of spiritual truth.”
Enlightenment is realizing the nature of ego and rising above its false promises. It is realizing that the higher self is pure love and is connected to the whole. It understands the greater part of our universe is unseen, but can be felt. According to David R Hawkins, “To even hear of enlightenment is already the rarest of gifts. Anyone who has ever heard of enlightenment will never be satisfied with anything else……what the ego cannot lift with all its might is like a feather to the grace of God.”
For now Earlynn’s just sayin’: “When we realize that spiritual development is not an accomplishment buy a way of life, we begin to attract the peace and happiness for which we have longed.”
http://earlynnsjustsayin.org/inspirational-thought-3/
To get your copy of Earlynn’s book, Transformed, click on the above tab, ‘Earlynn’s Book’ to order your copy. Thank you. Gloria! InExcelsis Deo!
