Posts
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It is the calling of any person whom the interior Spirit of Love calls to teach to share some unobtrusive guidance with her friends. But she must do so in a Way in harmony with the great Tao, or Spirit. Not only that, but it is one of the greatest pleasures on earth!:)
But a good teacher never sees, or presents, herself as "above" anyone else. She honestly sees all people as both "teachers" and "students." So, she too is a disciple of Love and a student of life, learning new things each and every day.
So, the true teacher never highlights or draws attention to her ego. She does not love to see, or to support, the exhibition of her ego-face, for example, in brochures or on books. She might, if sincere, choose not even to use her egoname in public. At any rate, she will never be the egocentric type so commonly found among so many so-called "spiritual" or "metaphysical teachers." In short, she will do everything possible to remain in the background, and to keep her egoname from public display.
For the sage, says the masterteacher Lao Tzu, "does not practice selfdisplay." Jesus also warned against this real spiritual danger-- spiritual pride. (Mt. 6:1)
The genuine teacher is selfeffacing and even selfabnegating. She always practices gentleness to the point of being non-invasive and non-intrusive.
She always follows this principle:
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It is never the job of one adult to tell another adult what to do, or what not to do.
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So, the genuine spiritual teacher will never see, or present, herself as anyone's "mommy" or "daddy." For she knows that all spiritual adults must grow to become their own "internal parents," and recognize only the cosmic Mind as both "Father" and "Mother." This is why Jesus said, "Call no one on earth 'father.'..." This means not only not to call other adults "father," but also, to act as if none were your "father." For when grown-up, people do not need guiding "parents."
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Showing posts with label ego. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ego. Show all posts
Friday, May 30, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
"Ego" and Pneumarium
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We did not invent the concept of the ignoring or dissolution of the tyranny of the "ego." "Ego" is used a bit differently in spirituality than in psychology. "Ego" is the word used correctly by mystics from every tradition, and it has been used by Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, and others.
In spirituality, it means the lower, feardominated self, the merely "humanimal" self. This is the area of the mind that the people of Love and enlightenment want to bring under the control of the "higher Self" or Soul, and to bring both under the regulation of the "highest Self," the Spirit of Love. The terminology can be a bit confusing at first, but never fear: The Way of Love does not recommend selfannihilation, but (sometimes radical) Selftransformation!
We gather at the Pneumarium because this is no easy task, and is made only much more difficult when we seek to "fly solo.":( This is why Sufis, and other mystics, have, for millennia, gathered together in small groups as "extended families." [Please see the little article in the latest uld ("Universal Love Digest")] We do not want you to come to our gatherings when you are sick, as this is not the best way to love either yourself or others. But when you are well, our gatherings are a splendid way to love, and to serve, others!:)
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We did not invent the concept of the ignoring or dissolution of the tyranny of the "ego." "Ego" is used a bit differently in spirituality than in psychology. "Ego" is the word used correctly by mystics from every tradition, and it has been used by Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, and others.
In spirituality, it means the lower, feardominated self, the merely "humanimal" self. This is the area of the mind that the people of Love and enlightenment want to bring under the control of the "higher Self" or Soul, and to bring both under the regulation of the "highest Self," the Spirit of Love. The terminology can be a bit confusing at first, but never fear: The Way of Love does not recommend selfannihilation, but (sometimes radical) Selftransformation!
We gather at the Pneumarium because this is no easy task, and is made only much more difficult when we seek to "fly solo.":( This is why Sufis, and other mystics, have, for millennia, gathered together in small groups as "extended families." [Please see the little article in the latest uld ("Universal Love Digest")] We do not want you to come to our gatherings when you are sick, as this is not the best way to love either yourself or others. But when you are well, our gatherings are a splendid way to love, and to serve, others!:)
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Sunday, April 27, 2008
The Ego
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The ego has a place, often, several times, in the incarnational history of the Soul. For It might incarnate several times. It is counterproductive to see the ego as an "enemy," and it is not. It is our friend and teacher. But the ego is not a direct creation of God (Love).
Instead, it develops in response to karma and to earthly environments.
Since both these "mothers" of ego are illusion, so is the ego. It disappears at the death of the physical body, having served its entire purpose. Like the body, the ego is an "instrument" created for dealing with this everyday world of illusion. To use the words of the Docetic Jesus, it is a "phantom in a phantomworld." Just as we work out of Love for our bodies to keep them strong and healthy, even though they are but projections of Mind, we also must strive for psychological wellness, balance, moderation, and a Lovebased mind.
The "ego" in psychology is a little different from the "ego" of spirituality. For in psychology, if you do not have a "strong enough" ego, you suffer. But a major quest of spirituality (not religion) is to weaken the very strong ego.
Why? Because too much, or too strong, ego prevents the Spirit of Love from occupying the mind. Both ego and Spirit cannot dominate or control the mind simultaneously. "Ego" is Greek for "self," or, "I am." In metaphysics and spirituality, the word "self" has also more than one definition. There are, for example, in addition to the egoself (your everyday identity; the name on your birthcertificate and driverslicense), the "higher" Self (Soul) and "highest Self" (Spirit or Lovemind).
The mystic does not simply study the Lovemind or Lovespirit. Instead, pursuing enlightenment, she seeks actually to exchange her ego-identity for full identification with the Lovespirit (God).
Is it the goal of spirituality to "transcend" the ego? Yes, and it is viable. The ego is never the "enemy" of the spiritual being; instead, it is her teacher. As spiritual beings, we must remember that we are minds, not merely bodies. The ego is that part of mind that fully identifies with a particular body in spacetime. But these bodies, although we love, respect, and care for them, are not our true "selves."
For our truest "Self" is the Mind, unattached to any body. NOTE: The "mind" is not the "brain." The brain is within the body and is sustained by it, for it is a physical organ.
But the Mind is your immaterial, nonphysical self. It is your Soul. It existed before this life, and after this life, will continue to exist.
It is birthless, deathless, and timeless. So, once we begin to identify "my Self" as "my Soul," we have entered the "timeless life" promised by Jesus and the other great mysticsaints and masterteachers.
Knowing that you are not this body allows for the creation of powerful detachment. What affects the body need not affect, harm, or hurt, you, or yourself. That explains why, even though we age, we often feel "about the same" inside; the Mind, or Soulmind, does not age, is unaffected by time. but the body is not timeless; only the Soul is.
The ego is often a loud, arrogant braggert. It loves the spotlight, and laps up as much attention and notice as possible. Both Jesus and the Buddha renounced this kind of nonsense, which is the result of selfhatred-- not, as it seems, "too much selflove." Jesus taught that, if we receive rewards (he was speaking here of fame) from human beings, we have no reward with the "heavenly Father." (Mt. 6:1)
That is, the cost of fame is the eradication of all afterlife rewards.
To get earthly fame is like trading nuggets of gold and diamond for clumps of mud!
Why, then, do even "spiritual" people reach for, cultivate, and welcome fame? The truly spiritual do not. For them, fame is the worst possible consequence. So, we want to publicize the Way, but to make sure to keep the self (ego) out of the spotlight and the headlines.:) This can be a tricky and delicate balance. But it is mandatory, not optional, for the truly spiritual person. She wants,for example, for her students to talk about the Way, but not about her personally. Anyone who is eager for, and grabbing, the headlines, or fame, has proved her deep absence or lack of real spirituality. For each being is of immeasurable and limitless value. Anyone crying out for personal attention is trying to find validation in others; when we see this lack, we can be absolutely certain that a person is not enlightened. This is the simple "acid test" that every true spiritual teacher must pass!:)
Again, ego is not "evil." It is simply illusion; it is the dreamself occupying the dreamworld. Ego is part of maya or illusion. So, it follows that, she who takes the ego too seriously, or she who mistakes it for the "self," is not enlightened.
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The ego has a place, often, several times, in the incarnational history of the Soul. For It might incarnate several times. It is counterproductive to see the ego as an "enemy," and it is not. It is our friend and teacher. But the ego is not a direct creation of God (Love).
Instead, it develops in response to karma and to earthly environments.
Since both these "mothers" of ego are illusion, so is the ego. It disappears at the death of the physical body, having served its entire purpose. Like the body, the ego is an "instrument" created for dealing with this everyday world of illusion. To use the words of the Docetic Jesus, it is a "phantom in a phantomworld." Just as we work out of Love for our bodies to keep them strong and healthy, even though they are but projections of Mind, we also must strive for psychological wellness, balance, moderation, and a Lovebased mind.
The "ego" in psychology is a little different from the "ego" of spirituality. For in psychology, if you do not have a "strong enough" ego, you suffer. But a major quest of spirituality (not religion) is to weaken the very strong ego.
Why? Because too much, or too strong, ego prevents the Spirit of Love from occupying the mind. Both ego and Spirit cannot dominate or control the mind simultaneously. "Ego" is Greek for "self," or, "I am." In metaphysics and spirituality, the word "self" has also more than one definition. There are, for example, in addition to the egoself (your everyday identity; the name on your birthcertificate and driverslicense), the "higher" Self (Soul) and "highest Self" (Spirit or Lovemind).
The mystic does not simply study the Lovemind or Lovespirit. Instead, pursuing enlightenment, she seeks actually to exchange her ego-identity for full identification with the Lovespirit (God).
Is it the goal of spirituality to "transcend" the ego? Yes, and it is viable. The ego is never the "enemy" of the spiritual being; instead, it is her teacher. As spiritual beings, we must remember that we are minds, not merely bodies. The ego is that part of mind that fully identifies with a particular body in spacetime. But these bodies, although we love, respect, and care for them, are not our true "selves."
For our truest "Self" is the Mind, unattached to any body. NOTE: The "mind" is not the "brain." The brain is within the body and is sustained by it, for it is a physical organ.
But the Mind is your immaterial, nonphysical self. It is your Soul. It existed before this life, and after this life, will continue to exist.
It is birthless, deathless, and timeless. So, once we begin to identify "my Self" as "my Soul," we have entered the "timeless life" promised by Jesus and the other great mysticsaints and masterteachers.
Knowing that you are not this body allows for the creation of powerful detachment. What affects the body need not affect, harm, or hurt, you, or yourself. That explains why, even though we age, we often feel "about the same" inside; the Mind, or Soulmind, does not age, is unaffected by time. but the body is not timeless; only the Soul is.
The ego is often a loud, arrogant braggert. It loves the spotlight, and laps up as much attention and notice as possible. Both Jesus and the Buddha renounced this kind of nonsense, which is the result of selfhatred-- not, as it seems, "too much selflove." Jesus taught that, if we receive rewards (he was speaking here of fame) from human beings, we have no reward with the "heavenly Father." (Mt. 6:1)
That is, the cost of fame is the eradication of all afterlife rewards.
To get earthly fame is like trading nuggets of gold and diamond for clumps of mud!
Why, then, do even "spiritual" people reach for, cultivate, and welcome fame? The truly spiritual do not. For them, fame is the worst possible consequence. So, we want to publicize the Way, but to make sure to keep the self (ego) out of the spotlight and the headlines.:) This can be a tricky and delicate balance. But it is mandatory, not optional, for the truly spiritual person. She wants,for example, for her students to talk about the Way, but not about her personally. Anyone who is eager for, and grabbing, the headlines, or fame, has proved her deep absence or lack of real spirituality. For each being is of immeasurable and limitless value. Anyone crying out for personal attention is trying to find validation in others; when we see this lack, we can be absolutely certain that a person is not enlightened. This is the simple "acid test" that every true spiritual teacher must pass!:)
Again, ego is not "evil." It is simply illusion; it is the dreamself occupying the dreamworld. Ego is part of maya or illusion. So, it follows that, she who takes the ego too seriously, or she who mistakes it for the "self," is not enlightened.
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Friday, April 25, 2008
The Use of Words
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We do not "worry" about the ego. Words can be used to find, and to fix, rational solutions, or they can simply "beat an idea to death.":) We use words for only understanding and communication. The most important ideas in the world are quite beyond words anyway. The great sage Lao Tzu set forth this important principle: "She who says, does not know; she who knows, does not say." We need not be fanatical, or take an interior vow of silence. But neither need we swing to the opposite pole, imagining that we "have all the answers.' in a "flurry" of words" As usual, the Enlightenment Path is between these extremes.
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We do not "worry" about the ego. Words can be used to find, and to fix, rational solutions, or they can simply "beat an idea to death.":) We use words for only understanding and communication. The most important ideas in the world are quite beyond words anyway. The great sage Lao Tzu set forth this important principle: "She who says, does not know; she who knows, does not say." We need not be fanatical, or take an interior vow of silence. But neither need we swing to the opposite pole, imagining that we "have all the answers.' in a "flurry" of words" As usual, the Enlightenment Path is between these extremes.
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Saturday, March 01, 2008
Materialism, Greed, and "New-agers"
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There are many, and some immense, spiritual principles-- such as karma and its associated linkages with lifedesign-- that people do not realize.
If they did educate themselves in these matters, their interior universe would expand breath-takingly!
There are many items in the traditional (and now, paradoxically "old") "New Thought" Movement that are questionable from the mystical perspective. For the main "objection," much of it is virtually obsessed with the ego-- the opposite of truest and deepest spirituality. Many new-agers are very much like their business or "worldly" counterparts, for they are both obsessed with the impressive home, career, new car, best computer, etc.
And so many, directly contrary to Jesus, in his famous "Sermon on the Mount," are also obsessed with egofame! These are not only nonspiritual, but, much worse, antispiritual concepts.
They always talk about "abundance," but this can be a secret code-word for greed. Jesus commanded the opposite, again, by saying, "Do not store up treasures upon the earth." He called us, not to a pressure-filled life in which we tried to control everything mentally, but to a pressure-free life in which we did not try to control anything! For "faith" is trusting Goddess (Tao) to control Her universe! Some of the material written by Ernest Holmes does fall, or has slipped, into these sad categories. The ego is sneaky and subtle; and if all else fails, it will disguise itself and its message as "spirituality."
Yes, many followers of his Science of Mind Church are wonderful, openminded, tolerant, giving, compassionate people! Some do not even realize that the ego sits at the very heart of the philosophy. But the ego thrives on fear, and this is the subtle, often hidden, fear that they will not be able to control the world mentally. So, people who put all their eggs in the basket of "positive thinking" live in perpetual fear of having "bad" thoughts. Happily, however, our conscious thoughts are not that powerful!:)
This kind of pseudospiritual material soon becomes an endless rerun all about "prosperity," "abundance," and "right thinking." Soon, Love gets pushed aside, and ultimately, ignored. Jesus spoke much and often about Love; but it is significant that he never gave a sermon on "right thinking," and never implied that the conscious mind could control the world. In fact, he said quite the opposite: We cannot change the color of a single hair on our own heads.
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There are many, and some immense, spiritual principles-- such as karma and its associated linkages with lifedesign-- that people do not realize.
If they did educate themselves in these matters, their interior universe would expand breath-takingly!
There are many items in the traditional (and now, paradoxically "old") "New Thought" Movement that are questionable from the mystical perspective. For the main "objection," much of it is virtually obsessed with the ego-- the opposite of truest and deepest spirituality. Many new-agers are very much like their business or "worldly" counterparts, for they are both obsessed with the impressive home, career, new car, best computer, etc.
And so many, directly contrary to Jesus, in his famous "Sermon on the Mount," are also obsessed with egofame! These are not only nonspiritual, but, much worse, antispiritual concepts.
They always talk about "abundance," but this can be a secret code-word for greed. Jesus commanded the opposite, again, by saying, "Do not store up treasures upon the earth." He called us, not to a pressure-filled life in which we tried to control everything mentally, but to a pressure-free life in which we did not try to control anything! For "faith" is trusting Goddess (Tao) to control Her universe! Some of the material written by Ernest Holmes does fall, or has slipped, into these sad categories. The ego is sneaky and subtle; and if all else fails, it will disguise itself and its message as "spirituality."
Yes, many followers of his Science of Mind Church are wonderful, openminded, tolerant, giving, compassionate people! Some do not even realize that the ego sits at the very heart of the philosophy. But the ego thrives on fear, and this is the subtle, often hidden, fear that they will not be able to control the world mentally. So, people who put all their eggs in the basket of "positive thinking" live in perpetual fear of having "bad" thoughts. Happily, however, our conscious thoughts are not that powerful!:)
This kind of pseudospiritual material soon becomes an endless rerun all about "prosperity," "abundance," and "right thinking." Soon, Love gets pushed aside, and ultimately, ignored. Jesus spoke much and often about Love; but it is significant that he never gave a sermon on "right thinking," and never implied that the conscious mind could control the world. In fact, he said quite the opposite: We cannot change the color of a single hair on our own heads.
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Thursday, February 21, 2008
The Sermon on the Mount, Part XXIV and XXV of XL
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TEXT Continuing, with Matthew 6:16:
COMMENTARY: Jesus really wanted his listeners seriously to understand and remember his Message, and so, repeats it for emphasis.
The "scary" warning is here yet again repeated: If you receive a "human reward," you cancel any chances of receiving a divine reward. Let her who has ears to hear, hear this crucial warning! For many ministers, preachers, and religious leaders, accepting and welcoming fame, have rejected any chance of being rewarded cosmically! Their huge egos have spoiled everything for them.
TEXT:
COMMENTARY: Again, to underscore and highlight his important Message, Jesus refers to the interior "Father," who watches our lives "in secret." From only the "Father," in His role as "interior Judge," or "Observer," can genuine, lasting karmic rewards arise. For "Him," egotism is a slap in the face, an arrogant rejection. We cannot afford to give in to this low selfesteem, or we will ruin our chances of any "heavenly" reward (in the life to come).
The Sermon on the Mount, Part XXV of XL
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TEXT:
COMMENTARY: This is Jesus the simple, recommending a Way of simplicity so great that it is a terror to many in our materialistic culture. Applied literally, in this text, Jesus forbids unnecessary accumulations and luxurious acquisitions. This is the same message of the Buddha, who similarly forbade "clinging," "attachment," "grasping," and "craving" for the enlightened. (He said that the enlightened mind had no interest in these "spiritual diseases" and the baubles that accompany them.) The follower of the Way must drop all materialism. She must live in utter simplicity. Again, to be literal, the person of Love must not "store" material things "on earth."
TEXT:
COMMENTARY: Now, Jesus reveals the mystery as to why materialism is so dangerous: It can conquer the "heart," or emotional nature. People who are too obsessed with business often discover, to their utter heartbreak, that money and the incessant accumulations of materialism actually dull their emotions in relationship, friendship, and depth of feeling generally. For they have sold pieces of their Souls, and their only reward is the stinking "mud" of money. They have traded the "gold" of God, which is Love, for the dirt and mud of materialism.
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TEXT Continuing, with Matthew 6:16:
Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
COMMENTARY: Jesus really wanted his listeners seriously to understand and remember his Message, and so, repeats it for emphasis.
The "scary" warning is here yet again repeated: If you receive a "human reward," you cancel any chances of receiving a divine reward. Let her who has ears to hear, hear this crucial warning! For many ministers, preachers, and religious leaders, accepting and welcoming fame, have rejected any chance of being rewarded cosmically! Their huge egos have spoiled everything for them.
TEXT:
17. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
COMMENTARY: Again, to underscore and highlight his important Message, Jesus refers to the interior "Father," who watches our lives "in secret." From only the "Father," in His role as "interior Judge," or "Observer," can genuine, lasting karmic rewards arise. For "Him," egotism is a slap in the face, an arrogant rejection. We cannot afford to give in to this low selfesteem, or we will ruin our chances of any "heavenly" reward (in the life to come).
The Sermon on the Mount, Part XXV of XL
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TEXT:
19. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.
COMMENTARY: This is Jesus the simple, recommending a Way of simplicity so great that it is a terror to many in our materialistic culture. Applied literally, in this text, Jesus forbids unnecessary accumulations and luxurious acquisitions. This is the same message of the Buddha, who similarly forbade "clinging," "attachment," "grasping," and "craving" for the enlightened. (He said that the enlightened mind had no interest in these "spiritual diseases" and the baubles that accompany them.) The follower of the Way must drop all materialism. She must live in utter simplicity. Again, to be literal, the person of Love must not "store" material things "on earth."
TEXT:
21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
COMMENTARY: Now, Jesus reveals the mystery as to why materialism is so dangerous: It can conquer the "heart," or emotional nature. People who are too obsessed with business often discover, to their utter heartbreak, that money and the incessant accumulations of materialism actually dull their emotions in relationship, friendship, and depth of feeling generally. For they have sold pieces of their Souls, and their only reward is the stinking "mud" of money. They have traded the "gold" of God, which is Love, for the dirt and mud of materialism.
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Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Selforgiveness
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All genuine selforgiveness begins with the deep realization that we, as individual egos, are not "important" enough, in this vast universe, for our "sins" to matter tremendously, except to the design of our future karma. If the ego is not "that important," neither can any of its errors be.
This is why God, through Jesus, comes across as eager to forgive, and He does so quite easily. He forgives, on the spot, even "very serious" sins. It is, in fact, blasphemy even to suggest that there can exist any "sin" greater than God's Love, Her ability to forgive. Realizing that God forgives us universally, and wanting to imitate God in our poor humanway, demands selforgiveness.
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All genuine selforgiveness begins with the deep realization that we, as individual egos, are not "important" enough, in this vast universe, for our "sins" to matter tremendously, except to the design of our future karma. If the ego is not "that important," neither can any of its errors be.
This is why God, through Jesus, comes across as eager to forgive, and He does so quite easily. He forgives, on the spot, even "very serious" sins. It is, in fact, blasphemy even to suggest that there can exist any "sin" greater than God's Love, Her ability to forgive. Realizing that God forgives us universally, and wanting to imitate God in our poor humanway, demands selforgiveness.
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Saturday, September 22, 2007
Spiritual Teachers and Egos
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The ego is not the "enemy" of the enlightened. Instead, it is her teacher. As part of the Mind, it is also the creation of the One, and so, has a valid reason for existence.
Still, yielding to its domination (it is always wanting to control everything) is ignorance and darkness. So, especially in a spiritual teacher, we should look for the concealment of the ego, not its prideful display.
The ego is a small but real part of the identity of the Mind. Specifically, it is the "role" that Mind is playing in the "stageplay" of this earthly life. Everyone, including the sage, has one. But the sage, in wisdom, conquers or overcomes her ego with Love.
That means that she reidentifies with the Spirit of Love, or Lovemind. This process begins with a de-identification vis a vis the ego. She says, "I am not just this body," and, "I am not the identity that adheres to, or within, this body. I am not the timebased ego."
Gradually, her identity is transformed: "I am not a physical body" grows into, "I am a nonphysical mind." In time, that evolves into, "I am not just this conscious mind, but an ancient Mind that has lived for many ages-- a Soul." With the passage of more time, this realization blossoms into, "This Soul is part of the Mind of the One. So, It is Love Itself. I am an incarnation of Love, of the One."
This does not lead to selfconscious pride; if the thought leads there, it is anti-enlightenment. This realization leads to the egoless state. It is full enlightenment. This is becoming a sage, or master.
But, free of ego, and free of the need to manipulate others to approve of her (receiving her validation from within only) the sage or master would never, could never, claim to be a "sage" or "master." Thus, you can rest assured that anyone who ever claims to be any sort of "master" is working from an unhealthy ego; she is proving her absence of true masterhood. For one major mark of a master is always her humility. The unenlightened is always so very insecure that she feels that she cannot "afford" humility, and so, is very rarely humble.
So, any so-called "spiritual teacher" who puts herself "on display" is a fraud and a phony. Perhaps she is not simply deceiving, but selfdeceived as well. But any "teacher" who talks about herself rather than the Way is fake. You need to run, not walk, in the opposite direction!
Specifically, any teacher who tries to impress people with her "famous" students, or her "many" students is only pretending. The greatest masters in all human history, Jesus and Gautama (the Buddha(, did not value their disciples in terms of numbers. And anyone who tries to show you how "important" she is by saying that she has "thousands" of followers is only childishly, and ignorantly, selfdisplaying the ego.
Anyone who boasts of how "well-known" she is, how "famous," has also missed the entire point of enlightenment, and denied it. She is suffering from one of the most serious diseases in the whole of mysticism-- egotism. It is a disease that makes the pathetic ego-selfesteem feel better for a few minutes, but it seriously wounds the
Soulmind.
A teacher, in our world, must use an egoname. Jesus, Gautama, and other fine mystics used them. But, in the life of a true teacher, the ego or name must never be the center of the teaching, or the work. Any "teacher" who boasts or brags about her "many incarnations," and any teacher who amusingly claims to have been great beings from the past is laughable from a spiritual perspective. She is also quite pathetic. And she is certainly not enlightened-- not even close!
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The ego is not the "enemy" of the enlightened. Instead, it is her teacher. As part of the Mind, it is also the creation of the One, and so, has a valid reason for existence.
Still, yielding to its domination (it is always wanting to control everything) is ignorance and darkness. So, especially in a spiritual teacher, we should look for the concealment of the ego, not its prideful display.
The ego is a small but real part of the identity of the Mind. Specifically, it is the "role" that Mind is playing in the "stageplay" of this earthly life. Everyone, including the sage, has one. But the sage, in wisdom, conquers or overcomes her ego with Love.
That means that she reidentifies with the Spirit of Love, or Lovemind. This process begins with a de-identification vis a vis the ego. She says, "I am not just this body," and, "I am not the identity that adheres to, or within, this body. I am not the timebased ego."
Gradually, her identity is transformed: "I am not a physical body" grows into, "I am a nonphysical mind." In time, that evolves into, "I am not just this conscious mind, but an ancient Mind that has lived for many ages-- a Soul." With the passage of more time, this realization blossoms into, "This Soul is part of the Mind of the One. So, It is Love Itself. I am an incarnation of Love, of the One."
This does not lead to selfconscious pride; if the thought leads there, it is anti-enlightenment. This realization leads to the egoless state. It is full enlightenment. This is becoming a sage, or master.
But, free of ego, and free of the need to manipulate others to approve of her (receiving her validation from within only) the sage or master would never, could never, claim to be a "sage" or "master." Thus, you can rest assured that anyone who ever claims to be any sort of "master" is working from an unhealthy ego; she is proving her absence of true masterhood. For one major mark of a master is always her humility. The unenlightened is always so very insecure that she feels that she cannot "afford" humility, and so, is very rarely humble.
So, any so-called "spiritual teacher" who puts herself "on display" is a fraud and a phony. Perhaps she is not simply deceiving, but selfdeceived as well. But any "teacher" who talks about herself rather than the Way is fake. You need to run, not walk, in the opposite direction!
Specifically, any teacher who tries to impress people with her "famous" students, or her "many" students is only pretending. The greatest masters in all human history, Jesus and Gautama (the Buddha(, did not value their disciples in terms of numbers. And anyone who tries to show you how "important" she is by saying that she has "thousands" of followers is only childishly, and ignorantly, selfdisplaying the ego.
Anyone who boasts of how "well-known" she is, how "famous," has also missed the entire point of enlightenment, and denied it. She is suffering from one of the most serious diseases in the whole of mysticism-- egotism. It is a disease that makes the pathetic ego-selfesteem feel better for a few minutes, but it seriously wounds the
Soulmind.
A teacher, in our world, must use an egoname. Jesus, Gautama, and other fine mystics used them. But, in the life of a true teacher, the ego or name must never be the center of the teaching, or the work. Any "teacher" who boasts or brags about her "many incarnations," and any teacher who amusingly claims to have been great beings from the past is laughable from a spiritual perspective. She is also quite pathetic. And she is certainly not enlightened-- not even close!
*******
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Healing and Karma: the True Story
*******
If you can "catch the karma" just right, miraculous healings are indeed possible. But this depends more upon karma than upon technique. Some healers are almost fanatical about technique. But it is really karma that allows true healing.
If your karmic time-period for a disorder is "over," the body will spontaneously remit even without using any technique at all. Peoples' cancers have remitted while standing in line at the grocery store, or while driving on the freeway. On the other hand, if your karma determines that this NOW is not the time, you can be surrounded by a dozen of the best healers in the world, and you can be ingesting every positive and helpful herb, doing the best affirmations, visualizations, and prayers, and still not be "healed completely."
This is why even the most famous healer in history, Jesus, was "unable to heal some." It truly does help to cooperate with the Spirit. But we must be especially careful of taking ego-credit for processes far beyond our control or understanding. That is why a true healer will never claim to be the "Source" of healing energy, but only its "conduit." She wisely recognizes more tsunamic forces arising from the Unconscious. So, an ego-based healer, one who overcharges, or one who seeks or accepts fame is always a phony.
The good news is that every act of Love helps to erase a little karma. This applies to both reflective karma and to optional (chosen) karma.:)
*******
If you can "catch the karma" just right, miraculous healings are indeed possible. But this depends more upon karma than upon technique. Some healers are almost fanatical about technique. But it is really karma that allows true healing.
If your karmic time-period for a disorder is "over," the body will spontaneously remit even without using any technique at all. Peoples' cancers have remitted while standing in line at the grocery store, or while driving on the freeway. On the other hand, if your karma determines that this NOW is not the time, you can be surrounded by a dozen of the best healers in the world, and you can be ingesting every positive and helpful herb, doing the best affirmations, visualizations, and prayers, and still not be "healed completely."
This is why even the most famous healer in history, Jesus, was "unable to heal some." It truly does help to cooperate with the Spirit. But we must be especially careful of taking ego-credit for processes far beyond our control or understanding. That is why a true healer will never claim to be the "Source" of healing energy, but only its "conduit." She wisely recognizes more tsunamic forces arising from the Unconscious. So, an ego-based healer, one who overcharges, or one who seeks or accepts fame is always a phony.
The good news is that every act of Love helps to erase a little karma. This applies to both reflective karma and to optional (chosen) karma.:)
*******
Friday, May 25, 2007
How the Ego Blocks the Divine Mind
*******
Enlightened people call the usual human identity the "ego." When a person says, "I am Mary Smith," she is identifying her social and recognized human self, her ego. The ego is the person (identity) that we have always thought ourselves to be; it is the name on your birth-certificate and driver's license. It is whom everyone, including parents, assumes you to be.
But spiritual tradition has always held that we have a "secret identity." This identity is not conscious, but is hidden deeply within the Unconscious.
This secret identity is based on the spiritual premise that "our" minds are all part of a greater Mind-- a Mind that is a galaxy of infinite Love, joy, beauty, wisdom, and truth. Deep down, these traditions hold, we all "grow out of" this great shared Mind, as a thousand million flowers all grow out of the single earth. This beautiful and magnificent shared Mind, you might have guessed, is the "Mind of God."
What Jesus said about Himself, then, applies to all of us. For He said, "The Father [God] and I are one." (Jn. 10:30) Deep within the Unconscious, we are all in touch with a vast Mind that is pure Love. (This is called "Lovemind," "Coremind," or, "Godmind.")
The ultimate goal of enlightenment is to fuse, meld, merge, unify, or unite with this Mind of pure Love. This is the highest human act of worship. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the attempt to "become one" with this perfect Mind is the sincerest form of Love for God.
For to see God as a part of one's own mind is to have a transformative effect. This God cannot be "distant," or "gone," relative to His/Her human children. For, by definition, wherever they go, He is.
The spiritual tradition teaches that this entire world is the dream, or "virtual reality," created by this one Mind. So, this God is everywhere, and within all hearts, and within all things. For just as when you dream of a blue ball and a red wagon, you are "in" the ball and the wagon, for they are part of your dream (and thus, of your mind), so, in an analogous way, God "indwells" all creation. This makes the entire world beautiful, and sacred.
When you identify strongly with the ego, or lower human nature, you are in essence denying the higher nature, the indwelling Holy Spirit. You are turning away from your own higher nature, your Love-nature, and identifying with the time-bound, terribly limited, and merely human, identity. People who make a career out of their egos, who spend all their time trying to inflate them, to get attention, praise, notice, accolade, approbation, and "strokes" for their ego are denying their deep interior higher Self, the God-Self. So, people in our society, whose goal is almost always to inflate, and gain attention for, the ego, are sabotaging their deepest spiritual plans. For the ultimate reason that we incarnate on earth is to overcome the illusion that we are merely animal-bodies and merely egominds. We come here to vanquish, overcome, and conquer ego-dominance and also ego-identification ("I am only Mary Smith").
The Scriptures make it clear that Jesus was not a freak, but a "model...for you to follow his footsteps closely." If Jesus was a model, this means that he was not a different species than are we. He truly was, asthe old formula said, "true God and true man." He had become a full incarnation, not of "another person," but of Love. He had fully "traded in" his old human identity for the realization, "I am a temporary incarnation of the principle of Love."
To become Love incarnate, we must fully de-identify with the ego. Mary Smith must say, "I am not only Mary Smith, although that is a small part of my mind. For I am also a vessel for the Holy Spirit of Love." Gradually, with the passage of time, and with the continued consistent practice of humility, Mary Smith's ego begins to disappear into her fuller identification with God (Love). This is the final and ultimate destiny of all living beings, to fulfill the words of Paul, writing about a time when "God will be all in all."
*******
Enlightened people call the usual human identity the "ego." When a person says, "I am Mary Smith," she is identifying her social and recognized human self, her ego. The ego is the person (identity) that we have always thought ourselves to be; it is the name on your birth-certificate and driver's license. It is whom everyone, including parents, assumes you to be.
But spiritual tradition has always held that we have a "secret identity." This identity is not conscious, but is hidden deeply within the Unconscious.
This secret identity is based on the spiritual premise that "our" minds are all part of a greater Mind-- a Mind that is a galaxy of infinite Love, joy, beauty, wisdom, and truth. Deep down, these traditions hold, we all "grow out of" this great shared Mind, as a thousand million flowers all grow out of the single earth. This beautiful and magnificent shared Mind, you might have guessed, is the "Mind of God."
What Jesus said about Himself, then, applies to all of us. For He said, "The Father [God] and I are one." (Jn. 10:30) Deep within the Unconscious, we are all in touch with a vast Mind that is pure Love. (This is called "Lovemind," "Coremind," or, "Godmind.")
The ultimate goal of enlightenment is to fuse, meld, merge, unify, or unite with this Mind of pure Love. This is the highest human act of worship. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the attempt to "become one" with this perfect Mind is the sincerest form of Love for God.
For to see God as a part of one's own mind is to have a transformative effect. This God cannot be "distant," or "gone," relative to His/Her human children. For, by definition, wherever they go, He is.
The spiritual tradition teaches that this entire world is the dream, or "virtual reality," created by this one Mind. So, this God is everywhere, and within all hearts, and within all things. For just as when you dream of a blue ball and a red wagon, you are "in" the ball and the wagon, for they are part of your dream (and thus, of your mind), so, in an analogous way, God "indwells" all creation. This makes the entire world beautiful, and sacred.
When you identify strongly with the ego, or lower human nature, you are in essence denying the higher nature, the indwelling Holy Spirit. You are turning away from your own higher nature, your Love-nature, and identifying with the time-bound, terribly limited, and merely human, identity. People who make a career out of their egos, who spend all their time trying to inflate them, to get attention, praise, notice, accolade, approbation, and "strokes" for their ego are denying their deep interior higher Self, the God-Self. So, people in our society, whose goal is almost always to inflate, and gain attention for, the ego, are sabotaging their deepest spiritual plans. For the ultimate reason that we incarnate on earth is to overcome the illusion that we are merely animal-bodies and merely egominds. We come here to vanquish, overcome, and conquer ego-dominance and also ego-identification ("I am only Mary Smith").
The Scriptures make it clear that Jesus was not a freak, but a "model...for you to follow his footsteps closely." If Jesus was a model, this means that he was not a different species than are we. He truly was, asthe old formula said, "true God and true man." He had become a full incarnation, not of "another person," but of Love. He had fully "traded in" his old human identity for the realization, "I am a temporary incarnation of the principle of Love."
To become Love incarnate, we must fully de-identify with the ego. Mary Smith must say, "I am not only Mary Smith, although that is a small part of my mind. For I am also a vessel for the Holy Spirit of Love." Gradually, with the passage of time, and with the continued consistent practice of humility, Mary Smith's ego begins to disappear into her fuller identification with God (Love). This is the final and ultimate destiny of all living beings, to fulfill the words of Paul, writing about a time when "God will be all in all."
*******
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Thoughts about Gurus
*******
The ego of others is not a problem. Discerning whether or not a person is still locked in ego is not our problem.
Never has it ever been denied by Love Ministries that there have been several enlightened people from the East. In fact, the Way of Buddhism, Taoism and Hinduism have always been recognized and publicly acknowledged as Ways of truth and wisdom.
It is not necessary for us to declare that any particular individual is either "enlightened" or otherwise. You seem to have several "gurus" whom you feel need "defending" from me, but the honest truth is that I have never "attacked" any that you have mentioned, and have zero plans to do so in the future.
It is good that you have found security in the acceptance and following of these teachers. I would simply ask you for the toleration and understanding of a man who has followed no particular guru, and, again, has no plans to do so. For Light is Light, whatever the source. As Jesus implied, if there were no teaching mystics, God would cry out from the stones! (Much about the Way can be learned, in fact, from crystals!:)
Thanks for your concerns.
*******
The ego of others is not a problem. Discerning whether or not a person is still locked in ego is not our problem.
Never has it ever been denied by Love Ministries that there have been several enlightened people from the East. In fact, the Way of Buddhism, Taoism and Hinduism have always been recognized and publicly acknowledged as Ways of truth and wisdom.
It is not necessary for us to declare that any particular individual is either "enlightened" or otherwise. You seem to have several "gurus" whom you feel need "defending" from me, but the honest truth is that I have never "attacked" any that you have mentioned, and have zero plans to do so in the future.
It is good that you have found security in the acceptance and following of these teachers. I would simply ask you for the toleration and understanding of a man who has followed no particular guru, and, again, has no plans to do so. For Light is Light, whatever the source. As Jesus implied, if there were no teaching mystics, God would cry out from the stones! (Much about the Way can be learned, in fact, from crystals!:)
Thanks for your concerns.
*******
Thursday, March 22, 2007
The Ego as Servant of Love
*******
Thank you for an uplifting lettter!:) It was quite sweet. In it, you say that you are not a mystic, but I must gently and mildly disagree. We are all put on earth to cultivate the mindset and attitudes of the mystical Way. The use of "Ifree" is not, of course, a goal in itself. It is simply an exercise in mindful awareness. If it makes you aware, perhaps even a little uncomfortable, during those moments when your mind ennucleates on the self, then it has more than served its noble purpose.
The ego is not "ugly" at all. It is not an "enemy." Instead, it is a teacher. Without at least some cooperation from it, no one can make any progress on the scale of growing awareness.
So, we must elicit its cooperation-- not fight against it. And no one-- including all other people-- can ever make the ego "ugly," although we can allow it to become so. That occurs, for example, when we yield to it as our unqualified master. Then, it must work to replace God (Love) as the Number One in our lives, and it simply is not qualified to handle that job; so, it inevitably fails.
It might be said that the ego is always a failure when it comes to a beautiful life-design. But, being friends and peaceful warriors together on this nanodot called "earth," we all do share the same assignments; and, happily, we can help each other over the many "bumps" in the road.:)
*******
Thank you for an uplifting lettter!:) It was quite sweet. In it, you say that you are not a mystic, but I must gently and mildly disagree. We are all put on earth to cultivate the mindset and attitudes of the mystical Way. The use of "Ifree" is not, of course, a goal in itself. It is simply an exercise in mindful awareness. If it makes you aware, perhaps even a little uncomfortable, during those moments when your mind ennucleates on the self, then it has more than served its noble purpose.
The ego is not "ugly" at all. It is not an "enemy." Instead, it is a teacher. Without at least some cooperation from it, no one can make any progress on the scale of growing awareness.
So, we must elicit its cooperation-- not fight against it. And no one-- including all other people-- can ever make the ego "ugly," although we can allow it to become so. That occurs, for example, when we yield to it as our unqualified master. Then, it must work to replace God (Love) as the Number One in our lives, and it simply is not qualified to handle that job; so, it inevitably fails.
It might be said that the ego is always a failure when it comes to a beautiful life-design. But, being friends and peaceful warriors together on this nanodot called "earth," we all do share the same assignments; and, happily, we can help each other over the many "bumps" in the road.:)
*******
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