[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by Rockchick26

I'm almost halfway done with this book and i just had a question,maybe he answers it later on but my question is partly directed at anyone who has read this; he talks about becoming aware of the ego as a way to dissolve it and live happier. Has anyone in here really practiced this and had it work?

some what but still a practice. at least I seem to be able to recognize my habitual ways and not feed them as much - where the ego is very habitual, you know?

And if so,wouldn't you almost have to have everyone you know read it too,otherwise they're still living their old life and you're a totally different person who sees the world differently,how can you exist together anymore? It just seems like in order to fully live like this,you would have to be surrounded by others just the same.

like some of the other posters I found myself not feeding their drama. I looked at it as how I look at my own ego's tantrums. If someone is very upset I end up being a listener - just like I was doing with my own upset ego. It's actually more of the same practice. I imagine people around me feel listened to and get more peaceful, then if I feed into the drama.

Say for instance something bad happens to someone you love,but you see it as they are just perceiving it as something bad,but theyre upset,and they get upset that youre not upset,and then they'll think you don't care.

I still get upset but find it a different kind of upset. I mean something bad happening is bad. It's still something to address. The issue is to not turn it into something to be mad at. We are still supposed to feel things. but to not get hung up in feeling things, is the ticket, imho. However there are also things people get upset about that maybe they don't need to be upset about - yet they do. Now that would be my judgment on them, wouldn't it? Then I have projected part of my ego on them if I feel that way. So then I look at what they are going through, as if they were my ego.

Because the idea i'm getting is that you develop this carefree attitude where nothing affects you. So how can you peacefully coexist with everyone else and their negative thinking,how can you be totally happy when nobody else is?

I wonder if that carefree attitude exists. I mean, bad stuff happens and is happening. To be carefree would kind of imply ignoring what is bad in the world and I don't think ignoring is the point. the point is to not add to it by being only mad about what's wrong. That being upset doesn't really change anything. Maybe it's ok to feel a spike of anger at the shock of something (I think so) and then be able to let the feeling run it's coarse which would be pretty quick, without making the feeling the only thing. but to be able to see clearly what's wrong and look at what could be different - that's where change can happen for the better - not with just being upset. Maybe it would be easier to isolate one self from possible upsetting things but that would be isolation and not connection. Connection is part of this spiritual growth too. yeah?