I occasionally experience something that I have heard referred to as Spiritual Materialism. Its basically where you ego attaches its self to the idea of being spiritual and uses that for its purposes. I suspect that its probably quite common with people who are on the spiritual path because the form the ego takes is interchangable but the structure is always the same. Basically its easy to spot, just ask yourself whether your thoughts or behaviour are trying to make yourself superior to someone else. Are you seeing yourself as better than others because you are more conscious?
Even now i see myself taking pride in the fact that i am being knowledgable. I am keen to be involved in this forum because it enables me to contribute what i know and I'm sure there is ego in that somewhere. Maybe there are different types of ego and pride. Is priding yourself in helping others damaging in some way because it involves pride? Is a positive action that helps other people in some way actually negative because your ego is involved?
Possibly there are more so and less so destructive types of ego.
Hmmm...
Demk
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