the Ego

[blazer1]

When Eastern philosophers talk about how the Ego should be supressed or controlled ... they mean not to diminish the Ego, but rather to keep sight of it.

A lot of people live controlled by their Ego, eastern philosophers are trying to convey that we must control our ego.

Even as I write, I am somewhat compelled to do so by my ego, perhaps for recognition from you mob, that blazer1 is on point ...

So it is important in this day/age to have an ego, it makes us intelligent beings. But we must use our ego as a compass, not as our master.

[Jennihul]

I agree.

Jennifer

[Rockchick26]

I'm in the process of learning about the ego right now. I was reading books saying you should get rid of it as much as you can. I don't really see the point in having an ego,if it only WANTS things,and things are not what creates happiness. Even by wanting to help others to become better people,if that gives meaning to your life,you depend on others being worse off than you are.
Even by wanting to "make it" in life,to achieve success in a certain field,that is only meaningful to you as long as there are many more who havent made it. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions",as they say. And the ego is what drives you there.

[Buttercat Apocalypse]

Originally Posted by Rockchick26

I'm in the process of learning about the ego right now. I was reading books saying you should get rid of it as much as you can. I don't really see the point in having an ego,if it only WANTS things,and things are not what creates happiness. Even by wanting to help others to become better people,if that gives meaning to your life,you depend on others being worse off than you are.
Even by wanting to "make it" in life,to achieve success in a certain field,that is only meaningful to you as long as there are many more who havent made it. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions",as they say. And the ego is what drives you there.

I getcha I been wanting to "save the world" recently but it actually made me less happy because it was ego-based. Children have a better idea: the good existence isn't anywhere else, it's here and now, it's what you can see.. you don't need anything that's out of your reach!

I'm reading "the power of now" just now, it's really turning my world over. It sort of puts across the ego as a parasite whose purpose is survival and for that it needs you to be incomplete. And it seems to make perfect sense to me. I'm a little perplexed as to why this thing should exist, but it just rings true.

I don't give myself an identity anymore. Why should I put conditions on my self-acceptance? I'm everything and nothing. I just am.

[blazer1]

If you define the Ego as self-realisation mixed with primal instincts (i.e. your consiouseness) then you must understand it is here to stay, you can't do anything about it.

The only thing you can do, is, control the responses you get from your Ego.

There exists a conscious, which sends messages to the sub-con. which sends messages to the un-con. The chain of command.

You can develop another tier of conscious which actually controls the conscious .... so therefore you can control your thoughts, and thus your actions.


this is a person in control of his/her Ego.

If someone tells you you are annoying and fat ... you can either let your Ego decide what emotion (and therefore reaction) it draws from it, or you can let your higher-self decide for itself.


I think with rationality, logic and what we call common-sense ... we will all evolve into beings who are not so stuck within our primal bounds.


Read a book called "the mutation of the mind".... cant remember hte author.

[Rockchick26]

Originally Posted by Buttercat Apocalypse

I'm reading "the power of now" just now, it's really turning my world over. It sort of puts across the ego as a parasite whose purpose is survival and for that it needs you to be incomplete. And it seems to make perfect sense to me. I'm a little perplexed as to why this thing should exist, but it just rings true.

I did it backwards,i'm reading his 2nd book now,but i will get The Power of Now after i'm done with this,for sure! It's good to hear it was so powerful for you,i can't wait to read that one too! But i suspect both books kinda repeat each other,cuz a little of what you said,this book also goes into.

[blazer1]

i have heard about the power of now, let me tell you, it's just some dude who wrote a book after reading about buddhism.

so why read commercial crap, when you can cut to the chase and read buddhism?

[Rockchick26]

Originally Posted by blazer1

i have heard about the power of now, let me tell you, it's just some dude who wrote a book after reading about buddhism.

so why read commercial crap, when you can cut to the chase and read buddhism?

Commercial crap!? When i hear those words i think of The Enquirer,or Cosmo LOL and i did have an interest in reading about Buddhism,but the reason i bought this book was because i heard so many people in here talking about it,and it was cheap at Walmart

[blazer1]

Originally Posted by Rockchick26

Commercial crap!? When i hear those words i think of The Enquirer,or Cosmo LOL and i did have an interest in reading about Buddhism,but the reason i bought this book was because i heard so many people in here talking about it,and it was cheap at Walmart

The author is making $$$ of you. dont be fooled my dear watson.

[Buttercat Apocalypse]

Originally Posted by blazer1

i have heard about the power of now, let me tell you, it's just some dude who wrote a book after reading about buddhism.

so why read commercial crap, when you can cut to the chase and read buddhism?

Tolle says he reached spiritual enlightenment, and if he didn't then he's the best faker ever.

What's more, I just agree with the stuff he says. His stuff is amazing.

It is very much like buddhism, but he describes it better than most dudes -- I suspect because he really knows what he's talking about

[torilink]

The difference for me between Tolle and all esoteric texts is that the latter are all, in the words of Winston Churchill "A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma" and the key to the riddle is never offered, just pointers to the key....

Tolle just puts it out there without all the "Mystery", no key necessary - just straight up truth.

[blazer1]

perhaps it is welcomed because it is written in the words of a modern day man.

it took a different approach to reach people centuries ago, these days we are not so much about being poetic we are more about being fast, and straight to the point.

this is shown in music, it has gone from classical, to rock, to techno.

through years of trying to quantise the universe, make sense of it all by developing logic/rationality we are expressing this in our art.

we are not so much about how the colours blend now, we are more about where one colour stops and another starts now.

if you get me.

[Rockchick26]

Originally Posted by blazer1

The author is making $$$ of you. dont be fooled my dear watson.

Well all authors make money off people. So i either pay him or some other guy writing about Buddhism.

[Rockchick26]

Originally Posted by blazer1

perhaps it is welcomed because it is written in the words of a modern day man.

it took a different approach to reach people centuries ago, these days we are not so much about being poetic we are more about being fast, and straight to the point.

this is shown in music, it has gone from classical, to rock, to techno.

through years of trying to quantise the universe, make sense of it all by developing logic/rationality we are expressing this in our art.

we are not so much about how the colours blend now, we are more about where one colour stops and another starts now.

if you get me.

Yeah it's a high speed culture nowadays,but that doesn't mean we don't get the same effect. I admit i get kinda lost with big words and roundabout explanations,so i like "quick and to the point" when it comes to reading a book. If the Bible was short and in modern English i'd read that too.

I have to respond too about your music comment. It sounds like you're ripping on rock and techno,or are you just saying musically songs are faster and shorter nowadays? If so,i disagree. I disagree either way,because there is any kind of music you want to find out there,if you just look hard enough.

[fwellers]

You can develop another tier of conscious which actually controls the conscious .... so therefore you can control your thoughts, and thus your actions.


this is a person in control of his/her Ego.

If someone tells you you are annoying and fat ... you can either let your Ego decide what emotion (and therefore reaction) it draws from it, or you can let your higher-self decide for itself.

Tolle basically says this. The way he puts it is that we don't "identify" with the thoughts of the ego. The way I am understanding it so far, is not so much that we control the thoughts, but that we don't let them control us. We learn how to turn them off and just be aware. Like when you see something awesome and beautiful for the first time, say the grand canyon. You just are speechless ( and pretty much thoughtless ). Just pure awareness.
Or if you were racing down hill on skiis at 70mph, there isn't much room for thoughts. Just pure presence. At those times it's easy. But to be able to do that in normal everyday circumstance is more difficult for us, because we've learned to identify with thought, and have let thought run rampant.

I agree with others, Tolle borrowed ( or says the same thing ) as buddhism, and also I see lots of Taoism in his message. But he says it a different way. His books really provide insight I've never been able to get from reading about buddhism or taoism, or anything for that matter. I am really thankful for his books.

[dancer]

I was told: Tolle first became awakened and then researched esoteric texts to understand what had happened to him. From my understanding, Byron Katie was not on a spiritual path, either, when she awakened. I have not read Byron Katie, but Tolle seems to have found explanations and pointers from different sources and from his own experience and research wrote a book that speaks to millions. I'm grateful.

[blazer1]

It does not really matter in the end if the book is good or not, what is important is that you obtained the right frame of mind from it.

When animals are hungry, they dont acknowledge they are hungry, they just act on it. When they are aroused, they act on it, so on and so forth. There exists no self-realisation in the primal kind.

Then comes the Human animal, we are self-realised yet our primal instincts still exist in our conscious. The difference is however, we can acknowledge we are hungry, angry, happy, sad etc.

Sometimes we act on an emotion and sometimes we dont. For example, if you are hungry and overweight, you may not act on hunger because you are dieting. This is you in control of your emotions. Other emotions such as happiness/laughter you act on without much consideration otherwise. Some emotions are easy to observe and not be controlled by them, some arent (such as anger or embarrassment).

What the evolved human should aspire to is being in control of ALL emotions at ALL times. So this would mean, if something absolutely hilarious is happening and everyone is laughing, an evolved being will have enough self-control not to laugh, and for other scenerios, not get angry, frustrated, stressed, etc

Self-realisation is the most important difference. I know in most texts they say, observe your Emotions etc ... what the fck does this mean I used to ask ... it means you must recognise you are an animal after all.

Realise there are certain events (stimuli) which will generate certain emotions within you. Instead of just feeling this emotion (say the emotion of embarrassment), recognise the emotion is a predetermined response.

So when you have to do public speaking (say) ... and you are shy, nervous, understand it is a programmed response based on thousands of years worth of evolution. Recognise, think rationally and do what is required.

This is just 1 small aspect of Hinduism/Buddhism. (I am indo-fijian so this line of thinking is a part of me through genetics).


edit:

furthermore, you may ask, why control your emotions? because it is emotions which get us into trouble. if we can rise above emotions and live by logic and rationality ... then our goals would get accomplished much quicker! it's a mechanical world we live in, where there are patterns making the physical world predictable - this is the basis of Karma.

[fwellers]

What Tolle says, and I tend to agree with, is a bit different. Instead of just using the brain ( thought ) to control emotion, by acknowledging it, seeing it through thought for what it is, and then denying it, what you do is to feel the emotion. Allow it to run it's course in you and observe it in as detached a way as possible. Focus your full attention and awareness to it. Bring light to it.
You've heard the term 'follow the money' ?
Well this reminds me of that. Instead, 'follow the feeling'. It will bring you to the source.

[blazer1]

Originally Posted by fwellers

What Tolle says, and I tend to agree with, is a bit different. Instead of just using the brain ( thought ) to control emotion, by acknowledging it, seeing it through thought for what it is, and then denying it, what you do is to feel the emotion. Allow it to run it's course in you and observe it in as detached a way as possible. Focus your full attention and awareness to it. Bring light to it.
You've heard the term 'follow the money' ?
Well this reminds me of that. Instead, 'follow the feeling'. It will bring you to the source.

We are not actually contradicting each other. Following the emotion is an activity you can perform that will cultivate the right mode of thought, i.e. the mode of thought I described in my last post. It's a bit like meditation. Tolle with this suggestion was hoping for you to understand the nature of emotions. It's an exercise.

It's not about denying emotions, it's about not being driven by them. Use emotions as a compass, rather than a driver.

[jawillie]

I am just reading The Power of Now. If you haven't actually read it, you can't have much to say about it. He clearly states, as someone else pointed out, that he reached enlightenment one day AND THEN went on to read spiritual books. I have done the same thing, so for me, reading The Power of Now is like reading my own story. I am experiencing all that he wrote about.

He makes money.. good for him!

I think so many think that "messengers" only existed 2000 years ago or more. Why do we doubt so hard when we get something from a modern man/woman? If it resonates through your soul as truth, how can you doubt that?

I have read many books by Joyce Meyers and Joel Olsteen. While they had gems of good common sense, nothing made me well up with tears and say, "OMG, I am experiencing this right now... this is truth for me."

I have read many books by Powerhouse type guys who want you to succeed in life: James Ray and Canfield and others. Again, good common sense, but nothing that reasonated as truth throughout my soul.

I have read the tao te ching. I keep it by my bed. I have to think and think and think and ponder over every word. I love doing that, so I do it, but that's a long,hard road towards enlightenment.

I get what he says about the ego. Be The Watcher over your thoughts. The Watcher is your True Being. Control your mind, don't let your mind control you. No, you do NOT become like an animal who "doesn't think".. you become closer to awareness, living consciously, God-source, the universe.. WHATEVER. You rise ABOVE thought, you don't fall below it.

You still think... just at a more conscious level.

If you are in love with your ego-self, then it makes sense you won't like this book. If you can see you are beyond your ego, then it will resonate with your soul. I see it as you are still YOU, just a better version, minus all the ugly stuff.

[jawillie]

Originally Posted by blazer1

What the evolved human should aspire to is being in control of ALL emotions at ALL times. So this would mean, if something absolutely hilarious is happening and everyone is laughing, an evolved being will have enough self-control not to laugh, and for other scenerios, not get angry, frustrated, stressed, etc .

But isn't Love, Peace and Joy our natural state of being? Why would one suppress laughter (which is usually accompanied with joy)?

I questioned this before and I received an answer from the Power of Now. He said that it is our natural state to feel love, peace and joy.

I mean, I guess it depends what they are laughing about? I wouldn't find it funny to laugh "at" someone at their expense, for instance. But if I found something hilarious, why wouldn't I want to laugh? I feel suppressing it would be a lie.

Just curious.

[blazer1]

Originally Posted by jawillie

If you are in love with your ego-self, then it makes sense you won't like this book. If you can see you are beyond your ego, then it will resonate with your soul. I see it as you are still YOU, just a better version, minus all the ugly stuff.

I have read the book half way until I realised it was just reiterating previous knowledge.

When you are an elightened being / master of his mind, you are still that Ego ... but you have cultivated another layer of consciousness.

So the way I view it is:

Unconsciouse is previous to:
Sub-consciouse is previous to:
Current primary Consciouse is previous to:
<x-factor> Conscious

X-factor is a layer of consciousness which is cultivated through Tolle/Buddhism.

It sends input to the current primary consciousness, which in turn sends input to the sub, and sub possibly to the un-con.

So do you get what we are trying to achieve through all this shit? It's another layer of consciousness.


We are really screwed up because we are self-realised yet primal instincts remain!!