Coming into your humanity.

[aphorist]

Let's talk about our humanity. Sometimes, we're so entrenched in finding our absolute selves, that we merely transcend our humanity to get there. In deed, many spiritual paths involve transcending ego and leaving it behind. But once you're in the absolute you find yourself totally out of this world, which becomes an inconsistency because if you are everything, you are this world. Then comes the process of collapsing those two 'selves,' and recognizing that you are the absolute, but that means you are humanity.

Yes, transcending the ego is focused upon, but if that's the whole deal, why do people like buddha, jesus, countless teachers and saints, all come back into service towards others? It really all comes back to the term 'love.' Recognizing oneness and fully accepting it, is love. How would you treat everyone if you knew they were yourself? It all is one.

So, in this spirituality forum, there's been a lot of focus on getting out of this world, of 'achieving enlightenment.' But really, that's ego wanting to escape from ego. What would happen if you stopped that want, and just recognized your humanity. If you just accepted that humanity is interchangeably linked to itself, would your actions today change towards 'others'? This is dissolving of ego, this is without self.

[Anagogy]

Couldn't agree more.

When people like Buddha and Christ achieved enlightenment (assuming they did, in fact, achieve enlightenment), their bodies did not stop existing (that is to say, from *OUR* frame of reference they did not stop existing -- their frame of reference is another story); but in this relative world, their bodies became pure channels of love, because expressions of love are the closest approximation to oneness that can be achieved in the relative frame.

So when these consciousness radios we call "bodies" opened up to ALL frequencies, the "tune" that played was one of compassion, wisdom, and love.

[Maguru]

Originally Posted by aphorist

Let's talk about our humanity. Sometimes, we're so entrenched in finding our absolute selves, that we merely transcend our humanity to get there. In deed, many spiritual paths involve transcending ego and leaving it behind. But once you're in the absolute you find yourself totally out of this world, which becomes an inconsistency because if you are everything, you are this world. Then comes the process of collapsing those two 'selves,' and recognizing that you are the absolute, but that means you are humanity.

Yes, transcending the ego is focused upon, but if that's the whole deal, why do people like buddha, jesus, countless teachers and saints, all come back into service towards others? It really all comes back to the term 'love.' Recognizing oneness and fully accepting it, is love. How would you treat everyone if you knew they were yourself? It all is one.

So, in this spirituality forum, there's been a lot of focus on getting out of this world, of 'achieving enlightenment.' But really, that's ego wanting to escape from ego. What would happen if you stopped that want, and just recognized your humanity. If you just accepted that humanity is interchangeably linked to itself, would your actions today change towards 'others'? This is dissolving of ego, this is without self.

What a breath of fresh air. I'm with you. I thought that transcending ego was to become human and enlightenment was to embrace humanity. I see little benefit in denying it. Regards

[zeitgeist]

I read a story the other day that you can compare our situation to mushrooms. They are all visible as individual units above the ground, but they are all connected in a vast field below the surface, so they are really only one unit. If you accept this comparison, you might as well go back to the individual approach. Change yourself, and transform humanity with it.

Zeitgeist

[Bative]

Originally Posted by aphorist

Let's talk about our humanity. Sometimes, we're so entrenched in finding our absolute selves, that we merely transcend our humanity to get there. In deed, many spiritual paths involve transcending ego and leaving it behind. But once you're in the absolute you find yourself totally out of this world, which becomes an inconsistency because if you are everything, you are this world. Then comes the process of collapsing those two 'selves,' and recognizing that you are the absolute, but that means you are humanity.

Yes, transcending the ego is focused upon, but if that's the whole deal, why do people like buddha, jesus, countless teachers and saints, all come back into service towards others? It really all comes back to the term 'love.' Recognizing oneness and fully accepting it, is love. How would you treat everyone if you knew they were yourself? It all is one.

So, in this spirituality forum, there's been a lot of focus on getting out of this world, of 'achieving enlightenment.' But really, that's ego wanting to escape from ego. What would happen if you stopped that want, and just recognized your humanity. If you just accepted that humanity is interchangeably linked to itself, would your actions today change towards 'others'? This is dissolving of ego, this is without self.

Nice topic.
I'm wondering why you choose humanity specifically? If you understand that humanity is interchangeably linked to itself, you also understand that the world itself works off of the same principle? Shattering the ego provides the understanding of a world outside of human made society, and rids the mind of 'I am special', should that also apply to the understanding that humans themselves are not special?
I feel my goal is more associated with actively pursuing living my life as a creature of the earth, exist more by the laws of nature than society.

In regards to Buddha and Jesus, Our lives are invariably fluctuating. We are on a constant wave, throughout our lives, based upon learned knowledge and given life experiences we are able to tolerate and exist in higher and higher levels of consciousness and etc. I feel that due to the natural cyclic/wave nature of our lives, states become more attainable for extended periods of time. Perhaps, even all the time.
But I feel there is a nature to the levels and lengths of time spent in them that allows for devotion to things like humanity, and the knowledge of physics and psychology that has been provided to us with the same type of thinking.

There is a lot of 'wanting to achieve enlightenment' and 'transcending ego' talk, but these stages are necessary for learning experiences and provide critical perceptions and hints and guidelines for pursuing higher states.

[Rhythman]

I imagine that a good percentage of people who awaken dedicate their lives to helping others. Even Nisargadatta Maharaj who spoke of the absolute described the gnani (wise or awakened person) as someone who gave selflessly to others. From my own experience, the more I stabalize in the egoless state, the more I naturally want to help others.

Rhythman

[KtotheB]

I view the ego as a tool of the soul rather than something I need to transcend.

[aphorist]

Originally Posted by Bative

I'm wondering why you choose humanity specifically? If you understand that humanity is interchangeably linked to itself, you also understand that the world itself works off of the same principle?

Of course it is all one, in saying humanity, i'm really saying all. It's a good non-distinction to make.

Originally Posted by Bative

There is a lot of 'wanting to achieve enlightenment' and 'transcending ego' talk, but these stages are necessary for learning experiences and provide critical perceptions and hints and guidelines for pursuing higher states.

Correct here again. Nothing is wrong, and it all is happening as it should. The Universe works in harmony. I don't speak to try to change things, just to play my part as the whole.

Originally Posted by KtotheB

I view the ego as a tool of the soul rather than something I need to transcend.

This depends on our definition of ego. I refer to ego as separation of self, duality. In this instance, soul (oneness) doesn't speak the same language as ego.

If you're referring to ego as mind or as body, then yes, it's most definitely a tool of the soul.

Thank you to all who replied.

[Aleksander Krstic]

Originally Posted by KtotheB

I view the ego as a tool of the soul rather than something I need to transcend.

Same here.

[Maguru]

Originally Posted by aphorist

Let's talk about our humanity. Sometimes, we're so entrenched in finding our absolute selves, that we merely transcend our humanity to get there. In deed, many spiritual paths involve transcending ego and leaving it behind. But once you're in the absolute you find yourself totally out of this world, which becomes an inconsistency because if you are everything, you are this world. Then comes the process of collapsing those two 'selves,' and recognizing that you are the absolute, but that means you are humanity.

Yes, transcending the ego is focused upon, but if that's the whole deal, why do people like buddha, jesus, countless teachers and saints, all come back into service towards others? It really all comes back to the term 'love.' Recognizing oneness and fully accepting it, is love. How would you treat everyone if you knew they were yourself? It all is one.

So, in this spirituality forum, there's been a lot of focus on getting out of this world, of 'achieving enlightenment.' But really, that's ego wanting to escape from ego. What would happen if you stopped that want, and just recognized your humanity. If you just accepted that humanity is interchangeably linked to itself, would your actions today change towards 'others'? This is dissolving of ego, this is without self.

Have you read Johny5's description of 'enlightenement' in "what is the enlightened experience" thread? Although he is describing a process of or to enlightenment, it sounds to me he is Coming into his humanity.

[ethereal]

I agree with everything in this thread, but I just want to add that in my opinion, transcending the ego is the fastest way to coming into your humanity. Embracing your humanity at the beginning was rather slow progress for me, and maybe for others as well? I noticed in my case that transcending the ego was the cause, and the effect was coming into my humanity and love and oneness and all that. Just food for thought