Spiritual Ego

[Maguru]

SPIRITUAL EGO

When we make our first entry into the realms of spirituality, there comes a certain feeling of excitement, and along with it a bit of superiority for having done what the masses have not. Instead of feeling humbled that God's Grace has allowed this important first step, we feel a 'high' comprising of conceit and arrogance. So much so, that we tend to look down on the rest of humanity as 'poor unenlightened' ones.

This takes away all the steps that we may have taken forward, and brings us back to 'ground zero'. This is the beginning of "Spiritual Ego", a false sense of superiority over those who have not made their first moves into the realms of spiritual learning.

I wonder if the 'spiritual ego' is the last of a long line of selves that needs to go?

[MysteryX]

Certainly not the last thing that will go; but certainly one phase people have to go through.

This article talks about the very common ego of spiritual teachers.
The Rivalry Between Spiritual Coaches | Change From Within

[Reefs]

Originally Posted by Maguru

I wonder if the 'spiritual ego' is the last of a long line of selves that needs to go?

Who needs that to go? And where could it go?

[VinceG]

As long as you are alive, you will have an ego. It won't look the same at all times, but your biology requires it.

[Maguru]

Originally Posted by MysteryX

Certainly not the last thing that will go; but certainly one phase people have to go through.

This article talks about the very common ego of spiritual teachers.
The Rivalry Between Spiritual Coaches | Change From Within

So you think the spiritual ego is a phase?

[Maguru]

Originally Posted by VinceG

As long as you are alive, you will have an ego. It won't look the same at all times, but your biology requires it.

I see the 'ego' in any form as an unconscious aspect of self. When we have awareness of 'ego' it usually disappears.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by Maguru

I see the 'ego' in any form as an unconscious aspect of self. When we have awareness of 'ego' it usually disappears.

Depends on what you mean by ego. If it's the belief in a separate identity, it can dissolve. If it's the willingness to play the role and participate in the 'dream' as a dream character, this sort of ego is no more a problem than the the 'ego' of 'King Lear' on the stage. One knows one is not a King and is presumably not attached to that identity.

Spiritual ego arises from a misconception that there is still a personal identity who has acquired some useful knowledge through his own volition.

[Maguru]

Originally Posted by Arcanum

Depends on what you mean by ego. If it's the belief in a separate identity, it can dissolve. If it's the willingness to play the role and participate in the 'dream' as a dream character, this sort of ego is no more a problem than the the 'ego' of 'King Lear' on the stage. One knows one is not a King and is presumably not attached to that identity.

Spiritual ego arises from a misconception that there is still a personal identity who has acquired some useful knowledge through his own volition.

I'm really referring to the spiritual ego as defined in the O.P. where there is a bit of superiority for having done what the masses have not and feeling a 'high' comprising of conceit and arrogance. So much so, that we tend to look down on the rest of humanity as 'poor unenlightened' ones.
Regardless of its origins 'the spiritual ego' will present itself in our behaviour. I guess it is through recognizing this behaviour it would dissolve.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by Maguru

I'm really referring to the spiritual ego as defined in the O.P. where there is a bit of superiority for having done what the masses have not and feeling a 'high' comprising of conceit and arrogance. So much so, that we tend to look down on the rest of humanity as 'poor unenlightened' ones.
Regardless of its origins 'the spiritual ego' will present itself in our behaviour. I guess it is through recognizing this behaviour it would dissolve.

I know what you're referring to. I'm saying it arises from a misconception that there is still a personal identity who has acquired some useful knowledge through his own volition. It doesn't dissolve through recognizing some behavior, but through realizing there isn't somebody doing it.

[VinceG]

Originally Posted by Maguru

I see the 'ego' in any form as an unconscious aspect of self. When we have awareness of 'ego' it usually disappears.

And you'll always have those, no matter how many of them you shed your light on. Biology demands it.

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by Maguru

I wonder if the 'spiritual ego' is the last of a long line of selves that needs to go?

Not necessarily the last. I suspect it varies from personality to personality. For some, this would be the last. For others, somewhere in the middle, or even at the start.

[zeitgeist]

Originally Posted by VinceG

As long as you are alive, you will have an ego. It won't look the same at all times, but your biology requires it.

Perhaps we can think of the ego as our avatar - you have to have it otherwise you can not play with the others. Yet there are few who actually have managed to wake up within the dream.

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by zeitgeist

Perhaps we can think of the ego as our avatar - you have to have it otherwise you can not play with the others.

That is exactly my perception, actually.

Another metaphor is that the world of material senses is not our natural habitat, so we need some sort of interface or apparatus to allow us to function within it, in the same way that a diver needs scuba gear. The gear is not who you are, but it's necessary to allow you to function in the underwater environment.

And yet another metaphor is that of a character you play in an ongoing soap opera... (That's my personal favourite, actually.)

[Reefs]

Originally Posted by Maguru

I'm really referring to the spiritual ego as defined in the O.P. where there is a bit of superiority for having done what the masses have not and feeling a 'high' comprising of conceit and arrogance. So much so, that we tend to look down on the rest of humanity as 'poor unenlightened' ones.
Regardless of its origins 'the spiritual ego' will present itself in our behaviour. I guess it is through recognizing this behaviour it would dissolve.

Too many pompous and meaningless words in your OP. If you wouldn't be only interested in personal entertainment and instead really mean business, you would ask questions like these:

If the spiritual ego dissolves, what's left?

What if suddenly all selfs and egos would dissolve?

Is this endless dissolving process of so many sub and super, higher and lower egos or selfs just a nEver-ending repackaging process? Same kaka different names? Who/What is it that is finger-pointing at ego and categorizing it and cataloging its different colors and shapes?

[MysteryX]

The problem is that people have different definitions of ego.

If ego refers to your sense of self-identity, that's good and you should affirm it 100%.

If ego refers to your fears, doubts, limitations and fake identities, you should work on letting them go.

If ego refers to a sense of competitiveness and disconnection from others, you don't need that.

[Placebo23]

Originally Posted by VinceG

As long as you are alive, you will have an ego. It won't look the same at all times, but your biology requires it.

There is no ego, there is no you... all identifications are in mind only and are only ideas. Just become the witness of the body and you will see it for yourself.

Tell me not that when you are sitting in the cinema the figures in the picture of the screen need an ego to appear on the screen. Even in the view of a 1st person stage play, the main character need no ego, it is just an appearence on the screen in the cinema.

[Reefs]

Originally Posted by MysteryX

The problem is that people have different definitions of ego.

If ego refers to your sense of self-identity, that's good and you should affirm it 100%.

If ego refers to your fears, doubts, limitations and fake identities, you should work on letting them go.

If ego refers to a sense of competitiveness and disconnection from others, you don't need that.

What's the difference between self-identity and fake identity?

Who needs an identity?

[spacedout]

Originally Posted by Maguru

I wonder if the 'spiritual ego' is the last of a long line of selves that needs to go?

It doesn't need to go. Like post #15 says, there are different characteristcs of the ego. The ego isn't all "bad" but in the case of the spiritual ego looking down on other lowly beings as inferior, that is truly a judgment call. The whole business of selfs and egos is strictly an illusion within consciousness.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by Reefs

What's the difference between self-identity and fake identity?

Who needs an identity?

Since folks assume they are the ones running their lives, they can't imagine how life could go on without their direction. Of course, this IS the lower foot self ego trying to justify it's apparent existence.

[Reefs]

Originally Posted by spacedout

It doesn't need to go. Like post #15 says, there are different characteristcs of the ego. The ego isn't all "bad" but in the case of the spiritual ego looking down on other lowly beings as inferior, that is truly a judgment call. The whole business of selfs and egos is strictly an illusion within consciousness.

And isn't then the looking down of the illusionary spiritual ego on other lowly illusionary beings also an illusion together with different characteristics of ego?

[spacedout]

Originally Posted by Arcanum

Since folks assume they are the ones running their lives, they can't imagine how life could go on without their direction. Of course, this IS the lower foot self ego trying to justify it's apparent existence.

Arcanum, are you jumping on the lower self bandwagon. If there is a lower self there must be a higher self, right?

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by spacedout

Arcanum, are you jumping on the lower self bandwagon. If there is a lower self there must be a higher self, right?

Nope, not doing that.

[spacedout]

Originally Posted by Reefs

And isn't then the looking down of the illusionary spiritual ego on other lowly illusionary beings also an illusion together with different characteristics of ego?

Yes indeedy. As long as we are in consciousness we are in a world of illusions. The ancient OM symbol signifies the diffferent states of consciousness separated from God by maya, the illusion that we are consciousness. Once we transcend maya we realize we are God.

[Placebo23]

@ arcanum

Is it correct that the ego always thinks of itself as the controller in life ? The mind is very convincing in giving me the feeling that I'm the doer, but this is illusion ?

[Reefs]

Originally Posted by spacedout

Yes indeedy. As long as we are in consciousness we are in a world of illusions. The ancient OM symbol signifies the diffferent states of consciousness separated from God by maya, the illusion that we are consciousness. Once we transcend maya we realize we are God.

Yes, different states and levels and layers again and transforming and transcending.

Actually Chapter III of the Monkey Mind Manual (MMM) "How to keep the upper hand in discussions with equally meaningless arguments" deals with that kind of thinking. Let me quote rule #1 and #2:

#1 Never simplify! Always complexify as much as possible! That way other have to constantly ask for clarification and put themselves unwillingly into an inferior position.
#2 If your opponent talks about three levels of consciousness, introduce a fourth one to make your opponents seem ignorant and to get control over the discussion again.

[alexplatups]

It is all Being, or Consciousness, or God, being aware AS the distinctions in this
one experience. Spiritual ego, unenlightned ones upon which it looks down on,
and everything else there IS, it is all the same "substance" taking different
forms simultaneously on a moment to moment basis.

Being is aware AS this experience. This means that Being is anything and
everything in this experience. This includes everything, including concepts,
physical objects, emotions, etc.

EVERYTHING-AS-ITSELF is Being.

There is nothing that is NOT Being, and there can be nothing that is NOT Being.

This basically means that everything we discuss in this forum IS also Being.

And none of us are really right or wrong. We are simply BEING...period!

[Reefs]

Originally Posted by Placebo23

@ arcanum

Is it correct that the ego always thinks of itself as the controller in life ? The mind is very convincing in giving me the feeling that I'm the doer, but this is illusion ?

Who makes a distinction between ego and mind and 'you' (whatever that may be)?

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by Placebo23

@ arcanum

Is it correct that the ego always thinks of itself as the controller in life ? The mind is very convincing in giving me the feeling that I'm the doer, but this is illusion ?

Well, the belief 'I am this mind/body' gives a sense of authorship of thoughts and therefore volition: 'I create the thoughts and make the choices'.

However, this trick of mind can be noticed precisely because we are NOT the mind. We can notice that thoughts happen by themselves, and THEN they are noticed, making it impossible for us to be the author of those thoughts. If we can't choose the thought that shows up, then we can't choose anything, since all choices are found in the thoughts.

[alexplatups]

Originally Posted by Reefs

Who makes a distinction between ego and mind and 'you' (whatever that may be)?

Ego, mind, ego, and everything else in this experience is what Being is aware AS.

This is what I couldn't communicate for a while even though I was aware of it.
Once you are conscious of this, everything stays the same, but your perspective
changes completely, because you grasp that Being is aware AS everything
that there IS.

This is a profound shift, because you realize that your perceptions and
thoughts, and emotions is also Being - being aware as these perceptions,
thoughts, and emotions, and you then realize that there really is no "you"
as you thought of "you" in the past.

There is only "you" as Being experiences "you."

And this could be in an infinite amount of ways simultaneously, because
there is nothing except Being experiencing everything AS this experience.

[Placebo23]

Originally Posted by Reefs

Who makes a distinction between ego and mind and 'you' (whatever that may be)?

These distinctions are happening in the mind. There is just the seeing of distinctions-making...