Lesson 4 mod 7 mind blank
- 1. Beyond the Ego • The concept ego raises many questions. • What is the counterpart of the ego? What does it mean not to be identified with what we do or what we have? Can we get rid of the ego? • As with the other topics we have discussed it also true that the moment you fight against the ego, it will appear through the back door again. If you say “I don’t have an ego anymore” then that is your new identity: the ego-less (enlightened) person. • It is enough to be aware. • We have talked about observing the self in the previous chapters. When you become aware of your fear, you do not judge it but just look at it, as an observer of the feeling. • You no longer are your feeling, you are simply the observer of it. In other words, you no longer identify with the feeling. The one who perceives the feeling is by definition the non-ego. So you could say that the counterpart of the ego is consciousness.
- 2. Beyond the Ego • This awareness can help us see that what extends our ego affects our actions and thinking. • What do we hope to achieve with the goals we set? Are those ego-goals-goals that we want to achieve because we expect them to make us happier or more successful? • Or do we set goals, because we want to walk the path to the goal? What things do we do out of fear? Why do we judge that person? Why do we react in extreme ways if someone makes a comment about something that we have done? • Why do we find it difficult to reward the other persons success? Why is it so important to me to earn a lot of money, to be beautiful? Why do I want to be right?
Editor's Notes
- #2: The concept ego raises many questions. What is the counterpart of the ego? What does it mean not to be identified with what we do or what we have? Can we get rid of the ego? As with the other topics we have discussed it also true that the moment you fight against the ego, it will appear through the back door again. If you say “I don’t have an ego anymore” then that is your new identity: the ego-less (enlightened) person. It is enough to be aware. We have talked about observing the self in the previous chapters. When you become aware of your fear, you do not judge it but just look at it, as an observer of the feeling. You no longer are your feeling, you are simply the observer of it. In other words, you no longer identify with the feeling. The one who perceives the feeling is by definition the non-ego. So you could say that the counterpart of the ego is consciousness.
- #3: This awareness can help us see that what extends our ego affects our actions and thinking. What do we hope to achieve with the goals we set? Are those ego-goals-goals that we want to achieve because we expect them to make us happier or more successful? Or do we set goals, because we want to walk the path to the goal? What things do we do out of fear? Why do we judge that person? Why do we react in extreme ways if someone makes a comment about something that we have done? Why do we find it difficult to reward the other persons success? Why is it so important to me to earn a lot of money, to be beautiful? Why do I want to be right?