Know The Ego
Here are some of the characteristics of the Sense of Separate Self (Ego)
1. It is looking for problem, issues, mistakes, misconducts, and flaws for identification.
2. It does not accept what is. There is a shortcoming, or something wrong, not enough and unpleasant at this moment. It wants to escape it as much as it can by going to the past and searching for mistakes, harping on them while feeling regretful and judgmental. Or it may go to an unknown fantasy of the future to have a better life and fix those pains and issues of the past. In this path, the mind will learn to value the ordinariness of the presence. It will honor and respect the simplicity of the presence.
3. The promise of the future never shows up for the Ego, because we are always in the “here-and-now.” There is always now; no other time exists. In this path, one would realize that now is all there is.
4. The Mind likes separation. Mind is in the duality vision. It sees itself as a separate entity, apart from the rest of the world. This separation will cause a great source of pain and suffering.
5. The Mind wants to compete. It wants to beat others in everything to feel better. It is a temporary satisfaction being bigger, better and wealthier than others; however, deep down, since separation is not our nature, the mind will become isolated and sad.
6. The Mind is into the “what ifs.” What if I lose my job? What if my parents die? And so on.
7. Waiting is the characteristic of the Mind. Waiting for a better job, or a vacation, or better future. True life is here and now.
8. Where is the enemy? The Mind is looking for “the enemy” everyday. Who is my new enemy today? This is, once again, due to the illusion of separation.
9. The Mind is looking to prove others wrong in order to feel bigger and better, even for temporary gratification.
10. The Mind is looking for approval from others. When people approve the Mind, it is becomes inflated and happy. When people criticize the Mind, it will shrink and become unhappy. Its happiness depends upon others.
11. The Mind needs this consciousness to survive; however, consciousness does not need the mind to survive. We are beyond the mind.
12. We are beyond our emotions. Once the Truth is realized, all emotions are more than welcome. As long as you know who you are, there will be no identification to these feelings and emotions. They will come and go. There will be no identification, since there will be no individuality...
13. The mind likes to go back to the past and make stories from the past. These stories could be very sad and some of them big tragedies. The stories are there; however, one need to investigate, although the story is there as an event, is there a separate entity as "I" exist which is claiming these events? One needs to go within and check it out. This false self, would like to claim them for identity. We are not our history.
14. Being the awareness will teach us that our identification is this pure, silent watcher who is a witness that acts spontaneously when it is needed here and now. No previous knowledge is needed.
15. The Mind is into "becoming" and "searching” in order to become successful in this world. This includes spiritual success. After all, when worldly success is gained, it then goes after the spiritual success. The Mind wants to become loving, caring, silent, non-judgmental and to love unconditionally. The Mind is trying to become God.
As long as there is a sense of separate self, it is not possible for the mind to be non-judgmental. As long as the mind is diluted by appearances, it sees itself apart from the rest of the world and it will judge against the rest of the world.
With all of these aspects it is striving to achieve, the mind becomes exhausted and frustrated. This is because these are not the jobs of the mind. To be the Truth for the mind is impossible. Once the Truth is realized, the mind will be free from becoming. At this time, the search is over. The mind will be at rest; it will be liberated.
Meditation will point to our True nature. Our True nature is eternal. It will never come, never go. Once the Truth is realized, any thought or emotion is more than welcome. The thought or emotion will be there; however, there is no sense of "me" to identify with that thought or emotion as "my thought” or “my emotion.”
Remember, pleasure or pain are created by the mind. Our true essence is Joy. We forget our True Self (Silent watcher, awareness) and imagine the physical body or the mind to be the Self. This is a false identity that gives rise to misery. Reality (awareness) lies beyond our mind.
1. It is looking for problem, issues, mistakes, misconducts, and flaws for identification.
2. It does not accept what is. There is a shortcoming, or something wrong, not enough and unpleasant at this moment. It wants to escape it as much as it can by going to the past and searching for mistakes, harping on them while feeling regretful and judgmental. Or it may go to an unknown fantasy of the future to have a better life and fix those pains and issues of the past. In this path, the mind will learn to value the ordinariness of the presence. It will honor and respect the simplicity of the presence.
3. The promise of the future never shows up for the Ego, because we are always in the “here-and-now.” There is always now; no other time exists. In this path, one would realize that now is all there is.
4. The Mind likes separation. Mind is in the duality vision. It sees itself as a separate entity, apart from the rest of the world. This separation will cause a great source of pain and suffering.
5. The Mind wants to compete. It wants to beat others in everything to feel better. It is a temporary satisfaction being bigger, better and wealthier than others; however, deep down, since separation is not our nature, the mind will become isolated and sad.
6. The Mind is into the “what ifs.” What if I lose my job? What if my parents die? And so on.
7. Waiting is the characteristic of the Mind. Waiting for a better job, or a vacation, or better future. True life is here and now.
8. Where is the enemy? The Mind is looking for “the enemy” everyday. Who is my new enemy today? This is, once again, due to the illusion of separation.
9. The Mind is looking to prove others wrong in order to feel bigger and better, even for temporary gratification.
10. The Mind is looking for approval from others. When people approve the Mind, it is becomes inflated and happy. When people criticize the Mind, it will shrink and become unhappy. Its happiness depends upon others.
11. The Mind needs this consciousness to survive; however, consciousness does not need the mind to survive. We are beyond the mind.
12. We are beyond our emotions. Once the Truth is realized, all emotions are more than welcome. As long as you know who you are, there will be no identification to these feelings and emotions. They will come and go. There will be no identification, since there will be no individuality...
13. The mind likes to go back to the past and make stories from the past. These stories could be very sad and some of them big tragedies. The stories are there; however, one need to investigate, although the story is there as an event, is there a separate entity as "I" exist which is claiming these events? One needs to go within and check it out. This false self, would like to claim them for identity. We are not our history.
14. Being the awareness will teach us that our identification is this pure, silent watcher who is a witness that acts spontaneously when it is needed here and now. No previous knowledge is needed.
15. The Mind is into "becoming" and "searching” in order to become successful in this world. This includes spiritual success. After all, when worldly success is gained, it then goes after the spiritual success. The Mind wants to become loving, caring, silent, non-judgmental and to love unconditionally. The Mind is trying to become God.
As long as there is a sense of separate self, it is not possible for the mind to be non-judgmental. As long as the mind is diluted by appearances, it sees itself apart from the rest of the world and it will judge against the rest of the world.
With all of these aspects it is striving to achieve, the mind becomes exhausted and frustrated. This is because these are not the jobs of the mind. To be the Truth for the mind is impossible. Once the Truth is realized, the mind will be free from becoming. At this time, the search is over. The mind will be at rest; it will be liberated.
Meditation will point to our True nature. Our True nature is eternal. It will never come, never go. Once the Truth is realized, any thought or emotion is more than welcome. The thought or emotion will be there; however, there is no sense of "me" to identify with that thought or emotion as "my thought” or “my emotion.”
Remember, pleasure or pain are created by the mind. Our true essence is Joy. We forget our True Self (Silent watcher, awareness) and imagine the physical body or the mind to be the Self. This is a false identity that gives rise to misery. Reality (awareness) lies beyond our mind.
