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- Group admin:
- Mary Snowden
- Created:
- August 17, 2007
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From the original post:
2008-07-01 09:25:49.0
I just discovered this and wanted to share it with the group:
The little boy asked: Where did the ego...
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Posted: Aug 1, 08 8:39am
Ego, or dualistic-self according to Genpo Roshi is an essential part of who we are. It only becomes despicable when we set up camp and live our life selfishly and judgmentally, solely from that place. As we grow in self-awareness/consciousness, we move away from that perspective toward the "no-self" where good and bad cannot exist. That too, however, is a tricky place for us to dwell, and in fact is still dualistic to some degree because from there, we see the ego as generally bad. The really beautiful place is to transcend both of those to a third place, where we see both the "self" and "no-self" as important aspects of who we are, not choosing one over the other. This is the "integral" perspective of "Big Mind/Big Heart" allowing us to end the anger and persecution of the ego. After all, we wouldn't be here in this discussion if we weren't egoic creations as an aspect of our divine wholeness!
Beautifully said UncommonPromise. I love when I can read a post that sounds so fluid and touches on different perspectives like this one did.
I feel like the ego is part of my basic structure and is necessary for survival. I try to visualize myself as a house with all the windows open. I allow the breeze to blow thru me to clear out the cobwebs and if my structure is sound I can be open yet undamaged by the wind. Sometimes those really extreme storms come and I have to close the window to barricade and protect myself.
These days I look forward to opening up again after the storm has passed. Ego is neither good or bad..it's what I do with those instincts that effects the quality of my life.
Posted: Aug 1, 08 3:09pm
I feel like the ego is part of my basic structure and is necessary for survival. I try to visualize myself as a house with all the windows open. I allow the breeze to blow thru me to clear out the cobwebs and if my structure is sound I can be open yet undamaged by the wind. Sometimes those really extreme storms come and I have to close the window to barricade and protect myself.
Great metaphor! You triggered quite a few ideas with that one.
Some years ago we used similar imagery while processing a few "egoic casualties"—except it was a grandiose castle built of sand on the beach, which of course is a bad idea. We learned a few things and metaphorically rebuilt that house out of stone which never gets knocked down. The problem is that it's much harder to remodel!
We like your idea of opening the windows to let the breezes in. Now, we find that regular change in our location and schedule so that nothing gets overly stationary or habitual is a good routine for us. We find that healthy challenge and variety help keep the ego at bay (pardon the pun)
If you happen to be cruising around on the internet one day, you might stop in at our site and check out the story and music about this. Just search “Sand Castles” and you will find it. The door is always open!
www.uncommonpromise.com
Posted: Aug 1, 08 8:14pm
It is a fundamental misnomer popularly, that ego is self pride...ego developes and is what tells you reality from fantasy...
Posted: Aug 2, 08 10:10pm
It is a fundamental misnomer popularly, that ego is self pride...ego developes and is what tells you reality from fantasy...
Ego, id and superego is just the same as the senses (the flesh), the soul and the spirit. The soul is in the middle. The soul is what you become after you are trained by either the flesh, the spirit or a combination of both.