EGO’S TRIAD  #3

sELF-CHERISHING

"... If you can empty your 'boat' crossing the river of the world, no one will opposes you, no one will seek to harm you." Lao Tsu

The following are all aspects of self-cherishing's grooming of the persona.

PRIDE

“God cannot be realized if there is the slightest trace of pride.” Upanishads

"Until you empty yourselves of pride God cannot be realized."

Talmud

“There is no room for God in him who is full of himself. The sages tell us concerning the proud man; God says; “I and s/he cannot dwell together in the world.” Talmud

FAME VERSUS HONOR

Fame can put one-self above others and has no place in spiritual transformation.

As fame can enslave, so can the costs of money impoverish. Make sure the need is worth the price. To overpay can rob the Self.

Mother Theresa did not go to Calcutta to help the poor, sick and downtrodden to become famous and a saint. She became it while not seeking sainthood.

"S/He who does good and does not pursue honor, him honor overtakes. " Hillel

Its a sad state of affairs when we hear the media acknowledging some toxic celebrity's demise instead of someone like Gandhi who may have died on that same day.

"Fame is a fickle food

Upon a shifting plate

Whose table once a

guest, but not,

the second time is set.

Whose crumbs the crows inspect

and with ironic caw flap past it to the farmer's corn 

– men eat of it and die." Emily Dickinson

"Fame is a bee. It has a song— It has a sting—Ah, too, it has a wing." Emily Dickinson

There are distinct karmic advantages to not being on top. Even if we are first and strive to stay there, it will not be long before someone else overtakes us or we are forgotten. When we pass over to the other side to reconcile with our karma, there will be a reckoning for our self-cherishing.

“Those that will be first will be last.” Jesus

 

Let them be king.

Let them come along and shout

- they will shout their name last.

 In seeking fame, honor will be lost …” Hillel

POWER

can be part of fame or rather infamy and will be discussed later under judgment.

WEALTH

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus

There is nothing wrong with being wealthy but it can monopolize vital energy that could be devoted to a spiritual life. The opposite is also true. Wealth can give more opportunities for pursuing the Self as well as being philanthropic but it may require an element of renunciation - the path of the Buddha is as an example.

KNOWLEDGE

When the Ancestors say with all your strength get knowledge they are talking about knowledge that serves our spiritual path or others and not self-cherishing. 

For some, the certificates, trophies and accolades, beautifully displayed, are usually to do with aggrandizement of their personas. The same can be true if displayed on a bumper sticker where pride in their child's achievements are projected as part of their own.

Those who exploit knowledge are lost to wisdom. Wisdom is born of humility and is nourished by compassion. It is grace in action. When knowledge is used for self-gain and control it is conceit in action.

If study and prayer do not serve justice and mercy they are only the hollow sound of one's arrogance. 

Truth can be ego clinging to its own image.

"Whoever undertakes to set himself as a judge of truth and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods." Goethe

The self-cherishing persona revels in itself when displaying more knowledge than others.

… in seeking knowledge, wisdom may be forgotten.” Hillel

Information is not to be equated with knowledge, knowledge not to be equated with understanding, understanding not to be equated with wisdom and wisdom is not to be equated with virtue.

EGO’S TRIAD  #2

sELF CHERISHING (of the small self)

The search for the Real, True or Higher Self or soul or that part of us made in the image of the divine is at the core of all spiritual motivation whether we know about it or not or do anything about it or not. We are all yearning at some level to return home to the 'light.' Folks who have had a Near Death Experience and who have seen the 'light' are never the same and will usually pursue a spiritual life.

"Before the soul enters this world, it is conducted through all the worlds. Last of all it is shown the first light which when the world was created illuminated all things and which God removed when humankind became corrupt. Why is the soul shown this light? So that from that hour on it may yearn to attain the light and approach it rung by rung." Talmud

The Higher Self or Soul cannot be realized in the presence of a self-cherishing ego. Yoga also teaches that any intention linked to an ego motive has the potential to buy us another life-time - self-cherishing will prevent us from attaining the 'light.'

Do you listen with your heart or are you hearing with your ego. The possible peril is not a punishment, it is a consequence…

Although we live in a world of duality,

we 'Inter-Are' (Thich Nhat Hanh) and we are all one though not the same.

Nevertheless duality presides...

"The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose I am here and you are out there." Yasutani Roshi

“In the samadhi that comes at the end of reasoning and discrimination no such thing as “I” exists but it is extremely difficult to attain as “I” consciousness lingers so persistently. This is why humans are born again and again.” Sri Rama Krishna

Jung doubted that the Western Mind could ever truly get rid of Ego. It is usually fleeting in the Oneness Experience or Unity Consciousness; when the Knower, the Known and the process of Knowing fuse into one thing. Maslow called this a Peak Experience (when the dancer becomes the dance.) It cannot be programmed, except in those spiritually adept, and usually comes for most of us through grace. Whatever the stimulus, this oneness experience is free of ego but the ecstasy or rapture are temporary and we soon slip back into a sense of duality. The challenge is to be aware of this duality and still endeavor to see the divinity in others - as in the greeting Namaste. Our Karma will depend on to what extent we have managed to achieve some form of non-dual consciousness.

“To know the real Self to be one’s own is the greatest attainment… To know wrongly the non-self, such as the ego, to be the Self is no attainment at all. One therefore should denounce this perception of taking the non-self for the Self.” Sri Sankaracharya

Ego's self-cherishing is slippery, and like a chameleon is always changing colors or shape shifting to disguise itself. The higher we get up the energy hierarchy the more devious Ego becomes. It is supported by the Shadow, Monkey (Narrow) Mind and our Tricksters who will play on our weaknesses. 

“The Light of lights looks always on the motive, not the deed… the shadow of shadows, on the deed alone.” W.B. Yeats

Yeats recognizes the “enlightened” implications of doing things for their own sake which is a Higher Self, Good Inclination, Spacious/Big Mind motivation. Otherwise it may for be a self-cherishing, ego-bound, narrow/monkey minded agenda related to our shadow or evil inclination. Karma dictates we do things for their own sake and the means never justifies the end.

All must be done for its own sake, not for reason of an outcome.  All is a journey not a destination and it is a continual arriving.

The light of lights is our inclination to do good and there are spirit forces inside and outside of us that seek the same on our behalf. The shadow of shadows is our evil inclination. Our own inner light and our dark sides are affected by those light and dark forces on either side of the veil between worlds. These are operating in opposition either to subordinate, or to enhance self-cherishing and our own compounding negative inclinations.

"High heaven rejects the law of nicely calculated less or more..." W. Wordsworth

We should also remember that the imprint of our soul's 'Store Consciousness' is also present in the background of our subconscious. Store Consciousness is a Buddhist concept and is the accumulation of the positive and negative aspects of our karma residing in out 'soulular' memory from past lives. This is why the Upanishads advise;

"May the hero awaken from forgetfulness and transcend all anxiety and sorrow."

We only have to awaken our positive 'Store' to recall it. Sometimes it arises as a sense of de ja vu. Spiritual knowledge and practice will allow us to subordinate the negative aspects of 'Store' to the positive ones and remember.

God does not measure results, only the trueness of intent and the fervor of effort. This is why there is such joy in daring one’s best.

 

If God were after numbers he would have made the way to Him abundantly apparent and attractive – enticingly so, ego free and forever lasting. And of course, S/He has also granted us our own lens for seeing and our own will for choosing what we see.

The Ancestors say that it is better to do good deeds even if linked to ego rather than doing none at all. Nevertheless, these 'merits' may be karmically neutral or even negative depending on the intention.

Emperor Wu asked, “I’ve built temples and ordained monastics; what merit is there in this?”
 Bodhidharma replied, “No merit.”

 Doing things for their own sake and without any personal agenda is the crux of ego subordination. Our deeds must be done without consideration of any reward or pay back. But...

Ulterior motives are greatly under-rated. Acting compassionately to do good for any reason is preferable to not doing good at all.
But determine well the heart’s true desire for in releasing the power of your motivation, its energies will actualize the holiness or unholiness of your intent.

It is good to donate money in order to build a hospital or anything else that can help humanity but for karma's sake it should not be attached to an agenda. It is better to give charity – even if it is to get one's face in the media or for a tax deduction - than not to give it, but the act may not have spiritual merit depending on the intent. It should be given anonymously or, better still, instead of giving a person a fish, rather teach him how to fish.

"A net is spread out for the living and everything is given on loan..." Rev. Akiva

The 'net' comprises all the challenges that we face arising out of our sentient existence and the temptations of being in a sensory body. When we leave for the "Elsewhere" we lose the sensory body. We are born again and again (the continual wheel of samsara) because of the mishandling of our sentient bodies. We are here to enjoy things fully but responsibly, free of self-cherishing.

"Dying, dying, the world keeps on dying but no one knows how die. No one dies in such a way that s/he wont die again." Kabir

 

EGO's THREE ASPECTS #1

 In the next series of blogs we will look at  Karma's requirements and demands in greater detail beginning with Ego. Ego - in relation to Karma - is one of the biggest stumbling blocks on the way to 'Becoming.'

EGO'S TRIAD

sELF-CHERISHING

DESIROUS ATTACHMENT

JUDGMENT

Although Ego is really all one thing it is useful to separate It for the sake of clarity. All three often coexist in the moment.

sELF CHERISHING

(of the small self and Persona) 

self versus Self

"S/he who loses himself, will find himSelf." Matthew

In Yoga Ahamkara (ego) is the deluded sense of "I-ness," the false self that identifies with the body, monkey mind, shadow and achievements, creating separation and suffering. The goal of yoga is to transcend this self-centeredness and attain the non-duality of unity consciousness.

The challenge is relief from ego, how to be free from its tyranny.
The way is relief from ego, surrendering and releasing one’s instinct for protection and cultural conditioning; subduing its tyranny but with respectful and grateful acknowledgement for its appropriate worth. 
The "prize" - the place of arrival - is relief from ego and a true sense of the pleasure of its place.

Ego is our power center and how we make our way in the world. Ego's self-cherishing can comprise, arrogance, pride, prestige, power, opulence and fame. Our goal is not to get rid of Ego but to subordinate it to the higher Self. Ego resides in the Third Chakra and needs to be developed before we ascend to the Fourth Chakra of love and the three higher Chakras above it. We have to self-actualize (as in the small self) and have something to subordinate before we can fully realize the Higher Self. This is why the Yogi, the Buddhist, the Kabbalist and others on the path usually begin the journey later in life. It is essential to have a solid ego base before trying to negotiate the challenges of the 'Field.' Now that there is so much spiritual technology available to both young and old, as well as mind-altering substances and entheogens which open us up to the Field, we have to be aware and beware. It is important that we have a sturdy base in our lower chakras before venturing beyond.

The other danger of becoming adept is 'spiritual materialism' where the motivation for material gain can creep in. A good rule is to do everything for its own sake and if possible to keep one's lines of supply and survival separate. This may also be why Kabir says;

"Friend there are very few who find the way."

For some renunciation can be karmically neutral when there is little to renunciate.

Humility - Modesty

“This is what God asks of you, only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah

"Don't be so humble, you are not that important." Unknown

We need to first have a level of self-mastery and maybe a little hubris to be able to merit any ability to be humble.

Kabbalah teaches that humility is truthful acknowledgement about the wonders of yourself, taking appropriate credit for your part but recognizing the Infinite One's gifts to you. 

Our task of course is to find and pursue those gifts, be it our core strengths or our true destiny. We are here to cocreate with the Supreme Being by improving His creation and creating well being for all the Four Beings of Nature.

Modesty … has more to do with realizing how small the container is for the overwhelmingly great gift, yet trusting in God's offering and so accepting and using it without pretense.

True humility should make others know God better through you. One ought to marvel at what God can accomplish through you.

There are things that the Creator cannot do without our cooperation. We are here to co-create with the Divine's unlimited Intelligence with our own limited but potentially divinely inspired, imaginative abilities. We should not hide our talents under a bushel. 

God gives the talent but He would not have an Antonio Stradivarius violin without Antonio's hands.” Stradivarius

It is easier to get ourselves and any sense of unworthiness out of the way if we use our gifts on behalf of others. That gift that is given is not about us but given so that we can benefit others. Some might say who am I to think I can do this? Who are you not to...

Just as its presumptuous to put ourselves above others, so it is pretentious to put ourselves below them.

Each of us has a destiny 'cup' to fill. For some its smaller than others and easier. For those with a big one it can be demanding but we are all obliged to fill it.

“Everybody feels inferior in some way or other. And the reason is that we don’t accept that everybody is unique. There is no question of inferiority or superiority. Everybody is just one of his/her kind - comparison does not arise.
The moment you accept yourself as you are, without any comparison, all inferiority, all superiority, disappears. In that total acceptance or yourself you will be free from these complexes - inferiority, superiority. Otherwise you will suffer your whole life....


Just be yourself, that is enough… Osho

"…you are accepted by the sun, you are accepted by the moon, you are accepted by the trees, you are accepted by the ocean, you are accepted by the earth. What more do you want?
You are accepted by this whole universe. Rejoice in it!” Osho

God wants you, to be truly you. You were created for that.

Although Ego is necessary for self-mastery and self-actualization there comes a time when it gets in the way of spiritual growth and Self-Realization. Attachments to Ego's self-Cherishing, Desirous Attachment or Judgment create karmic burdens. Being tied to these will guarantee more wasteful, future lifetimes where we come back again and again to correct the errors of the past instead of going forward. 

Non-Attachment to ego and persona is commendable. 

However, attachment to our spiritual path is essential and will guard against more reincarnations. What is required of us is a path attached to pursuing a life that embraces spiritual principles and helping others. This will bring happiness and inner wealth.