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.