Thursday, January 3, 2008

Ego Is Not A Dirty Word

This is an edited version of an email I sent to a friend once, someone very dear to my heart.
I am posting this as I have a friend currently going through a similar thing.

There seems to be a fashion in spiritual circles to try and "kill the Ego".
The Ego is just one aspect of our humaneness.

Admittedly a powerful , consuming one.

Whatever we fight we empower, that's why Christ said "resist not evil". Its the denial of all aspects of ourselves that creates separation and gives us the idea we have something to fight.

Its the longing for the "other" the "not this" the "almost there" that creates spiritual and human anguish.

The belief that there is a right way and a wrong way, that pain , despair, and all of our beautiful confused humanness is not right or spiritual or true.

THIS is the ego talking...it will create conflict any way it knows how, and when you are on the spiritual path, it will use that.

You cant blame it for this, it literally doesn't know what it is doing, its function initially was to be the force that looks outwards, on the world , and to give us a strong sense of self to survive and to explore the external world.
When we thought that it was the only thing, and forgot where 'home' is , thats when the problems arose.

God gave us an ego , as he gave us freewill, to create whatever world we wanted, not in his image, but in ours, which are one and the same.

The Ego thinks it is you, and you think you are it, it is actually trying to protect you, it thinks if it dies , so do you, so to try and kill it, there is an underlying feeling of trying to kill yourself.

You cannot create spiritual suicide, you will end up terribly depressed.

Give it to God. Learn to love yourself, The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. Everything changes through love. That isn't a hip throw away line ......real love encompasses everything, including your ego, it sees it as mistaken, like a small child, not threatening, real love is compassionate.

The ego is a God given gift, if one was never lost, they would never work to find the way home.

In our confusion and humaneness we are beautiful beyond belief, an expression of Gods glory and magnificence, perfect in our imperfections....

PS even though I talk about God a lot, I am not formally aligned with any religion.

8 comments:

Mel said...

Oh what a wonderfully written piece......one I'm hopeful was well received by your friend.

Pride and ego--my two good friends. LOL
They've served me well many times. No doubt I won't squash them, cuz they're there for a purpose.

My ego wasn't 'mediating'--it was dictating and RIGHT 120% of the time...generally at the cost of those around me, of course--cuz it's like that with a screwed up version of reality.

But you're right, ya know....
All ya need is love.

*humming and chuckling*

Belongum said...

Gudday Enigma... ta for dropping by mate - was nice of you to visit!

If you don't mind - I might drop by again for a gander... I like seeing what people have to say around this big bit of land of ours, and besides, it would appear we're both of Irish descent - that practically makes us family - lol!

As to ego... tripped over pride and egon MANY times in my life, and I'm bound to do so quite a few times more I'm sure. I like ot think I treat 'em like speed bumps, I reckon they help by reminding me to 'slow down' sometimes... especially when I'm being a right pillock!

It's my right to be a pillock by the way - so I simply choose to do this well - perhaps God gave me a gift after all eh?!

*wry smile*

Cheers ;-)

Tiffanie said...

I've heard it said:
G- Good
O- Orderly
D- Direction

or

E- Edging
G- God
O- Out

Enigma said...

Hi mel,Its amazing what 3 hours phone counceling, and 2 red wines will bring forth. My friend said she DID feel more at peace, so it was worth it.Thats the thing about the ego, it is always right, but sometimes it will swap over to making itself feel wrong, either way separation from our real selves is the aim, thats why I say to not fight it, just watch it.
I have that beatles song in my head now.

belongum -gudday mate, pop in any time, we are probably related somewhere in antiquity.My dad was irish, and my Mum Maltese.
Ego speed bumps, thats such a good expression and way to look at them .I,ll remeber that.And being a pillock IS your God given right, so milk it for all its worth,I say:)

Tiffany, hello petal,
I love your way of putting it, especially edging god out.The first one "good orderly direction" ties into Belonguns speed bump theory nicely.

James said...

Ego is illusion that helps to perpetuate all illusion. Well said, enigma.

Enigma said...

Thank you James,coming from you, thats a real compliment.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful swirly thinking and a synchronicity, I just posted the Skyhooks video yesterday in my Australian music series.

Enigma said...

"Beautiful swirly thinking", that is such a compliment, and sums up my often really hard to explain thought processes perfectly!
Thank you gingatao