| There is a popular movement today with
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| | her identity as an atheist-someone who
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| the coming of a so called "New Age," to
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| | has been standing against superstition.
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| partake of spirituality, instead of just
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| | What would her friends say? Doesn't this
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| religion. Many of the ideas from Eastern
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| | whole discussion and holding on and
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| religions stress enlightenment, and
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| | letting go sound like the fruit of the
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| dissolution of the power of the ego. In
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| | ego? That's what it is.
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| these religions the concept of the
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| | As we begin to partake of these various
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| isolated self is false. The idea is to
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| | Eastern religions, and even Western
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| come to knowledge of the true self, the
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| | spirituality and mysticism, it is
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| self that lies beyond the false self
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| | important for us to remember the ego, and
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| constructed by those around us. The true
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| | how it subtly shapes our experience of
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| self is the larger self, the one
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| | the world and our belief systems about
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| connected to everything.
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| | God and humanity. Dualism is the main
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| In the world of dualism this is a
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| | tool of the ego. In order to loosen the
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| difficult teaching for some. The
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| | boundaries of the ego it is necessary for
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| dualists who hear it and agree with it
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| | us to begin to see the world
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| work to let go of the idea of ego and
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| | holistically, not dualistically. In
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| false self quickly, wanting to abandon it
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| | holistic thinking there is a place for
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| right away, and wanting to be in contact
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| | dualism, but in dualism there is no place
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| with the true self. It is the right
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| | for holistic, singular thinking. In the
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| thing to do to them. In Eastern
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| | self actualized person there is a place
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| thinking, however, this dualistic tension
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| | for ego, but in a person with an ego
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| usually doesn't exist. One example of
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| | ruled life, there is no room for self
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| the lack of such tension can be seen in
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| | actualization or enlightenment, because
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| Taoism and in Tibetan Buddhism.
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| | the ego is afraid of such things.
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| In Tibetan Buddhism there are thousands
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| | While partaking of your spiritual
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| and thousands of wrathful and peaceful
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| | journey, therefor, be sure to notice
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| deities, as well as Bodhisattvas that you
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| | where ego begins and ends. Your ego
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| pray to during your journey through the
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| | could actually be shaping your spiritual
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| bardos in the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
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| | experience to the point that everything
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| In Taoist temples there are often
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| | you experience, everything you study, and
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| pictures of Gods that people venerate.
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| | every teacher that you have, is being
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| At the same time, these are non-theistic
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| | suggested by the ego so that you can
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| religions. The practitioners find no
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| | remain the way you are and can strengthen
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| tension in the fact that there are many
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| | the beliefs that you already have about
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| Gods, but none, whereas some of the
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| | the world, thus making the ego
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| westerners try to uphold such religions
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| | impenetrable. You can become more ego
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| as religions without a God. The truth
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| | attached by doing spiritual exercise and
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| is, however, that these religions realize
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| | meditation. If they are the ones you
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| that reality is too great to possibly
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| | feel comfortable with, they are probably
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| understand. Images of God or Gods are a
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| | being chosen by the ego. Spirituality
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| tool for understanding powers and
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| | does not feel comfortable most of the
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| concepts they can grasp. Some feel
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| | time. In the beginning it rocks ones
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| comfortable focusing on Gods to do this,
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| | world and causes stress. It tears apart
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| and some don't On the surface it may
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| | comfortable ideas about the world and
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| seem that these groups are practicing
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| | stretches one to the point of breaking
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| different religions, but at a deeper
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| | sometimes.
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| level, both have the same belief. That
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| | After the breaking and during the mending
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| belief is that we cannot be absolutely
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| | one feels comfortable and one grows. If,
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| sure until we are there. Using our
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| | however there is no stress, there is no
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| energy to discover if there is or isn't
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| | fear, disillusionment and breaking at
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| any such things as God is only a tool of
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| | various points during one's spiritual
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| the ego that stops us from the true work
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| | journey, one should question whether he
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| of spirituality. It is that simple.
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| | or she is really doing the type of
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| In the western mind there is a great deal
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| | spirituality that will bring about
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| of unrecognized ego attachment. A theist
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| | enlightenment, or if he or she is
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| must remain theistic because his idea of
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| | religiously feeding the ego in yet
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| humanity and who himself is attached to
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| | another way. Be aware of the ego, my
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| his idea of being a theist. If he should
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| | friends, because the ego is a Fifth
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| be convinced to become an atheist or
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| | Avenue penthouse cage when it needs to
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| non-theist, he will have lost the battle
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| | be. Through our spiritual practice we
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| of wits between these different parties.
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| | could just be relaxing the mind and
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| He will have given one of his most
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| | strengthening the body so that the ego
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| central core beliefs, and therefor, will
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| | can use it to partake of the world of
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| have lost the battle. Accepting a new
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| | illusion with more vehemence and
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| idea of a God would make an atheist have
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| | persistence.
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| to surrender. She would have to give up
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