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Article #7: Practical Spirituality - The Ego

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






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