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