In what scenarios have you realized ego?

[ys]

When in your experience have you been made aware of your own ego and its influence in any situation?

I ought to specify what I mean by ego in this context. The self important ego, the guiding force of decision making and thought-patterns/process, habitual grooves ones being is drawn to and entrenched into, with predominantly negative connotations, or at least of an illusory nature. Giving value to things that are ultimately, with proper research and critical thinking, not to be given such value, etc.

What is the mechanism that flips and seems to make that which arises from the clinging ego unmaskedly apparent?

I've been noticing lately that my own ego has vastly distorted my perception of the world (this may seem obvious but its drastically altering my worldview), and, although I am not sure what has happened, lately I seem to be seeing beyond its desires and attachments moreso than usual. It's incredibly interesting, because its as though everything has become far clearer and more direct, less greasy and prickly, if you will. It feels cleaner, and more accurate. My preferences have changed, my perceptions have changed, what I give importance to has changed, what I give attention to has changed.

I would like to continue unlocking these passageways through the blundersome muddling of the egos distorted perspectives.

If you have any insight on the nature of the ego please share it here.

If this is unclear I can restate the preface when I'm more awake, leaving this for you all while I sleep to let it steep

Blessings and remember who you are...:twisted:

ys

 

[Aum_Shanti]

If you have any insight on the nature of the ego please share it here.

In what relation? Personal experience, spiritual viewpoints from different systems, or scientific research?

E.g. what really baffled me the most, was when I saw a documentary about modern research about this, actually discovering things about the ego, that have long been "known" in various spiritual systems (e.g. like Buddhism). E.g. that the ego cannot act, or decide at all. It can only judge, and by this, influence future actions.
(if the negative feedback loop is very strong and fast, it can abort an action, before it has been (completely) executed)
The decision process happens purely in the subconscious, and the ego only identifies itself with it.
That's why it is important what you do think all the time, as this influences your future actions. If you control them and set them into a certain direction, also your future actions will tend to go into that direction.

It's IMHO actually a quite fascinating POV. It's basically as if there's a puppet player and the puppet identifies itself with every action, the player does: Always thinking like, it was me, who now wanted to lift that leg, etc.
But by judging the actions, the puppet can give a feedback to the player e.g. by the strings (e.g. electroshocks), influencing it's future actions.

 

[Infectedstyle]

What research is that?

 

[JustAnotherHuman]

For me, the ego is that part of me that provides the resistance to me being the best person I could possibly be. I've always struggled with this, and still do.

I've always perceived this inner presence, that causes my fears, my insecurities and the resistive force to me reaching my full potential. It's only recently that I've learned the word for it.

I have started to put moar effort into becoming my best self, and through this process, have become acutely aware of my ego and it's fears, neuroses, and it's incessant desire to maintain the status quo and therefore it's own survival. I think that this is what the ego does.

Like, I said earlier, I still struggle with this, and I know that I have all the power, but it's hard.

I'm not complaining though, I actually think that all of this is a blessing, and it's ultimately gonna make me stronger. I feel like I've made significant improvements already, and it can only get better from here.

My two cents.

 

[entheogenic-gnosis]

Ego is something that is needed, but that must be kept in check. I would say selfishness is far more detrimental than ego.

This writing was interesting...

Misconceptions About Selflessness - Jack Kornfield

Misconceptions about selflessness and emptiness abound, and such confusions undermine genuine spiritual development. Some people believe that they can come to selflessness by struggling to…

jackkornfield.com

-eg

 

[JustAnotherHuman]

Ego is something that is needed, but that must be kept in check. I would say selfishness is far more detrimental than ego.

This writing was interesting...

Misconceptions About Selflessness - Jack Kornfield

Misconceptions about selflessness and emptiness abound, and such confusions undermine genuine spiritual development. Some people believe that they can come to selflessness by struggling to…

jackkornfield.com

-eg

True.

And thanks for sharing that excerpt eg! It was very powerful, especially the anecdote at the end.:thumb_up:

 

[entheogenic-gnosis]

Ego is something that is needed, but that must be kept in check. I would say selfishness is far more detrimental than ego.

This writing was interesting...

Misconceptions About Selflessness - Jack Kornfield

Misconceptions about selflessness and emptiness abound, and such confusions undermine genuine spiritual development. Some people believe that they can come to selflessness by struggling to…

jackkornfield.com

-eg

True.

And thanks for sharing that excerpt eg! It was very powerful, especially the anecdote at the end.:thumb_up:

I'm glad you enjoyed it, I thought it was quite relevant here...

The difference between true emptiness and the emptiness of depression can be illustrated by two salutations. An awakened person might say, “Good morning, God.” whereas a depressed or confused person would be more likely to say, “Good God, morning.” Confusing the two can lead to a kind of passivity: “It’s all the illusion, it’s all a spiritual dream unfolding. I don’t have to do anything. We don’t do anything ourselves anyway.” This kind of passivity is related to indifference, the near enemy of equanimity, which was discussed earlier. An understanding of the mystical emptiness of things is not at all passive; the mark of true emptiness is joy; it enlivens the appreciation of the mystery of life as it appears to us each moment out of the void.

Misconceptions About Selflessness - Jack Kornfield

Misconceptions about selflessness and emptiness abound, and such confusions undermine genuine spiritual development. Some people believe that they can come to selflessness by struggling to…

jackkornfield.com

Action and inaction seemed relevant here as well, and for whatever reason, the excerpt above reminded me of the following gita quotes:

You are only entitled to the action, never to its fruits. Do not let the fruits of action be your motive, but do not attach yourself to nonaction. — gita; Chapter 2, verse 47

One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men, and he is in the tranecendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.

One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every act is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker whose fruitive action is burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge

Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independant, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings

Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected by sinful reactions.

He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady both in success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions

Baghavad gita; chapter 4

You can not refuse to act, but you can refuse to act selfishly...

-eg

 

[Yumi]

in emptyness

 

[○]

When in your experience have you been made aware of your own ego and its influence in any situation?

Every single day of my life. It's hard to shake. We need it to some degree, though not at the frequency/intensity that we often find ourselves with it, imo. So many situations, scenarios, people, places, things that'll test you and your reaction/s.

 

[Swayambhu]

"Ego" has a number of well established but variant meanings.
They get confused one with the other, understandably, which makes the question harder to answer.
In the sense of "ego" as the particular mind-form in which consciousness manifests itself in the individual, it is most conspicuous by its absence, which one might experience through psychedelics, or certain types of meditation, or through certain types of panic attack or related psychological crises. Aka "ego death".

 

[DmnStr8]

Anytime I feel a very strong emotion I am aware of the ego. It uses the emotions to get the attention it wants. Sometimes I ignore it and sometimes I get drawn into the drama of the ego. I try and not battle with it anymore. Just treat it like a kid. It doesn't know any better. It's just trying to survive. I like my ego just fine!!

The time will come
when, with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

~Derek Walcott

 

[Use any name]

"with predominantly negative connotations, or at least of an illusory nature. Giving value to things that are ultimately, with proper research and critical thinking, not to be given such value, etc."

I value illusion, illusions are valuable, I value them as illusions.

"What is the mechanism that flips and seems to make that which arises from the clinging ego unmaskedly apparent?"

The ego unmasking it's self in it's mirror only to see it's self smiling backwards. sly old dog.

"(4th paragraph)"

You know I've been going through a similar thing, my poetic output and it's exploration of myself is growing more insightful. I think it's because I'm figuring out how to love more openly. Don't need to lie to myself as much as I used to.

my ego is my guide
gentle and kind if respected
violent and terrible if repressed
needy if overextended
broody if under

know thysmerf
let thysmerf
be thysmerf
good day! To you.