The False Self

I wrote this about a year ago on my wordpress blog. I re-read it today and realized I’ve forgotten some of what I said. It’s exactly the type of read I was needing though. Hope you enjoy :) 

The False Self-

Have you ever wanted to do something and feared you weren’t capable of doing so? Said “no” to listening or watching new and different things, or going somewhere new because we think we wouldn’t fit in or wouldn’t like the people there. I know that a year ago, I never would have fathomed being interested in yoga, the ps3, nursing, etc. Our mind has built up walls by the help of our ego. We usually don’t even know these walls exist.

The ego is the false self. It’s everything you’ve accumulated within this life. It identifies itself with everything – possessions, reputation, social status, religion, family history, beliefs, relationships, job title, etc. It is very judgmental; always complaining and comparing. Every complaint is a story the mind makes up that we believe. Complaining shouldn’t be confused with informing someone of a mistake or deficiency so that it can be right.   The ego is also very resistant. It never wants to accept what is in the here and now. It’s terrified of change.
The ego doesn’t let you be present. It is aimlessly wandering in the past and/or thinking about the future. Making you worry about events that don’t even exist besides in your mind. Worry, stress, and other forms of fear arise from thinking of the past or future and not focusing on the present moment. It creates thoughts to cause us stress. The ego lives off of this, it needs identifications from the past and the future for its fulfillment. The egoic mind is never satisfied, it is always seeking for more due to the ego never feeling complete.  The Buddhists refer to the ego as a hungry ghost with an enormous belly and the mouth the size of a needle.
The ego survives through suffering by finding or creating problems. It can solve these problems as well, but for it survive it stays in control and manipulates the issues.

It isn’t our enemy however most of us have given the ego complete control. Most of us haven’t learned how to control it, but that’s only because we didn’t know we could. First, we must recognize that we are separate from the ego.  Then we need to watch how the ego reacts in situations. Don’t put your energy into the thought, just watch the thought. Observe it as if it isn’t you with the thought. Accept the situation for what it is and take action from the higher self, the consciousness. Look at it from every angle, rather than the egoic mind. If you are aware of it, it cannot control you, it will serve you. By being the observer of how the ego reacts to things will make the ego diminish on its on.
Live in the present moment. The ego cannot live in the present moment because it cannot identify with it. It has no fear, worry, or planning to feed on by living in the now. All that is left is your awareness, which guides you with intuition and feelings as to how to effortlessly achieve everything that you desire. This doesn’t mean don’t make goals. Make goals and strive to achieve them, don’t think about the destination, more so the journey, the now.

“The real can be known only through the false, so the ego is a must. One has to pass through it. It is a discipline. The real can be known only through the illusion. You cannot know the truth directly. First you have to know that which is not true. First you have to encounter the untrue. Through that encounter you become capable of knowing the truth. If you know the false as the false, truth will dawn upon you.”

23 February 2 Permalink

He said it before I could.

23 February Permalink

God is good

This might be a bit too controversial, so here’s your warning sign.

Ever since I was little I’ve gone to the temple every Sunday. I’ve always been taught to be a very religious person and for the most part I have been. Recently though, I’ve been on this journey that has given me a whole new perspective on life, religion, and God.

I used to believe God is just one Being, one source of higher power. I then thought and was taught God has been reincarnated into other Beings/human forms to teach us humans about life. It used to make sense to me. That there is this one higher power who controls everything.

I always hear people saying that things are up to destiny, how it’s God’s doing that things happen or don’t happen. How it’s upto God what will happen. I used to believe that these sayings and thoughts were true. Now however, I’ve realized that when I used to say or think those things…all I was doing was giving an excuse to why something happened or didn’t. “Maybe God didn’t want this to be, maybe it wasn’t meant to happen…etc” I’ve realized the only Being responsible for anything to happen is ME. The energy and thoughts I put towards something will bring the outcome of the action of what was put into it. I think people don’t take responsibility for their actions and use God as an excuse.

I believe that God is everything and everywhere. That God is love; energy. I pray and I believe in good. I believe if you’re a good person, the universe will treat you well. If you’re a bad person though, you’ll get pooped on.

I understand that bad things happen to good people. I believe thats God, the universe, telling you “hey, you’re doing something wrong. Live life the way you want…here’s your sign; here’s your second chance”

13 August 2 Permalink