I spent the majority of Summer 2010 meditating, writing, reading, and overall going deeper into myself. I felt more comfortable with life than I had ever been, and I was slowly reaching certain truths that I had never known existed. Essentially, I was breaking down my ego. I wanted to share the things that I was experiencing, so I decided to start making youtube videos. These videos chronicled the changes I went through during that summer, and also throughout the past year. Summer 2011 has been different. Instead of continuing all of the work that I began last summer, I put it on pause. I've embraced my ego, or “false self,†and have been immersing myself in many of the things that I was beginning to detach myself from before. But I don't see any of this as a problem. While I have been embracing, and enjoying, my ego, I haven't forgotten about the truths that I realized last summer. This is where I am right now. I am enjoying my ego, with the awareness that it, and all that it entails, is essentially an illusion. Is that wrong? [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahWqS4fnMYA[/ame]
You seem to be caught up in extremes whether it be living as your ego or non-ego. My only advice to you is to try and find some moderation.
I think any persons attempt to label a part of who they really are as 'false' only resulted from exposing a side of themselves that they didn't like. Ego is part of what makes you you, and, IMO, it's impossible to dissect. It's like fighting fire with fire. When you realize how out of shape you are and that you stomach sticks out farther than you're feet, you don't cut off your stomach and say "This is my false anatomy.", do you? No, you condition the parts of your that are most weak, same thing with ego. You're not getting rid of it, you're learning to tame it; to keep it healthy. But I'm glad you're taking the time to sit back and enjoy who you really are.
Thanks a lot for your feedback guys. In all honesty I have been caught up in different extremes. I was just asking myself the question of how I can function in society while knowing that many things are illusions and realized that that should allow me to let go of more, and not get attached to one thing or another. Do you guys have other thoughts regarding this?
All perception is a form of illusion. The truly enlightened learn to go with the flow rather than constantly analyze. EDIT: And yes, even your 'knowing' as you state is illusion. Wrap your head around that one for a bit.
The ego is like a stone. No matter how hard you try, you eventually realise you can't get rid of the stone (until death). That is when you take all that you've learned, and chip away all the unnecessary parts to the stone until it is shaped into a beautiful piece of art. You are who you are my friend. You can't erase yourself and your knowledge, but you can always reprogram your perception. Life basically is an illusion, or a dream.. but you must ask yourself, what is the word real then? There is an objective reality, and we are all in it. Enjoy it in whatever way you see fit. Just don't waste too much time asking questions because theoretically, you only live once. Namaste
I always thought of ego as the voice in your head.... lol This thread has effectively ruined my concept of ego. How can it not be you? It's your perception of you. Are you saying your trying to destroy your own perception of yourself?
Who is this true self that sees the ego as being a false self? I understand that you defined your feeling of true self in your video, but is this just a thought as well? How does this true self judge something as false? Does the true self think? Does it have opinions of good and bad, true or false? When you say "I", does "I" act, or is it just a witness, a space (for lack of a better word) in which all things exist?
Thanks, I am glad I can help (I know that feeling of forgetting all too well lol). I like to help others move forward just as others help me move forward. I certainly don't have all the answers, these are questions I ask my self or have been asked by others as I continue in my own self-enquiry. I like your thread though, have fun, do what you enjoy doing in this moment. For some people, devoting every moment to enlightenment, renouncing the world, and meditating in a cave is best. For others, going out with friends, getting drunk, and enjoying the pleasures this beautiful world has to offer is best. There is no right or wrong way of going about things. The very fact alone that you are thinking about these things, the very fact that you are enquiring into who you are, is very special. Combining things such as meditation, living in awareness, and self-enquiry with an "ego-based" lifestyle just makes it that much more enjoyable, in my opinion. Especially if you are able to step outside of that idea of who you are and look at it as a game of sorts, just like a child pretends to be a cowboy or a knight.
A bro how much u weigh? Im pretty sure I could take u. Haha lol get a sport man or a hobby and stop thinking so much. U sound like u r to needy of attention. Start rock climbing and free solo a 50 foot face and u will no who u really r and what ur made of.
You say you could "take someone" in an online forum, and then proceed to tell him he should stop thinking so much, on a philosophy forum, and HE is needy for attention?
