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KundaNewb
USA
49 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 17 2011 : 1:40:07 PM
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Hi.
I was wondering if anyone can help me figure something out or point me in the right direction. Ego and "identification" are still fuzzy concepts for me... at least, I'm not sure how it FEELS to be in an ego or to be "identified" whatever that means.
What prompts this query is an experience I had about a month ago. I was feeling normal and good until I suddenly thought about the concept of ego for some reason. As soon as I focused on the concept of ego, I kinda felt myself getting smaller; not physically, or course. I then got this notion in my head that having an ego is very limiting and you lose power, versus without an ego, your consciousness is almost without bounds and you feel more powerful. Not powerful from a dominating sense, but just more freedom and less neurosis; things don't bother you as much... detached. But, I also kind of feel "bigger"... which probably is a unrefined choice of word.
Does any of this make sense? Can anyone point me to some topics that I can research?
Sincerely
Edit: Also, along with this feeling of no-ego I felt the tendency to refer to myself in the third-person... privately, of course  |
Edited by - KundaNewb on Oct 17 2011 2:08:21 PM |
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AYPforum
351 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2011 : 1:43:01 PM
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| Moderator note: Topic moved for better placement |
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KundaNewb
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2011 : 1:48:58 PM
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Thanks for the move mod.
Here are some more questions that might get more to the heart of it.
How does one know if they have a "big ego" or if they just have NO ego and their consciousness is just expanding? I'm guessing that if there is no ego, then there will be none of the 7 cardinal sins (hate, greed, envy, etc.) or they will be reduced significantly.
Does this sound right? |
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jeff
USA
971 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2011 : 2:23:26 PM
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KundaNewb,
Depending on the tradition, there can be a variety of definitions for Ego. Usually, it is associated with I-ness or self absorbed perception. This perceived separation does directly relate to your seven cardinal sins. Or, as I-ness (or Ego) "shrinks", things like Anger, etc... drop away.
Hope that helps.
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bewell
1275 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2011 : 7:26:36 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by KundaNewb
I then got this notion in my head that having an ego is very limiting and you lose power, versus without an ego, your consciousness is almost without bounds and you feel more powerful. Not powerful from a dominating sense, but just more freedom and less neurosis; things don't bother you as much... detached. But, I also kind of feel "bigger"... which probably is a unrefined choice of word.
Sounds to me like you are using the terms well enough to express where you are at. That's excellent. I appreciate your experiential authenticity as you grapple for words to express what is happening.
Yogani has some insights on ego in lesson 428 where he says that we are looking for a transformation of ego (rather than not having an ego):
http://www.aypsite.org/428.html
His teachings on the practice of Self Inquiry have a lot to offer on relating "I thought" to "pure bliss consciousness" (Sat-Chit-Ananda – Means, “eternal bliss consciousness.” Inner silence. Immortal Self. Pure bliss consciousness. The witness. the Tao. God the Father. It is that in us which is our self-awareness in every moment. Through yoga practices, our nervous system is cultivated toward its natural evolutionary transformation to provide the direct, permanent experience of this, our essential nature.) The question in any given moment of self inquiry is "who am I" in relation to That.
Peace
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Edited by - bewell on Oct 17 2011 7:28:13 PM |
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KundaNewb
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2011 : 04:53:32 AM
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| Ok, that Q&A helped some. I just feel this expansion lately. Also, when my K enters my brain, I feel this pressure like my head is inflating in all directions. Is this where the phrase "expanding your consciousness", or "mind expanding" comes from? Thanks. |
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bewell
1275 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2011 : 10:20:53 AM
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That pressure in the head is very common. I find that when I do self inquiry, there is an expanding sensation so that the skin around the skull is no longer the end of the felt sense of my energy body. In AYP that is called a "crown opening" and in our approach, there is caution advised about focusing on that in exclusion from the root to brow energy channel along the spine. Spinal Breathing Pranayama and Whole Body Mudra are focused on the root to brow, with crown an option, but not a focus. Pranayama is combined with twice daily Deep Meditation to cultivate stability.
Mind expansion is something I associate with the third eye, and is related to expanded intuitive gifts that help in the flow of daily life. See the image of Sri Yantra for a geometric representation of expanded consciousness:
http://www.aypsite.org/T25.html |
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KundaNewb
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2011 : 2:16:30 PM
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Bewell, I just read Yogani's lesson on opening the crown. I've been throwing caution to the wind lately, but I think I'll heed his and your advice and not give it too much attention for now. I've been pretty much ignoring my crown I guess since the ajna lit-up pretty early on.
Thanks |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2011 : 8:00:19 PM
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Be,
the Sri Yantra images are here:
http://www.aypsite.org/sriyantra.html
Kunda,
Yes, the ego is a much smaller form of consciousness, but I disagree with many people who think that means it is not worth much. I believe the ego is an essential and valuable tool for communicating and facilitating real world necessities. As long as we have control of a body that has physical needs, I think we need an ego.
A "big ego" is a different story, as that makes you feel superior, and although it is often helpful for leading groups of people, it can easily get unbalanced and hard to control. |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2011 : 01:44:22 AM
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Etherfish
Sri Yantra is very appealing to the eye....so can we use any color we like? |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2011 : 07:52:54 AM
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| See the link above in Bewell's post where it describes using them. |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2011 : 3:48:55 PM
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read this lesson some time ago and did not feel anything when looking at the yantra
quote:
http://www.aypsite.org/T25.html
...but today gazing at the blue yantra
quote:
http://www.aypsite.org/sriyantra.html
created strong ecstatic conductivity...now i saved it as desktop background,to look at it few seconds per day.. |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2011 : 10:13:09 PM
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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Oct 20 2011 : 03:55:43 AM
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Big or small egos there really is no measurement. Ego is the need to be loved and accepted, it is reflected in the lengths we go externally in order to create what we believe will satisfy the hunger without realising that our true nature is love.
Identification and separation is the twisted way in which the world is viewed The identification 'I am this body, I am this job, I am this person' creates separation from the illusory world and from the truth of what your true nature is. The ego is the interface that keeps this going.
Ultimately, whatever the implied size of the ego, it's seeking is proportional to suffering. The bigger they are the harder they fall. The harder one strives, the more one suffers until somewhere it is realised. Maybe a seemingly bigger ego is in a better position to give up.
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KundaNewb
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Oct 20 2011 : 1:06:33 PM
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quote:
[i]Originally posted by karl
Thank you Karl. That helps. Lately I've been waking up in the morning annoyed by everyone in my past and their unbelievably big egos and then I fantasize about competing with them. But, I need to figure out some other way. Perhaps, if I could only recognize what they are doing at the time, then I would be able to just laugh instead of engaging them with my ego. |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Oct 20 2011 : 1:20:59 PM
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quote:
Perhaps, if I could only recognize what they are doing at the time,
the best way to be at peace is to you recognize with awarness what YOU are doing at the time...nevertmind the others....mind your own business then you will laugh and be happy... |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Oct 20 2011 : 8:02:46 PM
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Yes, and don't take it personally because it's not about you. People with big egos are doing things for themselves, not you, even though it seems otherwise.
In fact, that goes for most people in general. If you are offended by something someone does, if you could only see inside their head you would know they are doing something for themselves. Of course, there are some with no empathy who do anything to get an emotional reaction, but that's not the majority of people.
Imagine what it must be like to be famous or in control of a lot of people. You would always have some people who hate you for no apparent reason. Those famous people have to let it bounce off, or they would not survive emotionally. |
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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Oct 21 2011 : 04:29:04 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by KundaNewb
quote:
[i]Originally posted by karl
Thank you Karl. That helps. Lately I've been waking up in the morning annoyed by everyone in my past and their unbelievably big egos and then I fantasize about competing with them. But, I need to figure out some other way. Perhaps, if I could only recognize what they are doing at the time, then I would be able to just laugh instead of engaging them with my ego.
One day it will occur to you that there is no past or future and all you see is a reflection of your own self only. A mind built cage or training camp that was only intended to be a beautiful creation.
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Divineis
Canada
420 Posts |
Posted - Oct 21 2011 : 4:40:10 PM
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| I consider there to be two types of ego... ego's; the normal kind ... "im better than you because I do this and you don't"kind. ANd the spiritual type of "no self" or "all self"; whichever way you want to look at it. Spiritual ego is like seperation. Samahdi; at its varying levels is direct insight to consciousness. It's that deeper knowing of unity which we can't avoid. |
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SeySorciere
Seychelles
1553 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2011 : 07:19:25 AM
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| Great topic and great discussions. Thank you all |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2011 : 08:14:20 AM
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Thinking "I am better than you" is a perversion of the ego. The purpose of the ego is to sense that I am separate from you. This is necessary so our hands can serve mankind.
What is built into our system is an imperative to use our own knowledge first rather than taking input from others as a priority. This ensures survival of the fittest over time, but can easily be inflated into "I am better than you." |
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KundaNewb
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2011 : 4:02:15 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Etherfish
Thinking "I am better than you" is a perversion of the ego. The purpose of the ego is to sense that I am separate from you. This is necessary so our hands can serve mankind.
What is built into our system is an imperative to use our own knowledge first rather than taking input from others as a priority. This ensures survival of the fittest over time, but can easily be inflated into "I am better than you."
Interesting.
On the perceived "size" aspect of my ego, again today during DM, I was feeling the typical expansiveness that I get with my new K energy filling me up. But, when random thoughts would sneak-in that triggered my ego (the negative aspect of it), my ethereal body would shrink and get tight. It's almost as if you need to shrink in order for your ego to engage another ego (frequency match). If you don't then you and the other (with the ego) pass through one another w/o engaging. This is only my intuitive speculation, of course, and at this particular moment  |
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Divineis
Canada
420 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2011 : 5:08:06 PM
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I find with DM, it brings up your karmah, and sometimes you just have to affirm it and go with it until it's transmuted kind of... into a higher kind of energy.
Kinda like a mantra I wrote, while in a higher plane of awareness (I had just gone beyond the cycle of rebirth). My mantra is "Being here or no here. Cutting away the ten thousand things, leaving just one".
In other words, being fully present brings you to "no here" or to what's beyond. What's beyond, as the consciousness/or canvas (I like to call it), on which everything is kind of superimposed or is expressed from.
Then... the "cutting away the ten tousand things"... cutting away duality, and leaving just one... It's like just seeing one thing at a time, through to it's end. It's as if you see a bad thing within yourself or an action you do, and instead of bringing up toughts against it, you just go with it and understand it for what it is.
Some may say "but no, what about non-duality"... i've got one big BLAH for you people.
... BLAHHHHHHH
...I say people are non-dual, some good and some bad within them. But still good and bad. |
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_Yogi_
USA
26 Posts |
Posted - Dec 05 2011 : 8:07:25 PM
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| Yeah sometimes when I focus on energy in my body It makes my body feel like a mountain. |
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Topic |
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Ego & Identification equals feeling "small"?
