By
now we all should have practiced the technique of stepping back
and becoming the casual observer of our own thoughts.
If
you are able to do this, even for a short time then you are ready
to read on.
Last
month I stated that the person who is sitting back and watching
the thought process is the real you. We can now ask two questions
-
1. Who are you?
2.
Who is doing all the thinking?
You
are a soul, experiencing certain aspects of creation through a
physical body. The real you is eternal, the real you is the hidden
spiritual side, the voice of wisdom that you sometimes hear in
moments of clarity. The real you is one with the universe and
everything in it. It
is the part of you that feels, the part of you that has a dream,
the part of you that knows right from wrong and good from bad.
Some people call this "your higher self."
In
most of us, to varying degrees, this true nature is blocked and
hidden by what's known as your ego. Your ego is the part of you
that does all the thinking, it
is responsible for the management of
your physical body, including feeding, sheltering and protecting
it.
Although your ego is a necessity, problems arise when it dominates
and controls. This happens because it over identifies with your
physical state and believes, it is all there is. The result is
that you live under an illusion and forget who you are. Your true
spiritual being is blocked from your consciousness. This is your
negative ego. Some people call this "your lower self."
Why
are we like this?
We
are here to experience the physical, to learn the power of our
thoughts and to create with them. We are on a journey back to
our source. In order for us to be able to do this we must temporarily
forget who we really are.
Your
mind through it's guardian, your ego, latches onto an identity.
This identity is formed from our surroundings and experiences
since birth. It serves us because we believe that that's all there
is.
Ask
someone, "who are you?"
You
are likely to get an answer such as,
"I
am a writer"
"I am a lawyer"
"I am a basketballer"
"I am a catholic"
People
answer with what they do and associate with. Not with who they
really are.
The
identity that you create and hold onto also encompasses certain
traits. These traits are learned responses to stimuli that you
have encountered. If the behavior you choose is deemed to be self
serving at the time, your ego adds it to it's repertoire and a
habit is in the making.
Your
lower self behavior usually serves your subconscious desires and
needs. These needs are essentially physical and survival based.
They are based on you moving away from fear.
Imagine
a shop-a-holic who spends all his/her money. They have to have
all the latest clothes no matter how expensive and how many other
clothes they have to wear. They do this to the detriment of the
other parts of their life, perhaps they run up huge credit card
bills as is common.
The
fear in this case may be that they would not be accepted, their
ego tells them that if they have the latest fashions then they
will be accepted. The extent to which this is played out is dependent
on how much control their ego has.
Imagine
an angry driver who abuses other drivers for driving too slow
in front of them. This may be a fear of arriving late for work
or an appointment. The anger is their ego enforcing right of way
by intimidation and aggression.
Your
higher self makes decisions based on movement towards love and
this is essentially spiritual in nature. An example of this would
be spontaneously giving a present without thought of any reciprocal
arrangement. Helping someone from a pure desire just to serve,
like in the cliché of helping a little old lady across
the road. This would also be taking up the career we love as opposed
to the egoic choice of a career for the money. Going to a restaurant
you love as opposed to the egoic choice of the restaurant that
is fashionable to be seen at.
Think
of two people arguing. Who is right and who is wrong. It depends
on your perspective.
Two
people argue over the weather, the first person says it is cold
the second person says it's not. The temperature is 7 degrees
Celsius. Who do you think is right? The
first person lives near the equator and enjoys the warm weather
and sunshine. The second person comes from one of the poles and
is used to subzero temperatures. Right
or wrong can only be - when it is compared to something else.
You
take up your defensive position because your ego identifies with
certain thoughts that you have. These thoughts are part of your
identity and your ego has convinced you that this is who you are
and therefore you must take a stand. You are not your opinion.
There is no right and wrong. Think about what you last argued
over. You may have tried to make yourself right and the other
person wrong. What is there to defend? Nothing. Why does one of
you have to be right and therefore the other wrong?
You
are not the identity that your ego has built. If
you make some changes in your life, you will still be you. Change
your career, car, spouse, the country that you live in, your eating
habits, your sexual preferences, your sporting club, go to jail
or go to church, go to the movies or sleep all day. You are still
you, no matter what you do.
The
scenario's we can discuss are endless, complex and along similar
lines. What is important is that you recognise what your fears
are and when your ego takes over. Keep practicing the technique
of watching your thoughts.
Next
Month we will discuss emotions. They are the signposts
to freedom. Find out how to play the game.
Aymen
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