To: K-list
Recieved: 1999/09/20 11:28
Subject: Re: [K-list] seemingly stupid questions about K: the ego
From: Gcwein1111
On 1999/09/20 11:28, Gcwein1111 posted thus to the K-list:
HI LyN (and list),
When l looked at your series of questions l thought, wow,
someone could write a book about each one of these. l'm going to just add
some of my own thoughts about the question involving the ego.
l remember when l started
exploring eastern traditions years ago and was struck by the difference in
their usage of the term "ego" from the one l was familiar with from western
psychology. ln psychology-- and in daily life--we all know a healthy ego is
vital, as is the deveopment of ego strengths, without which we are basically
dysfunctional. Yet, the eastern traditions talk about the ego in negative
terms, as something that essentially must be overcome. How to reconcile this?
l've often thought of it in
terms of different stages of life. The first stage is the one of
individuation--the one in which we develop ego strengths, learn to define our
separate identities as individuals and develop the skills we need to succeed
in the world both personally and professionally. Most people never progress
significantly beyond this. The second stage (l realize others have written
about many stages) at least on the surface appears to go in the opposite
direction: that of attempting to let go of our sense of separateness (what we
associate with what we call our "small self") and return to the source--the
urge toward unity consciousness.
ln letting go of our sense of separateness we are attempting to let go
of what we think of as our ego, but we must at the same time retain the ego
strengths which we have labored long and hard to develop. Otherwise we will
not attain any form of liberation, any more than we could attain anything in
stage one without a clear sense of who we are and how to focus and direct our
will in order to achieve. But then, of course, we must surrender! lf this
sounds contradictory, then welcome to the law of paradox, which underlies all
spiritual matters. ( Remembering that we use forms to go beyond form,
mantras to go beyond mantras, Buddha to go beyond Buddha,etc) ln other
words, we have to do it all at the same time, which is one reason why it
ain't easy. This is not really a cultural thing,
altho there are cultural differences. lndia, in particular, has the same
basic ego bullshit we have. l have experienced this as fairly distinct stages
in my life, altho l'm aware that others haven't, particularly some who get
swept onto the path at a much earlier age. l used to joke to my friends that
l was glad l didn't start on the path till l was 40--that l was able to get
all the woman chasin' and lawyerin' out of my system first--which probably
reflected my lack of understanding of the path then (and which may be why k
has exacted such vengeance upon me since!). Just another way of
looking at it..... jerry
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