The spiritual ego

In this article, we are going to explore the ego from a different perspective. This ego is one that we are probably very familiar with, without necessarily knowing it. We are talking about the spiritual ego.

Yeah, this 'spiritual' I, this 'holy' I, this 'enlightened' me. Does this sound familiar? Let's discuss!

Let's start with the mind and its habits. At this point, we know very well that the mind is a creature of habit. We are not concerned with debating which habits are so-called 'good' or 'bad', we just want to point out how easily the mind can get stuck in its ways.

Imagine that for one year, with the help of an alarm, we woke up at 4AM each morning to go to work. After one year, we stop to work and we don't set the alarm for 4AM the next morning, but what happens?

For the next couple of days, or maybe even longer, we still wake up around 4AM, even without an alarm. See? This is what happens when the mind becomes accustomed to something.

Now, imagine all the habits the mind has adopted over the years or even lives? Our ways of thinking, believing, seeing, have become so much of a habit, that we cannot distinguish anymore between what is habit and what is real.

Same old habits

As we awaken to our True Nature or as we realize the Self - or whatever we want to call this experience, our True Identity is revealed to us. However, the mind and its habits remain. This means that even though we know that we are not the mind or the body, these thoughts related to the idea of a separate self, remain.

Now, what can potentially happen, is that the ego gets a new mask. Thoughts arise, like "Only 'I' am real, and everything else is an illusion. Only me, this 'self' is real, and the world is a dream." 

As before, the ego-mind remains self-obsessed. Only this time, with a new mask. A holy mask. The 'enlightened me'. 

This simply means more discrimination, more separation. It can have the same, cold effect as when we misunderstand emptiness. With a lack of wisdom, we once again cherish this idea of a separate 'me' and we cut ourselves off from the Whole.

Eventually, we realize that the suffering still continues but we cannot understand why? We still do not feel fulfilled, even though we had this one 'experience'.

Limitless, infinite

As we mentioned in a previous article, knowing who or what we are, is the first step to waking up. We may think that because we had this one experience, we do not need to meditate anymore because we found what we were looking for. 

True, as far as the seeking goes. We've discovered the presence of God in our lives. Now, we want to establish a relationship with God, we want to know our Self.

Thus, we meditate more. We establish ourselves more and more in the loving, peaceful presence of God. We get more and more familiar with the Self.

As we abide in the Self, slowly but surely, the discriminating mind starts to dissolve, the self-cherishing thoughts slow down. The feeling of separation starts to dissolve because we do not pay attention to these egoistic thoughts anymore, and so, the remaining residues of the ego are washed away... 

How long does this go on? See, because God is infinite, because our Being is limitless, there can never be an end. Only something that has a beginning has an end. There is no limit to God's love and peace. It just goes deeper, deeper, and deeper.

To conclude, we want to remind ourselves not to renounce our spiritual practice once we've found what we are looking for. Yes, the seeking stops, but the devotion starts. The path in God starts. The mind and its habits may continue, but as we rest in the peaceful silence of the Self, this slows down. 

We connect more and more to our Source, we realize that everything is the Self. Our whole universe is full of expressions of our Divine Mother. She gave birth to it all, and She exists in all. It is all One.

"...even though we know that we are not the mind or the body, these thoughts related to the idea of a separate self remain."

Related articles on this blog:

Waking up, Part 1 - 30 December, 2020
A collection of layers - 14 December, 2020
The ego, the illusion - 30 August, 2020