The Nature Of The Ego

[Zweistein]

@Faceless

Yeah - what a lovely life we would live without thinking ? ... but wouldn't that be boring?

In a way it's all about balance, isn't it?

Maybe I should actually rewrite my sentence above - I would say that 50% of my time these days I happily enjoy nihilism and the "there is nothing to do" feeling, but the other 50% I rather spend learning and creating. It's almost like I don't want to live in 100% nihilism.

[Faceless]

5 minutes ago, Zweistein said:

@Faceless

Yeah - what a lovely life we would live without thinking ? ... but wouldn't that be boring?

In a way it's all about balance, isn't it?

Maybe I should actually rewrite my sentence above - I would say that 50% of my time these days I happily enjoy nihilism and the "there is nothing to do" feeling, but the other 50% I rather spend learning and creating. It's almost like I don't want to live in 100% nihilism.

?

thinking has its place, but compulsive thinking has none. To be able to think for practical affairs is a necessity. For me thinking happens as a function in practical affairs. When it’s not needed thought lies dormant. 

 

[Faceless]

By the way, did you catch this

16 minutes ago, Zweistein said:

Yeah - what a lovely life we would live without thinking ? ... but wouldn't that be boring?

 

Do you see that boredom is only a manifestation of thought? 

Just wanted to point that out ?

[Faceless]

Also, the extent in which one is not bound by thought, is the degree in which actual creativity can be expressed. 

Otherwise all action of what we think of as “creative”, is really just another form of invention, (modification of the past)...You will understand this when the nature of thought, (being old) is understood. 

Its pretty important to understand if one wants to be truly original. 

Edited July 17, 2018 by Faceless

[Zweistein]

47 minutes ago, Faceless said:

By the way, did you catch this

Do you see that boredom is only a manifestation of thought? 

Just wanted to point that out ?

Good one ???

[Victor Mgazi]

The concept of good and evil ? 

I assume that this is one of the ego's servants for self preservation. And with that being said, is humanity being delusional by judging and persecuting others for their actions (corruption, violence, murder, etc) and if yes then is it doomed by itself like a cancer killing it's host?

Come to think about it, what could happen with an enlightened race or specie? 

[Zweistein]

54 minutes ago, Faceless said:

?

thinking has its place, but compulsive thinking has none. To be able to think for practical affairs is a necessity. For me thinking happens as a function in practical affairs. When it’s not needed thought lies dormant. 

 

 

32 minutes ago, Faceless said:

Also, the extent in which one is not bound by thought, is the degree in which actual creativity can be expressed. 

Otherwise all action of what we think of as “creative”, is really just another form of invention, (modification of the past)...You will understand this when the nature of thought, (being old) is understood. 

Its pretty important to understand if one wants to be truly original. 

@Faceless You have a wonderful talent to explain this! 

I'm in some sort of trance/meditative state when I create. It's hard to explain. It almost feels like "someone else" is creating it, it's so weird.

[Faceless]

2 hours ago, Zweistein said:

You have a wonderful talent to explain this! 

 

Thank you friend. I am slowly learning how to communicate more efficiently. 

2 hours ago, Zweistein said:

I'm in some sort of trance/meditative state when I create. It's hard to explain. It almost feels like "someone else" is creating it, it's so weird.

Excellent??

[Faceless]

2 hours ago, Zweistein said:

Good one ???

Hehe

[Zweistein]

13 hours ago, Victor Mgazi said:

The concept of good and evil ? 

I assume that this is one of the ego's servants for self preservation. And with that being said, is humanity being delusional by judging and persecuting others for their actions (corruption, violence, murder, etc) and if yes then is it doomed by itself like a cancer killing it's host?

Come to think about it, what could happen with an enlightened race or specie? 

Let's find out ??

[Victor Mgazi]

Ego appears to be against raising awareness, this may be true for both individual and collective however the reason for this is unclear. I've noticed a couple of tricks it uses against raising consciousness - and arrogance is one of them but I'm not sure if this applies to the collective as well. I'm wondering how does one combat this, especially if ignorance is at it's peak. I have an unhealthy family relationship because of this. 

Any thoughts? 

[Zweistein]

1 hour ago, Victor Mgazi said:

Ego appears to be against raising awareness, this may be true for both individual and collective however the reason for this is unclear. I've noticed a couple of tricks it uses against raising consciousness - and arrogance is one of them but I'm not sure if this applies to the collective as well. I'm wondering how does one combat this, especially if ignorance is at it's peak. I have an unhealthy family relationship because of this.

Any thoughts?

How about we stop believing in thoughts like this once they arise? 

Does that help?  ?

[Victor Mgazi]

1 hour ago, Zweistein said:

How about we stop believing in thoughts like this once they arise? 

Does that help?  ?

Can you explain, not sure which thoughts you are referring to and how exactly does that combat the ego? 

[Zweistein]

@Victor Mgazi 

Alright, let's do "The Work" ;-)
(Byron Katie style)

From what you wrote, it seems to me that you believe that you have an unhealthy family relationship because you believe that ego appears to be against raising awareness.

Now ask yourself: Is that true? (probably you say yes, right? ;-)

Now, can you be absolutely 100% sure that this is really true? 
(now you start to really inquire, right? ;-)

How does it make you feel, if you believe this thought?
(miserable? helpless? ..... notice really how you feel, let it sink in for a few minutes and face those nasty emotions!)

Once, you really feel it - you can now ask yourself:
How would you feel, if you wouldn’t actually believe that you have an unhealthy family relationship because ego appears to be against raising awareness?
Do you feel the difference? ;-)

Now, turn it around:

1. you have a healthy family relationship - find reasons/situations why that could actually also be true

2. egos are not against raising awareness  - find reasons/situations why that could actually also be true

3. now this one is good: you are against raising awareness - can you find a reason why that might be true? (hint: maybe because you still believe in these kind of thoughts?)

 

[Victor Mgazi]

@Zweistein alright I think I see what you mean so my thoughts can affect how I experience things like my family relationship. 

But it seems to me like you are offering me a choice. I could believe in my problem or believe in nothing (reasons, theories, thoughts, etc). Is that it?

[WelcometoReality]

@Victor Mgazi What, would you say, is ego?

Does thought "trigger" feelings in the body and vice versa?

How about the other sensations, can they trigger thoughts and feelings?

[Victor Mgazi]

@WelcometoReality certain thoughts do trigger emotions. Feelings and emotions are the same thing to me.

Ego is a movement of thought that creates a sense of self basically, why? 

Other sensations have little effect to me now. Physical pain is normal to me, it doesn't trigger emotions much. 

[Zweistein]

5 hours ago, Victor Mgazi said:

@Zweistein alright I think I see what you mean so my thoughts can affect how I experience things like my family relationship. 

But it seems to me like you are offering me a choice. I could believe in my problem or believe in nothing (reasons, theories, thoughts, etc). Is that it?

@Victor Mgazi

Yes, exactly – and now we can ask the next questions: Do we/our egos/our thoughts always have the choice to believe in our thoughts? How often do we consciously choose the context we put our thoughts in?

[Victor Mgazi]

@Zweistein not often enough I guess. 

The problem with the notion of choice is that it can only exist to a certain extent depending on one's level of awareness so of course there is no choice to be made, we simply go for the decision that resonates with the ego. 

So no choice at all right? 

[Zweistein]

30 minutes ago, Victor Mgazi said:

@Zweistein not often enough I guess. 

The problem with the notion of choice is that it can only exist to a certain extent depending on one's level of awareness so of course there is no choice to be made, we simply go for the decision that resonates with the ego. 

So no choice at all right? 

Are we victims of our egos?