Creating A "spiritual" Me Instead Of Getting Rid Of The Me

[RandomPaul]

Hi! There seems to be a thin line between diminishing the ego and creating a spiritual ego that thinks it's on a path towards enlightenement and is actually self absorbed, proud, and feels superior to others, unaware that even if there are benefits to acting spiritual, true spirituality is way out of reach at that point.

I think at one point someone told me about their walking meditation and I told them in a douchey kind of manner that my sitting meditation is way more strong and their meditation can be a waste of time - poor judgement on my behalf, I know.

So my question is, how can one tell? are there signs? has anyone reflected on the matter? did anybody fall in this trap in your experience?

thank you! have a great day

Edited March 27, 2016 by RandomPaul

[Guest]

"Truth is simple, seekers are complex" - Mooji

All spiritual techniques are designed to exhaust the seeker.

A spiritual "me" is a big problem, it's good that you are aware of it. 

I adopted this ethos in my spiritual practice and it has simplified everything dramatically:

https://youtu.be/QVyv1uJ6Rd0?t=19m25s

The beginning of the video has good content as well.

[99th_monkey]

Very easy to morph into a new "persona" if it's truth you're after everything must go, even the one meditating.

[Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj]

I have been a little affected of this, talking about my enlightenment experiences with friends and teachers and shit, really narcissistic. I have stopped talking about self-trancendence with others, sometimes with my cousin but just a little. Nowadays I just talk a little about meditation with people if we ask each other what we like doing and stuff like that. I don't wanna be narcissistic but at the same time I don't want to be ashamed about me enjoying solitude and meditation. Adyashanti always helps me! 

 

[WelcometoReality]

6 hours ago, RandomPaul said:

Hi! There seems to be a thin line between diminishing the ego and creating a spiritual ego that thinks it's on a path towards enlightenement and is actually self absorbed, proud, and feels superior to others, unaware that even if there are benefits to acting spiritual, true spirituality is way out of reach at that point.

I think at one point someone told me about their walking meditation and I told them in a douchey kind of manner that my sitting meditation is way more strong and their meditation can be a waste of time - poor judgement on my behalf, I know.

So my question is, how can one tell? are there signs? has anyone reflected on the matter? did anybody fall in this trap in your experience?

thank you! have a great day

A real awakening is waking up from the person, seeing through it's illusion. So if the person is taking credit of the experience it will not last. 

Are there signs? Yes there is. An awakened person wants attention and respect for being enlightened. He can be a douche. Feel like he is better than others who hasn't "awakened". Someone who has truly realized what they are will never act this way. They will rather keep quiet.

 

 

[Emerald]

7 hours ago, RandomPaul said:

Hi! There seems to be a thin line between diminishing the ego and creating a spiritual ego that thinks it's on a path towards enlightenement and is actually self absorbed, proud, and feels superior to others, unaware that even if there are benefits to acting spiritual, true spirituality is way out of reach at that point.

I think at one point someone told me about their walking meditation and I told them in a douchey kind of manner that my sitting meditation is way more strong and their meditation can be a waste of time - poor judgement on my behalf, I know.

So my question is, how can one tell? are there signs? has anyone reflected on the matter? did anybody fall in this trap in your experience?

thank you! have a great day

You have to increase your awareness of the thought stories that you tell yourself about yourself. If it is the content of a thought about a separate "you" and you feel a sense of pride, this comes from ego. But don't repress this tendency. It is quite natural that it comes up from the egoic perspective, and it need not be suppressed. Just apply mindfulness to it, and deconstruct all the ideas that go into your identification. Also, love the one who gets a big head from being the "spiritual me." This will enable you to see the ego in action, and you can use it to help you deconstruct the false sense of self.

[NoOne]

I can see how this would be really easy to do.  I've only had this new perspective for a few days, but it is so powerful and life-changing even just here at the very beginning (and I know I have so much more to learn), that I just want to share it with all of my broken friends who have supported me in my misery.  And they just get angry and emotional, and I keep thinking (my ego keeps thinking) that I ought to be able to show it to them.   The temptation to become a conveyor of metaphysical truths is strong, and that's not what this journey is about.

[Ayla]

@RandomPaul , this issue has two facets. 

One is your mainstream "new-agey" perpetual seeker that "goes into" spirituality as a "hobby" - this one does not seek a single thing.

The other form of this "arrogance" does come up on the path to enlightenment in the form of "I GOT IT"  - but it goes away exactly as it came. From nowhere to nowhere. 

[RandomPaul]

This is great insight, thank you all.

From all this I think that one can also understand that maintaining a true state of not-knowing can help prevent the other persona.

I think that on my path I made or will make many mistakes, but as long as in the end you see through them they become just another step forward

[Cuzzo]

Yeah sometimes I feel compelled to discuss these things with people who aren't as familiar with it, but I end up not feeling fully comfortable with the conversation. It does feel egoistical, even if my intentions were to share it for their benefit. Deep down I felt like I was doing it to flex my spiritual muscles. They obviously wouldn't understand it fully without taking the journey themselves.

The one person I feel comfortable discussing it with is my Mom. And that can sometimes go into an egotistical direction too. 

[RandomPaul]

@Cuzzo , i get the same feeling. I only start conversatoins like this with friends only to realize it was a mistake and stop asap. Nowadays if anybody asks me about my meditation experience or what is it that i am looking for i only talk to them about a tip of the tip of the iceberg, if they want more they will ask more or look for themselves; convincing?! ain't nobody got time for that :))