Spirituality and Self-Actualization - A Paradox?

[LoveandPurpose]

Those two seemingly different topics sometimes confuse me.

Spirituality is about disidentifying from your ego. Self-Actualization is about improving your ego. 

Spirituality is about being selfless. Self-Actualization is about gaining more self esteem.

 

Is there a connection between those two polar opposites? Should you try to better yourself because a healthy ego is easier to transcend?

And should you do both simultaneously or focus solely on one for a while and then switch to the other one?

[Nahm]

@LoveandPurpose Take care of the body, learn about everything you’re interested in, actually create the life you dream of from your deepest desires. Discover who you really are -  self actualization & spirituality are one and the same.

Love the “ego”. Love yourself entirely.  All is you, there’s no such actuality as “dis identification”  (that‘s ignorance - “ignoring”, love instead).

There’s no “ego”, so there’s no “healthy ego”. That is ignoring, look and love instead. There’s not two to switch between, you are, and have only ever been, the one. 

No offense, but it seems desire is where your confusion / self misunderstanding is occurring. 

 

 

[Hellspeed]

It is a brand, don't worry about it. 

[TheAvatarState]

@LoveandPurpose Let me ask you some questions: What is self-actualization at its core? What is spirituality at its core? Can you self-actualize without practicing spirituality?

[LoveandPurpose]

@TheAvatarState Self-Actualization is about optimizing your character, your personality. Spirituality is about realizing that this character is an illusion. So yes, I think that you can self-actualize without practicing spirituality. 

What do you think? 

[LoveandPurpose]

@Hellspeed What exactly do you mean? That Self-Actualization is just a concept?

[TheAvatarState]

12 minutes ago, LoveandPurpose said:

@TheAvatarState Self-Actualization is about optimizing your character, your personality. Spirituality is about realizing that this character is an illusion. So yes, I think that you can self-actualize without practicing spirituality. 

What do you think? 

Look up Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Self actualization is at the very top of the pyramid. It is not the optimization of character (that's not "actual"), it is "the realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potentialities." So how can someone become their greatest version without knowing themselves at the deepest and most fundamental level (spirituality)? Do you see what I'm getting at? These two topics are not different at all, in fact, they are intimately intertwined. 

[Hellspeed]

6 hours ago, LoveandPurpose said:

@Hellspeed What exactly do you mean? That Self-Actualization is just a concept?

Yes.

Because all this of awakening is a journey of discovery of what is already there. So we can put the concept of constant actualization of the EGO to a new grasp of reallity. 

But comes in the paradox that EGO will dissolve  And it will. 

Edited December 24, 2018 by Hellspeed

[LoveandPurpose]

@Nahm Great advice, thank you! I agree, self love is essential.

Could you please briefly elaborate on "self-actualization & spirituality are one and the same"?

No I know what you mean, without desire my life would have more clearity, I think. But on the other hand I want to live the best life possible and when I'm just focusing in spirituality after a while I get the sense of something lacking, which is progess in the world of form. Should I then not give into that and solely make progress from a space of love without diving too much into the whole self improvement mindset?

[LoveandPurpose]

@TheAvatarState Ah I see. But you still improve your personality while realizing who you are?

[TheAvatarState]

@LoveandPurpose What do you mean by "improve your personality"?

 

[LoveandPurpose]

@TheAvatarState Becoming more self-confident, more extroverted, developing discipline etc.

But I feel like spirituality actually solves a lot of these problems.

[Nahm]

@LoveandPurpose It’s a classic case of both.  Read The Alchemist by chance? Enjoy the beautiful things, mind your spoon.

 

 

[TheAvatarState]

@LoveandPurpose Yes. Put another way, how does one become more self-confident, more extroverted, and better at developing discipline? In a healthy way, the true way, is to deconstruct your personality and practice spirituality. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it's really not if you think about it.

[LoveandPurpose]

@Nahm Yes the Alchemist was on my book list, maybe it's a good time to ready it?

[LoveandPurpose]

@TheAvatarState Yes! Thank you very much, now I've got more clearity!

[Nahm]

@LoveandPurpose I think so.  ?

[TheAvatarState]

@LoveandPurpose I'll also highly recommend reading the Alchemist. 11/10, and it's pretty short.

[LoveandPurpose]

@Nahm @TheAvatarState Alright, I'll purchase it! Thank you!

[Bobby]

Hmm.

maybe prior to enlightenment it appears to be a paradox.

but after, self actualization just happens by itself, like it always has.