What Ego Is

[Victor Mgazi]

It's not the sense of self.

What is your sense of self? It's all the sensations arising from the field of consciousness: the apparent localized 'personal' visual field, the apparent localized 'personal' auditory field, the apparent localized 'personal' sensational (touch) field, and etc.. These don't cease to exist when ego is no more, but yes.. without the sense of self - ego may not be able to exist.

It's not thoughts/mind.

If your mind is quiet because of some meditative state you're in - that doesn't mean that ego is no more. Ego is not mind activity. Thoughts are also just one of the sensations arising from consciousness: call it the mental field if you want. But it's also not localized nor is it personal.

It's not a biological or psychological feature. 

The ego doesn't originate from the human form. Yes I can see how the human form has played a role in its creation but it's not responsible for it. Other people don't have egos, your ego is the only present ego until you die. Animals or other creatures don't have egos.

EGO IS ATTACHMENT

It's the attachment to imaginary form. Attachment is you right now believing/thinking that you're separate, that you're an individual. You are attached to the idea of being a separate self. Ego is not the idea of a separate self, ego is your attachment to that idea. Become aware of this and transcend ego. Ego death is literally the death of ego and not anything else, it's detachment and unification with Being.

 

If you find something unclear from what I wrote then you're free to ask questions, otherwise go do self inquiry. Meditation helps too!

?

[DLH]

This topic is bouncing all over the forum!

I really like what you said Victor Mgazi, I think we share similiar thoughts on the Topic.

Here are my thoughts.

If you didn’t have an Ego, you would not be having this conversation, or any conversation in this physical reality.  It has taken me over 20 years of contemplation, discussions with psychologists, spiritually gurus, shamans, and my own exploration with DMT to sort of make sense of what the Ego is. Not saying I have completely nailed it down, but then again, I don’t think anyone can Truthfully say they understand it unless they have obtained full God Consciousness.

Having said that, I think most of the confusion with Ego comes from unconscious beliefs we as a collective society have generally agreed upon from a mixture of theories proposed by Religion, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and several schools of thought from variant psychologists and systems.

Ego for me means the “Physical Mind Consciousness,” which creates my physical reality.  It allows my higher self of thoughts, ideas and imagination to be compartmentalize, filter, and focused down to a narrow pocket of consciousness so that I can function in the physical world.  If you didn’t have this Physical Mind Consciousness (Ego), you would not be able to make sense of anything using your human senses.  You would basically be in a dream state with infinite knowledge, thoughts, ideas, etc., swirling from all directions with no tangible patterns to keep you grounded in physical reality, time and space would be meaningless.

Physical mind consciousness (Ego) is the gateway, or gatekeeper, that filters and narrows our thoughts, ideas, imaginations, beliefs etc., into tangible pockets of knowledge, time, space and information, which solidifies formlessness into form.  It allows us to label, reason and determine our visual, audio, taste, smell, touch, thoughts, feelings, emotions, ideas, beliefs into a conscious limited physical experience.  

Behind the scenes, it regulates your heart beat, lungs, muscles, organs, cells, atoms and molecules to maintain your physical form in this reality.  It maintains all your survival needs, health and safety from life dangers and threats you are not consciously aware of or constantly focused on etc.  

The Ego is not good or bad, it is the physical mind conscious hard drive that allows thoughts, ideas, imagination, beliefs, feelings, emotions all your senses to create this physical reality.  The thoughts, ideas, imagination and beliefs you feed into the Physical mind consciousness determines what kind of reality you want to be apart of, and create.  You get to choose, in a limited capacity, how you want to experience this reality within the rules of time, space, gravity, the culture, society, country, time period on Earth, parents etc., that you choose before accepting the physical roller coaster ride of life!

A student sharing thoughts, ideas, and beliefs!

[deci belle]

Dang, Victor!

Ego is the creative nexus of attach-ability, yes~ but to say it is attachment… or to say without ego, there is no attachment …ok, certainly we can arguably posit that, in a qualified sense (in terms of habitual use of ego) To be precise, ego is a modality. It's a type of pattern awareness, which can be sub-classified as everyday ordinary conditioned consciousness. So if ego is a modality of perceptive functionality, what constitutes its employment? Isn't ego in charge? If not, who is? What constitutes the person? Who, or what isn't the person? How about this: without awareness, there is no person, nor ego. Ego isn't a thing any more than enlightenment. The point is, and especially in terms of the nature of awareness (which is enlightenment), there is no ego. Creation is filled with points of illumination. Enlightenment is illumination. Ego is actually a point-source without a point (on a good day). Enlightenment is itself a selfless intention, yet it has no point. How wondrous is non-attachment? Our nature is awakeness.

It would be a higher clarification of consciousness which brings to light an underlying non-psychological basis of identity which can eventually obviate the hopeless intellectualism caught in the broken record of rationalistic dualism that perpetuates the dead words constituting any kind of intellectual discourse encompassing ego-thought consciousness. What ego is, just isn't (so to speak).

We really don't have egos, as ego has (is) the personality (function), without exception.  Nevertheless, there is an underlying aspect that hardly ever makes it to the table (with good reason). Unless one actually knows ego's original and selfless function in terms of one's enlightening potential, one's strategic application of ego-functionality falls short of accomplishing inconceivable spiritual adaption and transformation by skillful means— or, rather (without getting all buddhist), as ego's tacit functionality (primal duty, really) reverts to its unified functional purpose as enlightening potential's corollary, is what taoist spiritual alchemy calls the efficacy of the sciences of essence and life. These are two, yet one. As well, psychological awareness and nonpsychological awareness are two, yet one. Ego's true purpose is in administratively aiding in truly selfless and spontaneous transcendent activity by virtue of one's innate enlightening potential. Therefore, enlightening activity isn't the person, but it isn't not the person. Either way no one knows. And who might that be? There, that didn't sound very buddhist.

DLH presented a conclusive summary of the created psychological apparatus, without failing to omit the body, adding~ "neither good or bad."

That kind of insight has no limit of application in terms of non-resistant penetration into the heart of the matter of life and death.

Could habitual patterns of attachment being the matrix of webs of collective psychological momentum through eons of ego-consciousness be something that is being left out of the analysis? It stupefies statistical analysis, yet… "We're all one"— isn't that what we say in our altruistic (self-reflective) moments. Actually it's all one (the creative, karmic aspect we find ourselves in). It really doesn't have to be about us, at all, because, in terms of Reality, which isn't even created, much less subjective relativity (sorry, Einstein!), it's about IT. It's utterly a complete whole for those who actually see potential. In looking at it selflessly, (as it is, not as we are), what are we looking at? What are we getting at? It's us; we're not it.

Now there's an ego-check.

What constitutes ego-attachments? Ego per se, is pretty helpless, it seems, in terms of its own conditioning; it's own psychological momentum, utterly attached (bound, as it were) as a mere discriminatory point-source of the collective unity. How free is that? So what constitutes that which directs or binds ego to… creative process? Ego isn't a thing, actually. The person being the headlong evidence of a mystery unfolding until… one grasps the import of there being no intrinsic reason or causality underlying the created (or the uncreated, for that matter). How can one be so sure? One can't say— that's for sure, but it IS a mystery first and foremost. There is no explanation. Ultimately, there is no reason, as sure as there is no thing.

Quote

 Ultimately, there is no reason, as sure as there is no thing.

In terms of its function as the (creative's sameness within differentiation) nexus of attach-ability, you might conceive of ego as being naturally aspected of creative being in terms of its adherence to karmic law, law of the creative's realm… by virtue of the unitary aspect Creation itself, wholly becoming, as the conditional singularity it might be considered to be.

Neither good not bad, it can be intentionally turned around and used as a tool (that's what it really is, after all). But I asked earlier, "who puts ego to use?"

The true human with no status, is the taoist term. It is one's inherent enlightening potential that lies dormant mostly, yet, from time to time, arises of its own accord. Who doesn't know that much? The endless task of self-refinement is the process of "turning around the light" of creation (ego), that gradually results in the efficacious restoration and permanent stability of nonpsychological awareness as the true human with no status evidencing one's awakened enlightening potential realized as a partner of creation, never again to be bound by its former karmic affinity, now actualized as affinity with the primal aspect, as opposed to the conditional. "Turning around the light" is the teaching of reversal; the reversion of the conditioned and the restoration of the primal.

Ego isn't what, it's rather that which is bound in creation and liberated in potential, that is, the Unborn, or the un-created. That's not so woo-woo. Why? Awareness isn't created. So ultimately, accessing potential is a matter of seeing. That's the essence of awareness. But there's a catch which I touched on above. That is to say, it's you; you're not it. When you see it, to the degree you see, it becomes you, as it were, all along, perpetually aglow. The aspect of ego being elemental in terms of its potential for self-transcendece is itself the "gateless gate", which anyone familiar with mind only teachings of buddhism has heard of.

Ultimately, who knows?

 

[Leo Gura]

Actually, ego IS the sense of self, and it is a state of consciousness.

Perceptions alone do not generate a sense of self. People who are conscious of no-self (no-ego) still have experiences and perceptions. Just no human self tying it all together.

[zeroISinfinity]

Yes exactly you have such a huge ❤️, you embody all you love all etc. 

You sound lie you recovered and hope there will be big smile when you read this.

(but be worried that will not save your arm?). 

It's all good it us all well it is all love.

[Victor Mgazi]

8 hours ago, DLH said:

If you didn’t have an Ego, you would not be having this conversation, or any conversation in this physical reality.

I think you might be referring to the psyche rather than ego. And if that's so then yes I agree with you in the conventional level, but on the meta level my perspective differs.

 

8 hours ago, DLH said:

Behind the scenes, it regulates your heart beat, lungs, muscles, organs, cells, atoms and molecules to maintain your physical form in this reality.  It maintains all your survival needs, health and safety from life dangers and threats you are not consciously aware of or constantly focused on etc.  

Yep, definitely sounds like you're talking about the psyche.

[Victor Mgazi]

@deci belle wow?, I'm so fascinated by your post. Your level of reasoning and use of language intrigues. Forgive me for taking so much time to respond to your post, I'll have to really sit and contemplate on what you've said. Although, as far as I've read, we seem to be not so off from each other's views. I only got to what I post through awareness and self inquiry, you seem like the contemplative type. But that's all alright, we'll see where that takes us.

[gswva]

It feels like Leo is on point. The attachment to the idea of self isn't real, or rather, the attachment itself is an idea. The ego is some kind of self-sustaining knot inside an ocean of thoughts. If we assume them to be dualistic concepts, then this relativity could explain the illusion of perspective. I think other mechanisms like self-replication or evolution might not be involved here, else we would be living from the point of view of each cell in our body or of a macro-society. This tangle that God imagined, successfully trapping parts of it with itself, is a gift which requires a great amount of love to pull off indeed.

God seems to be pretty open about this, going back and forth between different state of mind isn't complicated, just hard. You can find psychedelic mushies everywhere in most forests and that's not a coincidence. 

[Conscious life]

ego is self concept. 

[Victor Mgazi]

@deci belle 

4 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

Actually, ego IS the sense of self, and it is a state of consciousness.

Perceptions alone do not generate a sense of self. People who are conscious of no-self (no-ego) still have experiences and perceptions. Just no human self tying it all together.

How do you mean sense of self? Do you mean it as in the impression of a self, kinda like that from wearing virtual reality goggles? If so then no I'm not aware of that. 

Do you mean it as in getting the feeling of being a separate self, like i feel like i exist ?  If so then yes I'm aware of that.

Yes, perceptions alone don't generate ego. It's the attachment to self referential thoughts that make ego. After ego death there will still be self referential thoughts because that's the reality you're in, but there will no longer be self oriented thoughts.

4 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

People who are conscious of no-self (no-ego) still have experiences and perceptions. Just no human self tying it all together.

Yes, being will continue to be. The human was imaginary anyway.

[Victor Mgazi]

35 minutes ago, gswva said:

The attachment to the idea of self isn't real, or rather, the attachment itself is an idea.

If the attachment to the idea of self isn't real then recognize that you're God, do it right now. If you can do that then great, tell us how you did it. If you can't then tell us why you can't, I'd be willing to bet that it has something to do with conditioning and attachment. 

Ego is conscious intelligence clinging to the idea that it is a separate self. It doesn't even matter whether this separate self  is human or not. Cling to any kind of form and you're attached. 

[DLH]

6 hours ago, Victor Mgazi said:

I think you might be referring to the psyche rather than ego. And if that's so then yes I agree with you in the conventional level, but on the meta level my perspective differs.

 

Yep, definitely sounds like you're talking about the

No, I would not say it is definitely the psyche.  What I am trying to point towards is an extension of the psyche that allows the infinite thoughts, ideas imagination etc., that the psyche is consciously made-up of in the formless dream states that uses a smaller version of it’s self (a limited personality) to compartmentalize, filter, focused the thoughts etc., down to a narrow pocket of consciousness so that it can function and experience the physical world.  I am trying to point to a Physical Conscious mind, which is an extension of the psyche, which is furthermore an extension of God consciousness.  It is a specifically designed form of consciousness that allows us to experience thoughts, ideas, imagination, beliefs, feelings, and emotion in our physical dream state.  It is given limited freedom to play with thoughts, ideas, imagination, beliefs, feelings and emotions to create our own reality as individuals and as a collective in this microcosmic dream reality we are participating in/on Earth.

What I am proposing is that God Consciousness, in order to explore itself in its own creations, compartmentalizes pockets of consciousness in infinite forms of entities both physically and as non-physical beings. The ego is just an extension of that way down the line of conscious creativity, and we are just one of infinite personalities created within the "Physical Conscious Mind", Ego, by The All That Is.

Edited April 5, 2020 by DLH

[Conscious life]

Ego is a self concept. ego gives reality taste. ego is separation with Oneself, by separating from Oneself you separate from the universe or God, because you aren't the doer, life happens to you or the universe is the doer.

to exist as a self you must separate yourself from yourself, and act like two, playing game with yourself.

 

whatever concept you have about the reality, it's is ego. from the small mundane everyday concept you tell about yourself, to the big investment concept you did.

 

Ego gives a sense of self. it makes you feel you have control about life, when infact you have control about anything. 

it gives you grounds. if you have no ego what is the point of living a life that you don't own. 

 

Don't blame, or hate it, because it's yourself. even if you do that, that is another ego, and ego hates it's ego, that creates self hate. love your ego to death. fighting the ego with itself is fighting darkness by darkness. 

 

when ego mature it evaporate by itself, you don't have to nourish it, or fight it, when it complete it's stage it crack like a shell ?. 

like a child used to play with toy and when he grow he simply ignore it. he doesn't need to throw it or have it, he simply leave it. 

 

[DLH]

I think we are all pointing towards the same thing.  We are basically using minute perspectives from our experiences, background and concepts of language to describe something that is formless.

A student sharing thoughts, ideas, and beliefs.  Take care, and be safe!

[Victor Mgazi]

5 hours ago, deci belle said:

ego is a modality.

No, it's not a mode of functioning. Everything works just fine without ego.

5 hours ago, deci belle said:

Isn't ego in charge? If not, who is? What constitutes the person? Who, or what isn't the person?

No, ego is not in charge, ego is not a thing that can be in charge. There's no one in charge. What constitutes a person is Imagination. A person is imagination layered on to consciousness, it's a thought that comes and never resides for it passes. Clinging to that thought turns it into an idea that you end up believing, which is how ego is born.

5 hours ago, deci belle said:

We really don't have egos, as ego has (is) the personality (function), without exception.

Personality works just fine without ego. The mistake is thinking that ego is the person. It's not the person, it's the attachment to the 'person'. There's no one there to get rid of, stop trying to mess with God's perfection! You'll fail anyway. Ego is buying into the thought of 'a person' and investing your energy into that thought thus making it a belief.. ATTACHMENT. 

 

I apologise if I hadn't addressed crucial points you made in your post. But your English is way beyond my level of comprehension as it isn't my first nor second or third language. Your writing/reasoning is exquisite though I wish I could show more appreciation by fully engaging with it.

[Victor Mgazi]

21 minutes ago, DLH said:

No, I would not say it is definitely the psyche.  What I am trying to point towards is an extension of the psyche that allows the infinite thoughts, ideas imagination etc., that the psyche is consciously made-up of in the formless dream states.  The psyche uses a smaller version of it’s self (a limited personality) to compartmentalize, filter, focused the thoughts etc., down to a narrow pocket of consciousness so that it can function and experience the physical world.  I am trying to point to a Physical Conscious mind, which is an extension of the psyche, which is furthermore an extension of God consciousness.  It is a specifically designed form of consciousness that allows us to experience thoughts, ideas, imagination, beliefs, feelings, and emotion in our physical dream state.  It is given limited freedom to play with thoughts, ideas, imagination, beliefs, feelings and emotions to create our own reality as individuals and as a collective in this microcosmic reality we are participating in, or on Earth.

What I am proposing is that God Consciousness, in order to explore itself in its own creations, compartmentalizes pockets of consciousness in infinite forms of entities both physically and as non-form beings. The ego is just an extension of that way down the line of creativity, and we are just one of infinite personalities created by The All That Is.

Ohh.. I think I see how you mean it. Are saying that this entire conscious experience is the ego? This "physical conscious mind" being the whole of this reality itself?

I think the problem with our communication is that we're using words that we're not familiar with. Or maybe just me, phrases I'm not familiar with.

[Victor Mgazi]

21 minutes ago, Conscious life said:

ego gives reality taste

Except it doesn't, imagination gives reality taste.?

[Prevailer]

8 minutes ago, Victor Mgazi said:

No, it's not a mode of functioning. Everything works just fine without ego.

No, ego is not in charge, ego is not a thing that can be in charge. There's no one in charge. What constitutes a person is Imagination. A person is imagination layered on to consciousness, it's a thought that comes and never resides for it passes. Clinging to that thought turns it into an idea that you end up believing, which is how ego is born.

Personality works just fine without ego. The mistake is thinking that ego is the person. It's not the person, it's the attachment to the 'person'. There's no one there to get rid of, stop trying to mess with God's perfection! You'll fail anyway. Ego is buying into the thought of 'a person' and investing your energy into that thought thus making it a belief.. ATTACHMENT. 

 

I apologise if I hadn't addressed crucial points you made in your post. But your English is way beyond my level of comprehension as it isn't my first nor second or third language. Your writing/reasoning is exquisite though I wish I could show more appreciation by fully engaging with it.

If a thought is just imagination ....that it just a thought that you have had.One of your EGOS has convinced you of this.THINK again....

[Prevailer]

You might be wrong..it’s only EGO that won’t le5t you accept this.

[DLH]

4 hours ago, Victor Mgazi said:

Ohh.. I think I see how you mean it. Are saying that this entire conscious experience is the ego? This "physical conscious mind" being the whole of this reality itself?

I think the problem with our communication is that we're using words that we're not familiar with. Or maybe just me, phrases I'm not familiar with.

Yes, the entire conscious physical experience is the Ego.  It is just an extension and a vehicle of consciousness from the psyche (your conscious "Self" in formless beyond the physical experience), which allows us to play with limited thoughts, ideas, imagination etc., in this physical dream reality we are participating.  The "Physical conscious mind", being the whole of this reality itself as an individual and as a collective!

The physical suffering, or bliss, is "within" the "Ego Physical Conscious Mind" that is created with the thoughts, ideas, imagination, beliefs., we focus our attention on!

We are very similar in our perspective.  Thanks for sharing Victor! ❤✌

Edited April 5, 2020 by DLH