Why Remove The Self ?

[rush]

If the self really is an illusion but people are happy with this illusion because it serves them, for example, they have successful business, a great career etc..  then what would motivate them to find out that the self is an illusion ?

Surely they would prefer to live within the illusion if they have everything they think they "want". 

[cirkussmile]

The self or the ego, always wants something more. Always seeking for new pleasures. 

There are a few people that really feel peace deep inside and no matter how much money you have that's the one thing you can't buy.

[Saarah]

And the fact that they got what they think they want, not what they actually want, will leave them feeling empty at some point, constantly searching for more 

[Consept]

Its like in the matrix where he says 'i know its not a steak but its still tastes great' or something along those lines, there will always be that niggling feeling of trying to find truth but if youre happy not finding it thats cool 

[Blind Observer]

Also notice that the ego makes them mistakely believe to be whatever they are attached the most be the body, their car, forniture or whatever

[Pav]

22 hours ago, rush said:

but people are happy with this illusion because it serves them

Because this isn't the case. The ego causes a great deal of suffering and distorts your perception of reality. The egoic individual is incapable of reaching the higher states of consciousness; gratitude, absolute acceptance, unconditional love, ect.

[Voytek]

I will say that everyone but special cases like psychopaths and sociopaths is deeply sad or scared about something but do a good job at hiding it. Anyone who is remotely empathetic and sane will reach stronger moments of sadness and fear as life goes on because they see how fleeting life is in their mind. 

Ultimately, not every person in their life time can actualize nor really grasp this notion of self. Many will die before they reach this understanding, and that's because the steps needed to be taken were forgotten and or ignored. 

In my eyes it's not a bad thing because awareness and the lackthereof help show what needs to be focused on and fixed. And for the spiritually sensitive, it will galvanize them to live and think beyond superficiality. 

[xXxXx]

Tell me what is there when you discard all thoughts on your past and your future, when you stop the narrating voice in your head? It is just a story, it's not here. Only your capacity to experience is permanent, the rest is pure fiction. The self is an accumulation of your past memories and your projections on the future, it is a survival driven mechanism, which helps to adapt to your environment at best, or keept you in auto-pilot at worst.

The things you mention "successful carreer" etc. can be a mere sign of you being a slave to your DNA, doing your best at attracting the other gender to fullfill your ultimate biological goal: reproduction.. totally unconscious.

Or it can be you consciously creating and success being just a side effect.

Edited September 3, 2016 by Locooig

[Christian]

When you are under the ego paradigm it is impossible to be truly happy. The ego is only happy when life matches its preferences and that happiness is very short lived. 

But if you remove the self + ideas and beliefs and enter a state of nondual awareness, you will stop taking your self so seriously, you will be more happy and true self love will be enabled. 

These wants are all the things that even the ego consciousness seeks, yet it never gets it. Because there is a more fundamental problem - the ego structure which is what needs to be removed for these benefits to take effect  

 

[The]

You can be happy with a ego to think you can't is ridiculous..

P. S. If I seem snappy or like an a-hole I have reason to be so. 

Edited September 4, 2016 by Mikey

[Markus]

On 9/2/2016 at 5:21 PM, rush said:

If the self really is an illusion but people are happy with this illusion because it serves them, for example, they have successful business, a great career etc..  then what would motivate them to find out that the self is an illusion ?

Surely they would prefer to live within the illusion if they have everything they think they "want". 

"If the ego really is an illusion but egos are happy with the ego because the ego serves the ego /.../ then what would motivate egos to find out the ego is an illusion? Surely egos would prefer to live within the ego if egos have everything egos think egos want."

 

Edited September 3, 2016 by Markus

[aurum]

You're right...but also wrong. No, your egoic lower self has no interest in Enlightenment. There's nothing in it for the ego. 

But you're not actually the ego. So your authentic / higher self often has other plans. 

I've had an initial awakening experience, but I'm not what people would call Enlightened. I can tell you what drove me was a deep desire for TRUTH. I've NEVER been the type of person that could stand not knowing the truth if there was an answer out there. I was the kid that spent his Christmas Eve trying to figure out a way to catch Santa Claus to prove his existence.

So when I realized that Enlightenment meant Truth Realization, I was all in. It was incredibly hard and I'm not done yet, but I feel like I don't have a choice. It just sucks me back in if I try and leave.

[The]

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Edited September 4, 2016 by Mikey