Self Mastery Vs. Self Transcendence

[David Miller]

I'm 18 years old and have been doing personal development work for about a year and a half. I learn about the many benefits self-mastery and a strong ego to help create the life you desire. I also learn a lot about transcending the ego. To me these seem like polar opposites. According to the IPEC Energetic Self Perception Chart, stages of self transcendence are beyond self mastery. My questions are: Would it be best to let go of self transcendence for now to pursue self mastery ? Does moving toward one, move you further away from the other? Do you need to build self mastery before you can transcend the ego? Do you need to first build a strong ego to create external success while the ego is transcended? I'm so stuck on what to believe. Lets bounce some ideas off of each other. Thanks!

[Leo Gura]

I wouldn't frame this as one vs the other.

Self-mastery is the path. Self transcendence is the last leg of the path. If you work towards self-mastery with earnestness for a long time, self-transcendence will naturally happen.

[Adam G]

I'd add that a strong ego is not at all necessary to create the life you desire.  Perhaps you have the importance of ego backwards in your assessment of mastery, goal attainment, and life cultivation.  A strong attachment to your identity will only impede you.

[David Miller]

12 hours ago, Adam G said:

I'd add that a strong ego is not at all necessary to create the life you desire.  Perhaps you have the importance of ego backwards in your assessment of mastery, goal attainment, and life cultivation.  A strong attachment to your identity will only impede you.

This is part of my confusion. My school teaches that there are 7 levels of energy. Level 1 and 2 are from a weak ego, 3, 4, 5, are strong ego, and 6 and 7 are no ego. We continuously fluctuate between the levels. I want to create more level 5 in my life and according to this chart, level 5 is in the circle of self mastery and strong. Im just confused on how to interpret this in terms of ego.

[lilacwest]

This topic has been on my mind all week, and I was going to make a post, but writing what I have to say here will do just fine since you've already started the subject  I would have called my topic something like "Balance - Self Actualization vs. Enlightenment work - the Swinging Pendulum"

I started out the week eager to do both, self mastery and working on enlightenment. I had goals, some I have been able to stick to.

I decided to stick to the meditating every single day - I need to keep in the habit. So even if I'm not in the mood at all (like yesterday) I still did 10 minutes. But on normal days, I'm doing 15-20 minutes in the morning, and 20 minutes in the evening.

Ok, so a few days in, suddenly self actualizing doesn't feel important to me. It feels somewhat egotistical. Or centered on the self I wanted to lose. At least right then it did (not now). All I wanted to think about was enlightenment, and losing the self. So I went with it for a couple days.

Then, after thinking about nothing but enlightenment and kind of trying to "force" the situation, I got exhausted, and decided I could see the value of self-actualization after all. Not so that my ego balloons up. But I'd like to try being more productive, and accomplishing more creative goals. I'd like to read books that increase my skills. I'd like to overcome hurdles that in the past have blocked me from moving forward and finishing creative projects.

Right at this moment, I do not see that as hindering my other desire to try and lose "the self". 

I guess the only way I can explain why is, I've decided to go with whatever I'm feeling most at the moment. I do not mean I plan to go back to my life of being a lazy person with no direction, I mean I plan to have goals for the day that help both my desire for self actualization and my desire for enlightenment. Such as meditation, and working on my skills. Also reading other books that help me improve my life. And then, be more focused on whatever I feel closest to at that moment, or that day. So if my mind is more on enlightenment, be more focused there. If I'm more focused on self actualization, I'm going to go there. I thought of it as a pendulum swinging, that is kind of how I feel, or I thought of breathing, breathing is not static. There are inhales and exhales. Back and forth.

Part of me agrees with Leo, to start with Self actualization or mastery, and enlightenment will naturally follow. I have decided it is healthy to be grounded in something productive anyway, I mean we have to eat, sleep, pay our rent & bills, and I may as well try to turn a hobby into possibly something more. And enjoy the feeling of creating something and possibly inspiring people.

And then I read something today  in one of Vernon Howard's books, The Power of Your Supermind

"Our first responsibility in life is toward our inner awakening. Unless this is done, we are working in the wrong order. Half the world's grief is caused by irresponsible egotists who think they have a divine mission to be responsible for others. Only self-responsibility can develop that center from which genuine aid can radiate. Besides, there cannot be personal peace without personal responsibility." 

So, that's his take on it. (BTW I dn't agree with his entire sentence up there, I'm not sure half the worlds grief is caused by what he says, I do think a lot of the world's grief is caused by too much selfish focus in the world) Anyway I guess I DO think of inner awakening as the ultimate first responsibility. If I have that inclination first, I am thinking perhaps my self mastery will not lead to too many ego trips, and will be guided by something genuine and helpful to the world when I do increase my skills and follow my passions.  I will be headed in the correct direction, is how I feel about it.

So, what is everyone else's take on it? I can definitely understand the confusion, but am feeling a little more balanced and relaxed about it now.