What is ego?

[The Buddha]

I have noticed that there is a thing which is common to all traditions and doctrines. They all without exception talk about the ego.

And if I'm truly honest I don't fully understand what is ego. It's so fishy that seems impossible to tackle.

The only true insight I had of ego is "I am not necessary" wich are those kind of moments where you are pulled out and you are not, yet you are.

I hope you can bring some light and profound insights on the topic, especially a good pointer would be very appreciated.

[Terell Kirby]

You’ll have to understand Truth before you can understand the ego.

As the ego is what resists Truth.

[Mason Riggle]

@The Buddha 

Ego - the imaginary separation between 'you' and 'that which is not you'.  

[The Buddha]

@Mason Riggle

So it is a cumulus of identifications. But is it just that? Is ego only a delusion of identification?

[Salvijus]

Your selfishness.

A constructed psychological sense of self.

A psychological identity.

Your psychic self image.

Your I feeling.

When you say I, it points to the ego 99% of the time. 

If you do "I watching" meditation you can become aware of your ego as a tangable thing.

Perhaps these are of some value pointers. 

?

Edited December 23, 2021 by Salvijus

[Raptorsin7]

9 minutes ago, Salvijus said:

Your selfishness.

A constructed psychological sense of self.

A psychological identity.

Your psychic self image.

Your I feeling.

When you say I, it points to the ego 99% of the time. 

Perhaps these are of some value pointers. 

?

?

[The Buddha]

I'm getting it. So it seems to be "something which is an ilusion" where everything is built upon, like our identifications and our character. Therefore I must ask what is that center from where everything grows? And where is the ego rooted? Or it is not rooted on anything and that is precisely why it is said is delusion

[Mason Riggle]

@The Buddha seems like it.  

It's as if a whirlpool produced thoughts instead of bubbles.. and one thought that 'bubbles up' might be 'I am a whirlpool.'   But this 'thought' that bubbles up doesn't 'do' anything... it's not 'swirling the whirlpool'.. it's not causing more bubbles.  And the thing is.. there really is no 'whirlpool' (ego) which exists separate from what the whole river is doing.. you can't take a whirlpool out of a river and show it to me, the same way you can't point to your ego... there isn't one.

"What is often mistaken to be 'the thinker of thoughts', is just more thought occurring." 

[Salvijus]

Ego is all over the body really. But mostly it is in the face region. 

It's a tangable thing not an illusion. It can be dissolved and it can be expanded and it could change forms. It's almost physical even. 

Ego is not your essential nature as pure awareness. That's why it is sayed world is not real including your person. Because all of it is impermenant even your ego is impermenant. But it still exists as a tangable thing. It's not just a concept. It's almost a physical thing in your psyche.

Edited December 23, 2021 by Salvijus

[The Buddha]

@Mason Riggle I get you, however that river must also manifest as individual separated unities. Therefore, what is wrong is not that you are represented by the body-mind-spirit phenomena but to mistaken that for yourself and not as a representation of yourself. It's the identification with what is going on and the survival of that. Probably is a recontextualization of reality, like when you are playing a game you are full on it but you know it's only a game. That could be a way, otherwise I find it a delusion not to be able to express both as the All and the part.

[Jakuchu]

[The Buddha]

@Salvijus That is maybe why some traditions talk about dissolving all point of solidity in yourself!

[Salvijus]

When you dissolve your ego, you become hallow like a cave samadhi. If something can be dissolved obviously it has an existence of its own. It's a tangable reality that can come and go. And you can become concious of it. That's how you dissolve your ego. By putting your awareness on it and burning it.

[Mason Riggle]

@The Buddha I'm not sure any of it is 'wrong'. Ego is not wrong. It's just arbitrary, the same way the difference between a knife and a sword is arbitrary.  The difference is whatever we say it is.  

When I see a whirlpool.. I can recognize it as a whirlpool.. or rather, a pattern of 'whirlpooling' within the river.. but I can also recognize that the 'whirlpool' isn't 'causing itself'.. it's not 'doing anything' other than 'being how it is'.. it's a function of what the entire river is doing. 

[Salvijus]

6 minutes ago, The Buddha said:

@Salvijus That is maybe why some traditions talk about dissolving all point of solidity in yourself!

Yes!!!!

That's precisely why. 

Thank you, very good point ?

Edited December 23, 2021 by Salvijus

[Mason Riggle]

The 'dissolving' of the ego can also be seen as the 'growing of the ego', where instead of getting smaller and smaller until it disappears.. it gets bigger and bigger and recognizes itself as 'all of it', at which point there is no difference between 'ego' and 'that which is not ego'. 

[The Buddha]

1 minute ago, Mason Riggle said:

The 'dissolving' of the ego can also be seen as the 'growing of the ego', where instead of getting smaller and smaller until it disappears.. it gets bigger and bigger and recognizes itself as 'all of it', at which point there is no difference between 'ego' and 'that which is not ego'. 

I think the epitome of that are the claimings of I am God. Not even God can say it is God because then there is a reflection in itself a duality. Almost always that claims are the ego identificating itself with the One.

On the other hand, I feel like what you said is the same as dissolving. For when is smaller and smaller and it dissapears, where is it? Everywhere. Both paths may lead to the same.

[Mason Riggle]

@The Buddha yep. Same thing, different perspective. 

'I am.' seems closer to Truth than 'I am _____ (fill in the blank)'. 

[Tim R]

 

 

[Mason Riggle]

The poor Id never gets any love.