Quote:
Originally Posted by Carmen
A lovely thread greybeard, with some thoughtful answers. The ego/personality is not destroyed in the quest for an expanded consciousness/understanding, it is transformed, it is renovated. It becomes subject to the spirit in us and I think it is rather relieved once its given up arguing its point! It can be very sneaky though, and can be reborn as 'spiritual ego' Each one of us, I think, has this problem for quite some time after iniatially 'awakening'. Anyway, the quest is a marvellous one and the only one worth taking as we evolve ourselves.
Love
Carmen
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Thanks Carmen
Yes its not about killing it off.
There is a famous series of Zen pictures training wild ox, portraying the civilizing of the ego.
We are not the ego it comes with the package of being a human but we are responsible for it.
A good way of looking at is as an amusing pet that needs discipline.
In ultimate reality there is no ego it is just the thoughts we identify with as being me.
However it is helpful to see it as that pet.
Ramana said. Use the thorn to remove the thorn then throw both away.
In other words the mind is used to remove the mind then it is let go of.
Incidently Ramana also said tthat you can tell the progress you have made (spiritually) by the degree of silence of the mind.
The ego thrives on drama which is mainly of the past or future.
There is no problem in the present moment -- chalenge maybe.
As said here allready here. The ego cant survive in the present moment.
Love Chris