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I admire and I am inspired byMarianne Williamson. I quote her alot (see blessyourhearts.blogspot.com,) and I really like her book EVERYDAY GRACE. However, I see in a current article in Unity Magazine, she is quoted "The way A Course in Miracles talks about it, the ego is not a good thing: 'do not underestimate the vengeance of the ego, ' it says. 'The ego is suspicious at best and vicious at worst.' The ego is a lie about yourself that you have bought. It is a total lie."
Gratitude For the Ego
Can we be "love finders rather than fault finders"?
I admire and I am inspired byMarianne Williamson. I quote her alot (see blessyourhearts.blogspot.com,) and I really like her book EVERYDAY GRACE. However, I see in a current article in Unity Magazine, she is quoted "The way A Course in Miracles talks about it, the ego is not a good thing: 'do not underestimate the vengeance of the ego, ' it says. 'The ego is suspicious at best and vicious at worst.' The ego is a lie about yourself that you have bought. It is a total lie."
She goes on to say that "we need a personality but not an ego - it is a false belief about ourselves.
The point is to get to the place where you can live ego-less."
Below is what Marianne wrote in EVERYDAY GRACE:
The attention we pay to the nature of our thinking, therefore is the most powerful attention we can pay. Our spiritual victory lies in rising above our mental forces of fear and limitation, using our wands to purify our thought forms, thus attaining the power to heal and be healed. We will think anew and and see anew. Such is humanity's next step, our spiritual challenge, our power and our destiny.
Is it not true that thinking of our ego in such a negative way is not "rising above our mental forces of fear and limitation?"
Also, when Oprah Winfrey was interviewing Eckhart Tolle online about The New Earth, I was sending email after email in the first few interviews about Eckhart making a mistake demonizing the ego. Yet, Eckhart has been one of my favorite consciousness teachers for years. The last part of The New Earth, as well as the last few interviews, he got off the ego's case, however, it is "spiritually correct" to bash the ego, especially after the publication of A Course in Miracles (ACIM). From what I understand, although he does not credit ACIM, Echart used to teach it.
Is this bashing of the ego duality?
Here is Webster's Dictionary definition: 1. the self as distinguished from others 2. the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that is the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality.
Here is Webster's Dictionary definition: 1. the self as distinguished from others 2. the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that is the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality.
The definitions of "egocentric, egoism, egotism, and ego trip" align more with ACIM sinister interpretations of the "ego". However, I would go along with Webster's definition before I would Eckhart's, Marianne's and A Course in Miracles'.
Duality is "having a double character or nature."
Oneness is a number denoting unity, and unity is a Reality in Metaphysics. "Be as one, as my Father and I are one" Jesus said.
Isn't splitting off our "ego" going against our goal of achieving Oneness?
Even if we consider the ego to be "the enemy", Jesus said to "love our enemies." Besides, don't most spiritual teachers direct us to love ourselves unconditionally?
I was blessed in being in ACIM study group in 1986/7 in Tiburon Ca., where I was working with Jerry Jampolsky at his wonderful Center for Attitudinal Healing (CAH). Much of the CAH Principles were derived and thankfully simplified from ACIM. I still use one as a mantra/prayer without ceasing called "Choose to be a love finder, rather than a fault finder". It is very helpful when I find myself becoming judgemental. Can we apply that principle to the "vicious ego"?
Now, what can I find to love about my ego? Well, I like that "conscious mediator" definition for one.
Back to the ACIM study group, one of the "leaders" was Dr. Bill Thetford, the transcriber of the course. Dr. Bill was so "ego-less" at that time, that he would light-heartedly quip, when someone reacted against a quote from the tomes, "just tear out that page." He was continually giggling and maintaining to not take the Course that seriously. Bill told one friend July 3rd that he "had never felt so free", and then left his body on July 4th that year. So, if we really want to be "ego-less", we should be prepared to leave our body.
Back to the ACIM study group, one of the "leaders" was Dr. Bill Thetford, the transcriber of the course. Dr. Bill was so "ego-less" at that time, that he would light-heartedly quip, when someone reacted against a quote from the tomes, "just tear out that page." He was continually giggling and maintaining to not take the Course that seriously. Bill told one friend July 3rd that he "had never felt so free", and then left his body on July 4th that year. So, if we really want to be "ego-less", we should be prepared to leave our body.
Or maybe like an angel on earth, where "we can fly since we take ourselves so lightly."
Perhaps, Marianne and Eckhart have achieved that status as egoless angels on earth? I would not be surprised! However, I suspect angels don't say negative judgemental things even about their former egos or anybody elses'? Indeed, Eckhart lightens up on the ego abit, when he writes in A NEW EARTH: When you observe the ego in yourself, you are beginning to go beyond it. Don't take the ego too seriously. When you detect egoic behavior in yourself, smile. At times you may even laugh, above all, know that the ego isn't personal. It isn't who you are. If you consider the ego to be your personal problem, that is just more ego.
Meher Baba said that while we are in our body, the ego is needed to get us to higher places.
Meher Baba said that while we are in our body, the ego is needed to get us to higher places.
Carl Jung said that the problem is that we let our egos be our masters, when they should be our servants.
I imagine Bill Thetford's ego had a lot to do with him becoming a Ph.D. and being a dept. head at Columbia U. As well, I am sure Marianne and Eckhart's egos had a lot to do with them writing inspiring books.
I have noticed that when "Gurus' from the East live in their transcendant state, they have quite a staff of maids, servants, body guards and others devoted to them. Recently, I even attended an event for a former nightwatchman for an Avatar who passed in the 1950's. I was impressed that this honored elder had his hand maidens waiting on him hand to foot.
In my life, I loved being a sailing ship captain. I enjoyed being in charge of the boat and everybody in it. I was definitely a Capt. Ego. Yet, this controlling part of me helped me to a place several times beyond the body into the blissful state of feeling oneness, freedom, and timelessness. One time I had a short overnight sail between the Berry Islands and Andros Island in the Bahamas. I did not want to get there before sunrise, because of the outlying coral reefs. And was glad it was light winds with a flat, noiseless sea. The moonless sky was clear of clouds. That area is on the interface of the shallow Great Bahama Banks and deep Tongue of the Ocean. The proximity means that many deep sea bioluminescent organisms flow up to the surface. Therefore, on this magic night, it was like flying through the cosmos with stars above and "stars" below. Everybody aboard would have been happy for that blissful night to never end - to sail on through the cosmos. We were completely in the Now.
In my life, I loved being a sailing ship captain. I enjoyed being in charge of the boat and everybody in it. I was definitely a Capt. Ego. Yet, this controlling part of me helped me to a place several times beyond the body into the blissful state of feeling oneness, freedom, and timelessness. One time I had a short overnight sail between the Berry Islands and Andros Island in the Bahamas. I did not want to get there before sunrise, because of the outlying coral reefs. And was glad it was light winds with a flat, noiseless sea. The moonless sky was clear of clouds. That area is on the interface of the shallow Great Bahama Banks and deep Tongue of the Ocean. The proximity means that many deep sea bioluminescent organisms flow up to the surface. Therefore, on this magic night, it was like flying through the cosmos with stars above and "stars" below. Everybody aboard would have been happy for that blissful night to never end - to sail on through the cosmos. We were completely in the Now.
Collectively, from ACIM, Jerry, Marianne and Eckhart I have learned to forgive by seeing the innocence in every person, and that even an attack is a call for love. Can we not do the same for our ego? And I am so grateful!
I forgive. I see the innocence. I can be a love finder rather than a fault finder. I can certainly laugh, and I am even grateful for my ego. Then there are blissful times when I am beyond it, and can fly like an angel, even while in a sailboat.
I forgive. I see the innocence. I can be a love finder rather than a fault finder. I can certainly laugh, and I am even grateful for my ego. Then there are blissful times when I am beyond it, and can fly like an angel, even while in a sailboat.
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