Enlightenment: The Ego, what is it? How to transcend it.

[Rania]

Thanks for discussing this , very helpfull topic

[greybeard]

I would suggest you go to this as Paula has done great work on transcribing part of a David Sereda video.


"David Sereda : Theoretical Physics & Spiritual Wisdom"


https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post661917

[Mark]

There are energetic portals that occur as a result of space weather. In these portals, the influx of cosmic energy directly from space and funneled through the sun affects consciousness levels on earth and the rest of the solar system. It is during these times of openness that the Elite often schedule their energy rituals. It is their attempt to marshal the power of lower emotional states which are required at high population levels in order to affect mass consciousness. That lower emotional energy in the form of fear, anger or hatred exists at a fractured and unstable frequency and cannot travel like the smoother more stable frequencies of higher emotional energies like love, joy and compassion.

During the journey of awakening, there comes a point where it becomes possible for each of us to attain the ability to make a choice in that matter. To chose to be affected by collective emotional trends, or not. Depending upon your connection with family and friends, compassion for the world in general and orientation toward individual or collective growth, a conscious decision can be made to either lend one's energy to certain emotional initiatives or not. The Heart-math institute and other meditation-based offerings are good examples of positive ways in which to direct these energies.

We are individuals but we are also a part of something larger. No matter how much individual work we do, we will always be a part of something greater than us. The Buddha did not want to teach Awakening but was coaxed to by a god. He didn't think there were enough people on the planet that would 'get it'. But because of that decision and those of others who have pierced the veil, the collective has benefited from the experience and initiative of individuals. While the journey towards individual awakening and heart-opening remains our individual goals, the process of doing so does result in a wave effect, whereby the immediate environment is affected and ripples of consciousness reverberate outwards from the awakened individual to transform the global consciousness as well.

Being awakened, one is therefore afforded a choice, which is also present for those who are more under the influence of theirs and others emotional states, but less clearly. A choice in how to direct personal energy. The longer the state is abided within, the clearer the synapses become, the more rarified the neural net of the mind, which begins to shine and emit purer and purer energy. Thought process clarifies and stills more and more as life becomes more a function of living in the now rather than over-thinking everything and dwelling in the past and future.

Taking advantage of the alignments of stars and planets and the solar system as it travels through the galaxy by aligning one's self with one's highest potentiality during times when this energy makes that potentiality easier is an intuitive way of coming into attunement with natural forces and one's body, both grounding one's self in the Here and Now and, seemingly paradoxically, freeing one's self from the limitations of the flesh.

These are exhilarating and bounteous times. I hope everyone is enjoying the ride!

[greybeard]

Willingness to be yourself authentically and vulnerably - Panache Desai
The key to changing the world, to changing your life, and to empowering those around you is authenticity - the willingness to be yourself - the willingness to be vulnerable - the willingness to feel - the willingness to live. I'm simply reminding you of who you truly are, supporting you into self-love and acceptance by eradicating the judgement that you've imposed on yourself and society has opposed on you. ~ Panache

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=qo2nRM-NdW0

[greybeard]

How electromagnetic energy---The Schumann Resonance and various other things are in harmony with our brain and consciousness.
A small change in these energies can foster an uplift of consciousness.
Not an easy documentary for me to fully understand but I get the essence of it and the message is encouraging.

Many thanks to Dan for sending this important video to me.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=A9ZeC5Qf6fQ

[greybeard]

http://www.glcoherence.org/templates...mail=156261627


The most powerful solar flare of the year erupted on April 11th, sparking a temporary radio blackout on Earth. It coincided with an eruption of super-hot solar plasma known as a coronal mass ejection. As we have discussed in GCI commentaries and webinars, solar flare activity intensifies human excitability, which can affect our mental and emotional natures. It’s not surprising that the past few weeks have seen a ramping up of North Korean threats of war, terrorism at the Boston Marathon, a 7.8 earthquake in Iran, extreme weather changes, and more. It’s important to increase our global compassion. We can each radiate compassion and coherent heart energy into the earth’s fields to help ease and balance the effects generated by solar storms. Being in our heart and moving with ease helps us and others navigate more easily through these transitional Earth and consciousness changes.

April 22nd is Earth Day, and one of the greatest contributions we can give to our planet is to make a heartfelt commitment to work in harmony and cooperation with Earth and people to create a better world. Raising our personal vibration is our highest gift to Earth, others and to ourselves. We can do this, along with our normal Earth Day acknowledgments, activities and celebrations.

[Pharaohs Maze]

Looking at ourselves clearly and calmly, without violence or grandiose ostentation, without expectation or judgement, and with a committed resolve of non action is not easy thing to accomplish.

Our motivation, focus and commitment needs to be dedicated to even begin such a process.
the motivation for this type of practice is usually born out of a raw necessity, a genuine emotional or psychological, cultural or spiritual crisis. Since true intention require a personal sacrifice of some sort, people do not find there answers with out very much personal sacrifice a nd investment.

There are many who are merely window shopping when it comes to self realisation, but they have yet to make a serious committed investment. Often confined to the realm of ideologies, theories, philosophies, and creative thinking, the actual raw experience of looking at ourselves is an entirely different matter than to merely comprehend it.

I see a great dogma perpetuated within the communities of spiritual seekers…this constant babble about love and light and transcendence and living in a state of bliss and grace, contains a great contradiction if we mean to live purposefully.
Our lives and the world around us present us with a complex set of challenges, sometimes dilemmas and conflicts ensue. The advantages of self awareness is that it gives us a greater ability to engage more deeply with ourselves and our environment and ultimately makes us more capable of transformations.

Great iconic characters such as Mandela, Ghandi, Dr King etc did not carry out there missions in a state of serenity and bliss. They were as we are, highly emotive, greatly conflicted and contradictory characters who capacity for ruthlessness was as integrated as was there capacity for kindness and compassion.

There's a great misconception and self deception in believing all of our actions should, or ever could be benevolent. Our very existence depends on multitude of sacrifice within all kingdoms of life. That sounds like a grand poetic statement, but it is meant quite literally…Our need to eat for example requires life to be sacrificed.

I would like to point out that looking at oneself involves looking into darkness as much looking into the light. I would go so far as to say that we must become darkness in order to hold light.
The dualistic nature of our paradigm has never asked us to choose sides, yet so many are ready to pledge there alligence to the light or to the dark, to the right or to the left, to be active or to be passive etc.
I see only the necessity to be accountable.

It is not a case of moving beyond the ego, the very sentence is contradictory is it not? The ego needs to measure and compare things, contrast and analyse, Im very glad i have one since I would be somewhat impaired without one!

The real question is can we look at ourselves, facing our hypocrisies our evil our weakness our pain and repulsions... and yet do nothing?
Can we look at our strength and talents, virtues our bliss and yet do nothing?
What does this even mean?
This is the very act of moving beyond the dualistic paradigm of our own nature.
this is the first willed step toward self awareness…

Active non action, a simple technique to drop everything we think we are and discover what we really are…

A topic for another post.

PM

[lookbeyond]

Posted by Rahkyt (here)
There are energetic portals that occur as a result of space weather. In these portals, the influx of cosmic energy directly from space and funneled through the sun affects consciousness levels on earth and the rest of the solar system. It is during these times of openness that the Elite often schedule their energy rituals. It is their attempt to marshal the power of lower emotional states which are required at high population levels in order to affect mass consciousness. That lower emotional energy in the form of fear, anger or hatred exists at a fractured and unstable frequency and cannot travel like the smoother more stable frequencies of higher emotional energies like love, joy and compassion.

During the journey of awakening, there comes a point where it becomes possible for each of us to attain the ability to make a choice in that matter. To chose to be affected by collective emotional trends, or not. Depending upon your connection with family and friends, compassion for the world in general and orientation toward individual or collective growth, a conscious decision can be made to either lend one's energy to certain emotional initiatives or not. The Heart-math institute and other meditation-based offerings are good examples of positive ways in which to direct these energies.

We are individuals but we are also a part of something larger. No matter how much individual work we do, we will always be a part of something greater than us. The Buddha did not want to teach Awakening but was coaxed to by a god. He didn't think there were enough people on the planet that would 'get it'. But because of that decision and those of others who have pierced the veil, the collective has benefited from the experience and initiative of individuals. While the journey towards individual awakening and heart-opening remains our individual goals, the process of doing so does result in a wave effect, whereby the immediate environment is affected and ripples of consciousness reverberate outwards from the awakened individual to transform the global consciousness as well.

Being awakened, one is therefore afforded a choice, which is also present for those who are more under the influence of theirs and others emotional states, but less clearly. A choice in how to direct personal energy. The longer the state is abided within, the clearer the synapses become, the more rarified the neural net of the mind, which begins to shine and emit purer and purer energy. Thought process clarifies and stills more and more as life becomes more a function of living in the now rather than over-thinking everything and dwelling in the past and future.

Taking advantage of the alignments of stars and planets and the solar system as it travels through the galaxy by aligning one's self with one's highest potentiality during times when this energy makes that potentiality easier is an intuitive way of coming into attunement with natural forces and one's body, both grounding one's self in the Here and Now and, seemingly paradoxically, freeing one's self from the limitations of the flesh.

These are exhilarating and bounteous times. I hope everyone is enjoying the ride!

Hi Rahkyt and Chris, one of the reasons i dont frequent this thread a lot is that on a personal level i am finding it very challenging to put into practise the "feel good" info here, if it was only me, me me i think i could be so much more "evolved".However in this life ive ended up with a most challenging marriage and children ( who i love and would not want to live without),yet the toll on my "peace" is great.The conflict within relationships is hard to deal with on a practical level while trying to maintain the "headspace" of one striving for an awakened state of being.So im always looking around Avalon for tips on how to survive it all... sorry for the vent/whinge, its school holidays-lb

[greybeard]

Im smiling
Yoganada said
The darkness comes from the same place as the light.
A deep examination of this thread would find people sharing their darkest moments through Alcoholism and dark nights of the soul.
Also covered has been the action of non action and surrender the fruits of ones labour.
Topics like "Of my self I do nothing".
The search to find the Truth--- the real Self ---is the hardest, most difficult challenge anyone can face.
The 12 steps of AA , A Course in Miracles, Ramana eternal question "Who am I" the Work and many other self enquiry techniqies have been pointed to.
The thread covers a lot and many videos---spiritual and scientific included--- also a whole book that came to me.
Its all there for the diligent, but, it is an awesome task, as there is years of pages in here.

Best wishes
Chris

[greybeard]

The ego expects to be an enlightened ego -- however enlightenment is not a personal event as there is no person left after the event.
Jesus spoke of the need to die.
Some take that as "Be born again" nope, its the death of the identification with the story of me.
The small self dies and is replaced by SELF.
There is only one consciousness.
That consciousness pretends to be Chris and all seeming others---there is only one of us here.

St Teresa of Calcutta when asked how she could look after lepers, untouchables etc---She said--- "I see them as Jesus in disguise."

Not so long ago I would have been locked up in a mental hospital or burnt at the stake for what I believe to be so.

Its really simple--- only God is and we are That.

ch

[greybeard]

Gregg Braden Ancient Wisdom & Modern Science

Lisa Garr welcomed author Gregg Braden, who discussed the relationship between ancient wisdom and modern science, and how people are connected to one another and to the world around them.

Biography:

New York Times Best selling author Gregg Braden has been a featured guest for international conferences, and media specials, exploring the role of ancient wisdom and spirituality in science.

A former Senior Computer Systems Designer for Martin Marietta Aerospace, Computer geologist for Phillips Petroleum and a Technical Operations Manager for Cisco Systems, Braden is now considered a leading authority on bridging the wisdom of our past with the science and peace of our future. Through his journeys into the remote mountain villages, temples and monasteries of times past, Braden marries the wisdom of ancient traditions and modern science to benefit our lives today.

From his groundbreaking books, Awakening to Zero Point and Walking Between the Worlds, to his pioneering work in The Isaiah Effect, he offers meaningful solutions to the unique challenges of our time. In his newest book, The God Code, Gregg Braden ventures beyond the traditional boundaries of science and spirituality, revealing the words of an ancient and timeless message encoded as the DNA of all life!

Wikipedia
Consciousness is the quality or state of being aware of an external object or something within oneself. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, sentience, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind. Despite the difficulty in definition, many philosophers believe that there is a broadly shared underlying intuition about what consciousness is. As Max Velmans and Susan Schneider wrote in The Blackwell Companion to Consciousness: "Anything that we are aware of at a given moment forms part of our consciousness, making conscious experience at once the most familiar and most mysterious aspect of our lives."

Philosophers since the time of Descartes and Locke have struggled to comprehend the nature of consciousness and pin down its essential properties. Issues of concern in the philosophy of consciousness include whether the concept is fundamentally valid; whether consciousness can ever be explained mechanistically; whether non-human consciousness exists and if so how it can be recognized; how consciousness relates to language; whether consciousness can be understood in a way that does not require a dualistic distinction between mental and physical states or properties; and whether it may ever be possible for computers or robots to be conscious.

In recent years, consciousness has become a significant topic of research in psychology and neuroscience. The primary focus is on understanding what it means biologically and psychologically for information to be present in consciousness—that is, on determining the neural and psychological correlates of consciousness. The majority of experimental studies assess consciousness by asking human subjects for a verbal report of their experiences (e.g., "tell me if you notice anything when I do this"). Issues of interest include phenomena such as subliminal perception, blindsight, denial of impairment, and altered states of consciousness produced by psychoactive drugs or spiritual or meditative techniques.

In medicine, consciousness is assessed by observing a patient's arousal and responsiveness, and can be seen as a continuum of states ranging from full alertness and comprehension, through disorientation, delirium, loss of meaningful communication, and finally loss of movement in response to painful stimuli. Issues of practical concern include how the presence of consciousness can be assessed in severely ill, comatose, or anesthetized people, and how to treat conditions in which consciousness is impaired or disrupted

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=KaFRrQ73EVM

Something Big is About to Happen Russian Meteor Crash
Published on 15 Feb 2013

Very insightful interview with Scientist Gregg Braden. Meteor hits Russia. Russia meteorite explosion: Zinc factory wall damaged, windows blown hundreds injured

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Jrl7DVCOce4

[lookbeyond]

Thanks Chris,yesterday was a hard day for me ,sometimes my load feels unmanageable (family/work/other) and i feel crushed under the weight of it, always the new day dawns and thankfully i can take a big breath and continue, ill persevere knowing that please god may i be able to change to make positive change happen around me because no one else is budging or likely to.What i find difficult is that the onus being on me to be the unwavering one when i dont always feel personally strong, there, did it, bared my soul for all to see

[Linda Joy Crutcher]

Hello brothers and sisters, and thank you all for your wisdom and contribution in the matter of the ego.

My view on this is that the ego is a beautiful thing.

While experiencing ourselves in the three dimensional plane, and while we remain in a consciousness of duality, the ego in fact is an essential part of what keeps us moving forward. It is a protective coat that we wear until we can see clearly and be safe to take it off. Taking it off doesn't mean resisting or denying it, but looking at the purpose it served while journeying toward clarity of self. When we can see it with loving, instead of judging eyes and thank it for its service, we integrate with that part of our experience and are able to embrace all of what we have been in every moment of our lives. There must be nothing separated from us if our goal is to love the whole self and each other. If we cannot find the love in all of what the human experience is, the doors that separate us from total love remain closed. The fact is we all have ego structures and those egos protect and defend us until we are ready to see ourselves clearly.

The human ego simply operates from its point of duality and serves to keep the small self safe. The varying ways people do this is merely a matter of consciousness. Man's ego is concerned with "me" while the central or 'I Am' self is concerned with "us". Because we release ourselves from the self-centered place where human ego lives, and find true freedom without its interference, it gets viewed as an enemy. We all know; a consciousness of Oneness knows no enemies.

Thanks for listening and give your shed ego a big hug and thank it for getting you through much of your life! It was very good to you when you needed it. . . remember?

Linda Joy Crutcher

[Mark]

Hi Linda, welcome to Avalon. Glad to see you posting in such a wonderful thread upon first arriving.

The ego is a beautiful thing. Beauty as a condition and artifact of Incarnation, of that 3D world and existence that we all have chosen to experience.

From the perspective of Awakening, you're very much on point:

While experiencing ourselves in the three dimensional plane, and while we remain in a consciousness of duality, the ego in fact is an essential part of what keeps us moving forward. It is a protective coat that we wear until we can see clearly and be safe to take it off.

The paradox of the enlightenment idea is in that it is thought of a journey, as a process, as a movement from one state of consciousness to another. When it is in actuality a cessation of movement, a stilling of process, an ending of a journey at the point at which we first began. This is the experience of Kensho, of Satori, when one has become immersed within that eternal and infinite sea of Becoming only to realize one has never really left it.

Upon returning to the state of waking and normal consciousness, we then often re-embark upon that journey, begin some process, create internal and external movement from one state or another in the attempt to return to that space. Meditation, yoga, prayer, all become tools that we employ attempting to capture starlight in a palm-full of sea-water, to hold effervescent bubbles of froth in shaking hands. Eventually the journey back is seen as a releasing of all concepts of movement, of going from here to there, of becoming. It is letting go, clearing the mind of the detritus of past and future, of wants and needs, until nothing is left but the clarity that existed in the beginning.

Thanks for listening and give your shed ego a big hug and thank it for getting you through much of your life! It was very good to you when you needed it. . . remember?

Thank you for sharing and providing this wonderful reminder of self-knowledge and gratitude, appreciation for being and spiritual growth. Bless.

[Linda Joy Crutcher]

Beautifully said. . . thank you.

[Rich]

Posted by Rahkyt (here)
When it is in actuality a cessation of movement

They say awakening is a process of 'remembering' of course that is correct depending on what
words we like to use (where we look from), but I prefer the word 'forgetting' because it makes it
very clear that there is nothing to do except stop doing.
In other words we are That and our concept of time covers it up.

The ability to forget everything and remain detached is the highest state possible.
~ Nityananda

[greybeard]

Adyashanti said that Ego is a verb---- as in doing---movement--obtaining--rejecting and so forth.
What is not commonly known is that all these things just happen perfectly without ego getting in the way.
Of myself I do nothing.
Ramesh Balsekar said The biggest obstacle to enlightenment is the thought that "I am the doer"
Try stopping breathing for a few moments and see what happens.
Breath happens perfectly all by itself

Thanks to all contributing to this discussion.

Thanks to Look beyond for sharing.

This was a reminder to me.

In order to be fully here and experience we have to have humility and be vulnerable.
Without this love will perhaps be denied
Being open to give and receive love can seem to leave one vulnerable.

Help will only be asked for with a degree of humility and the risk of the request being denied.
It takes humility and yet self worth to ask for something knowing full well it may be denied.
It takes maturity and strength to risk refusal.
I ask anyway--- refusal is not taken personally.
I learned a lot in AA--- We never get sent more in one day than we can handle albeit sometimes we need help.

Hope my wandering is helpful to someone.

Chris

[greybeard]

"Making a living is about what you get. Making a life is about what you give." -- Winston Churchill
"It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, 'Always do what you are afraid to do.'" -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash." -- George S. Patton

[lookbeyond]

Just a few more years, then it will be a calculated risk to make a life and not be afraid

[greybeard]

Topics for discussion
Though I started the thread I have always been happy for others to start any discussion on spirituality or self help.
Tony was very good at coming up with new topics and I miss that.
Jenci good at sharing her experience--- I miss her.
Another Bob, the expert, I miss his clarity.
So if anyone wants to start a topic on this thread to open it up im more than happy.
I realise that some spiritual topics are perhaps better debated in their own threads of course.
However a person may have a single question or wants something clarified that could be answered here.

Chris