--Yes, it is strange how many different angles the ego must have to continue it's existence; we are naturally afraid of death; I see this in my father, who survived three and a half years surviving World War II, in Eastern Europe; (we've had many ego clashed over the years). As he is grappling with his mortality now, he really can't deal with the notion of death, or loss of ego; Strange thing is: recently I had a conversation with him, at a time when I was having clear witnessing, and I could feel how threatened his ego was in our conversation, and how our relationship over the years, has been mostly a clash of egos. This conversation, reminded me of how limited our view of ourselves is, identified by so many influences through our lives, that are so limiting, that, one seems to have to get to the point where one becomes so frustrated by the egos concerns and limitations, that we finally "give up" and "surrender", and in that "ego death", Enlightenment occurs. Eckhart Tolle talks about this experience: right before Enlightenment dawned,for him, he was suicidal, and completely overshadowed by the his mind and ego's concerns. In that moment of insanity, he recognized the witness, and somehow completed the experience, then and there. (Also, he seems to be in an intimate relationship now, so, I don't think enlightenment is the end of sex). Anyway, whoever, or whatever, we think we are, has to be given up; I've had some experience in 12 step groups, and that also, is an ego breaking experience; in that the first three steps concern breaking down the ego, and "Surrendering to a Higher Power". So, there appears to be many ways to get to Enlightenment. But the main ingredient seems to be the end of the road for the ego. And one has to have prepared themselves in many ways, known and unknown, to be motivated to release what feels like one's own self.
- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Peter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > --- TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Robert > > Gimbel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > wrote: > > > This is a continuation of post # 65158, and the > > inquiry into the > > > nature of the ego, or "who is the experiencer" and > > interesting > > > website on this topic of death of the ego, and > > enlightenment.. > > > > > > Some quotes: > > > > > > If, however, the Ego is constituted by such a > > dualistic way of > > > thinking, it means that an Ego can die without > > physical death and > > > without consciousness coming to an end. > > > > > > What makes this more than idle speculation is that > > there is ample > > > testimony to the possibility of such Ego death: > > > > > > No one gets so much of God as the man who is > > completely dead. (St. > > > Gregory) > > > > > > The Kingdom of God is for none but the thoroughly > > dead. (Eckhart > > > Tolle) > > > > > > We are in a world of generation and death, and > > this world we must > > > cast off. (William Blake) > > > > > > Your glory lies where you cease to exist. (Ramana > > Maharshi) > > > > > > see: > > > http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/bodhidharma/ego.html > > > > Nice quotes. It's always been my experience that if > > you > > scratch the surface of a dogmatist, what you find is > > some- > > one who is pretty close to ego-death and fears it > > terribly. > > So they cling to dogma, or to whatever has been > > effective > > in reinforcing that ego for a lifetime. The > > fascinating thing > > is that the whole process, though understandable, is > > > > counter-intuitive. If you cling to the ego, you > > lose. But if > > you just let go and die, you win. > > The difference between the waking state concept of > enlightenment (everything's going to be cake and > fountains!) and the actuality of enlightenment > awakening (oh my god!, this has nothing to do with > cake and fountains or any "thing" at all, ARRRR!!!!) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > To subscribe, send a message to: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Or go to: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ > > and click 'Join This Group!' > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ > Yahoo! Mail > Stay connected, organized, and protected. Take the tour: > http://tour.mail.yahoo.com/mailtour.html To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
