Of separation and pride...

[Kauil]

Hey!

Don't know if this is the right place for this post, but I've read A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and my questions arose after reading that and applying the knowledge, so...

As I've learned of the functions of the ego there's been a growing feeling of separation between me and other people, who appear more unconscious than me. I know this is something I should strive not to feel, as that's the core function of the ego, to create separation. But I can't help but wonder (in a slightly negative way) how unaware of their actions people are. I understand they are who they are, conditioned by their past, unconscious, all that, but I keep finding myself in the trap of feeling a certain despise when I notice this in people. How could I fix this?

The other question I had is about feeling pride of the fact that I am now on a spiritual journey. Again, I know, that this is the works of the ego in me, to feel superior to others. But I can't seem to help it. Whenever I do feel proud of something, I try and remember that I shouldn't, that I'm doing this for the sake enlightenment, and not so that I could feel pride (superior to others). Is this something that goes away in time, or is there anything I could do that would help?

One more thing. As I go through daily life, I'm finding less and less things I could talk about and things to share with other people. For instance, the way other people start conversations is usually by telling something about themselves, by being loud about a mundane thing they did or that happened to them. I've never been a social person really, but with this newly added knowledge of the ego and such, I feel I'm running out of topics to talk about. I guess what I'm asking is, how to talk to other people, if you have to avoid egoic subjects?

Thanks for reading.

[Midnight]

Hello Kauil,

You're not alone in feeling this. I'm sure there are many people who have felt the same way at some point or another, myself included. I felt a sense of superiority for bettering myself (especially when it was working out for me) than other people who were just not as good as me (or so I thought.) This is not the case anymore though.

Honestly, you realizing that your ego is the source of these feelings and thoughts is all the awareness you'll ever need. You say you can't seem to help feeling this way. Well don't try to fix it. Let yourself feel this way, only the ego feels the need to defend itself. Anything you feel right now is completely temporary. The only thing you need to do is not ignore the feeling, and remain aware of the mind's tricks.

Every issue, every feeling, ever thought is subject to impermanence. There is no need to worry about what you feel, because it is not who you are, and it will disappear on it's own (even if you choose to resist it, though I do not recommend it).

As far as interacting with other people, I also believed with my newfound "knowledge" that I couldn't interact with other people who are so unaware...but remember this, everyone has the capability of behaving outside of their minds whether or not they know of it. Everyone's true nature shines through in the moment. If you ever find it hard to talk to people, remember that being social is something that arises from silence within. It's not something you think about.

No one is lesser than another

[olmate]

Hello Kauil,

These feelings are quite normal.

A context that I find useful is to think of your development (and any other person for that matter) as a point on a continuum. Think of the continuum as a horizonal plane. This way you are not superior in any sense - just at a different point on the plane. In conjunction with this, do not make any point on the continuum right or wrong or better or worse. Wherever you are and wherever anyone else is, just is.

As your state of consciousness evolves, you have the ability therefore to relate to anyone from your path as you understand completely where they are at. This can be done without judgement - a little like talking with a child.

The other contexts which I personally find extremely beneficial are the contexts of humility and impersonal Love. One useful exercise I have found of benefit is feeling and projecting Love across the continuum. Start out by bringing to mind someone close to you that you love (or something like a pet dog or cat) and project love to that image. This is usally very easy to do. Then pick someone where your feelings are neutral. Do the same projection of love. Then progressively repeat the exercise with those that you have increasingly negative views of - but in these instances really concentrate on projecting love.

At the conclusion of the exercise feel a humble gratitude as intensely as possible for the Grace of being able to undertake this practice.

You may find your perceptions of pride and focus on self evaporates over time.

Personally, I like the view of humanity as expressed by Socrates. That is, all people are intrinsically innocent because they can only choose to do what they perceive as the good, but they are unable to discern the true good from false illusions of the world.

Becoming increasingly awake enables an enhanced ability to discern truth from illusion.

Nothing but the best...

Olmate

[Kauil]

Thank you for your answers, Midnight and olmate.

As I've been meditating more lately, and had moments of insight on some of the teachings that hadn't really opened to me before, I realize that my views on the functions of the ego are very superficial indeed. They are at a mere conceptual level, and will require some deeper 'seeping in' to take full effect.

This conceptual understanding of things might be detrimental in some ways... for instance I feel I've just agreed upon the teachings of the illusion of free will to such an extent that I care less of doing the right thing. While before there might have been a healthy amount of sense of responsibility with, say, school work, now I just seem to let things slide more...

Believing instead of knowing eh... but on the positive side, I now know the difference between understanding a linguistic concept and realizing some of the truthfulness that concept is pointing at. Or something. But there certainly are many ways of 'getting it'.

[Panthau]

Hey Kauil,

This seperation feelings are thoughts. If theres the thought of being more aware then others, then you try to fight the thought with another thought that you shouldnt do this or that. Stop fighting and watch your breath for example. In the now there are no such thoughts or problems.

Just my 5 cent!
Atb,
Pan

[Edwin]

Look at the ocean.

On the surface of the ocean, there are waves.
Every wave thinks he is seperate of the other waves.
One wave goes one way, the other wave goes the other, and sometimes they crash into each other.

One might be tempted to say: This wave is stronger than the other, or that wave is going the wrong way and is destroying the power of the other waves it meets.

When the wave realises that every other wave it meets or crashes into is also just the same ocean... Why bother with what happens to the wave ? It is just the ocean in motion !

Now replace the word "Ocean" with "consciousness" and the word "wave" with "ego"

[Panthau]

I like that, thanks Edwin

[Edwin]

Originally Posted by Panthau

I like that, thanks Edwin

I am glad I posted it as well, it inspired me to eat fish for lunch