Letting Go Of Your Sense Of Self With Weak Ego

[naive13]

Hello everyone!

So, in the literature of enlightenment I have been seeing the notion or the understanding that one can only relinquish his grip on the ego completely after he gradually builds up and strengthens his sense of self. I guess I saw this idea passing in The Road Less Traveled by M.Scott Peck, as well. Could you people elaborate on that further as to why this is so? 

Given that the purification process, so to speak, is a journey that involves layers throughout which the pervasive effect of the ego is more and more diminished, if you are cognizant of the fact that chasing success is a dead end street for example why bother with it? So that you see it for yourself afterwards that it REALLY was inauthentic after all?

Edited September 6, 2017 by naive13

[Afonso]

And my question is if you have an Ego which is highly influenced and not very rigid, is this easier for Enlightenment?

[cetus]

21 hours ago, naive13 said:

one can only relinquish his grip on the ego completely after he gradually builds up and strengthens his sense of self.

@naive13 The sense self/ego started when the consciousness 'I am' first appeared. But what is it that witnessed this birth? What where you before you were born? To quote Nisargadatta: " 8 days before your conception" That would be the only self to practice strengthening. If you could even call it a self.

 

[Dodo]

1 hour ago, cetus56 said:

@naive13 The sense self/ego started when the consciousness 'I am' first appeared. But what is it that witnessed this birth? What where you before you were born? To quote Nisargadatta: " 8 days before your conception" That would be the only self to practice strengthening. If you could even call it a self.

 

I have no memory of what I was before I was born. I never liked those pointings. I can only speculate that I was nothingness, since I have no memory, but where's the evidence

Edited September 7, 2017 by Dodo

[cetus]

1 hour ago, Dodo said:

I can only speculate that I was nothingness, since I have no memory,

@Dodo You nailed it! 

[Joseph Maynor]

It might be that the "strong ego" has more chutzpah to pursue Enlightenment.  It takes a lot of hard work to get real enlightenment shifts.  Of course, I pursued the non-chemical route.  I don't believe you can become enlightened without a lot of hard work.  You need a lot of theory, instruction, guidance, and sticktuitiveness to boot.  If you are just sitting on your ass waiting for something to come to you, y'aint gonna get anywhere with Enlightenment.  This is because Self-Inquiry alone takes a lot of work.  And then you need to see the problem of duality fully, which is not something you can pick up quickly.  Enlightenment has to stew in you for a while, and you gotta be stirring the pot the entire time.  Ever make rissotto?  Well, you gotta stir like that for as long as it takes.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Joseph Maynor

[Nahm]

@Dodo The evidence is here right now. Take it a step further from what you've said....you also have no memory of being born, no experience dying, no experience being two. You have only, ever, experienced being the one, with no beginning and no end. Even in your dreams, when there are other people, when you wake up, there was only really you. Though when in the dream, it sure seemed like there were other people.  Put that in your pipe and give it a hhh-rip. You're on the path Dodo. It's an awesome experience for me. Thanks. Also, just because I like ya...nothing is a thought, not something in your experience. You did not come from nor are you nothing. You are love. Contemplate your own experience. Surely you have experience love. Did someone blow it through the air to you? Did they email you love? Of course not. It's all within you, it always has been. You are love. 

Edited September 8, 2017 by Nahm

[Nahm]

@Joseph Maynor One man's sitting on your ass, is another man's belief in hard work, and yet another's belief pyschadelics are something unlike anything else we eat. "There's an easy way" - "No thanks, I believe in hard work" - "cool, it's an illusion though" - "Yeah, whatever. Just gonna keep on this hamster wheel" - "Okay"

[Azrael]

12 minutes ago, Nahm said:

@Joseph Maynor One man's sitting on your ass, is another man's belief in hard work, and yet another's belief pyschadelics are something unlike anything else we eat. "There's an easy way" - "No thanks, I believe in hard work" - "cool, it's an illusion though" - "Yeah, whatever. Just gonna keep on this hamster wheel" - "Okay"

OMG, you just came up with the most beautiful counter argument to this point. Nothing to add. Applause to you.

[Franz]

@Nahm Your are one of the very few voices on this forum that do not join the conceptualization circle-jerk. 

[Nahm]

@Franz just trying to have fun man. Thanks,  you are very kind

[orroz]

On 09/07/2017 at 1:00 AM, naive13 said:

Hello everyone!

So, in the literature of enlightenment I have ....

Given that the purification process, so to speak, is a journey that involves layers throughout which the pervasive effect of the ego is more and more diminished, if you are cognizant of the fact that chasing success is a dead end street for example why bother with it? So that you see it for yourself afterwards that it REALLY was inauthentic after all?

Hello naive

put aside the literature just for a bit and stay with your present experience.

are you cognizant of the fact that chasing success is a dead end street?

did you see it for yourself , that it REALLY was inauthentic after all?

actually see it with your eyes?

yes or not... there is no maybe

Edited September 10, 2017 by orroz