Thoughts on ego vs. no-ego
This time, I will put the disclaimer up front. These are my speculations. I offer only an invitation to consider them, debate them, or criticize them, but no absolute ‘Truths.”
In order for our ‘Divine’ consciousness (our natural state of non-physical essence) to experience a created 4 dimensional world of separate appearances, it must of necessity also create a body-mind, i.e. a vehicle through which to perceive and experience this apparent separate ‘reality,’ thereby of necessity creating a separation between self and not-self. Like all impermanent appearances in this cosmos, this body-mind which is designed to experience and interpret the space-time world of separate, relative appearances, is also by design impermanent.
The so-called ‘ego’ -- or self-consciousness, the sense of a separate “I” point of view, which experiences that apparent separate reality -- is thus created when our ‘Divine’ consciousness (soul/spirit/energy/essence ) becomes focused, with the physical body-mind, in physical reality. It is then given a name and a unique ‘role’ to play, and a Divine purpose to serve, for as long as the impermanent body-mind exists. In my opinion, the ego’s ‘natural’ function is to allow the human body-mind to transcend base instincts, mediate with the unconscious, and emotionally relate to, share, compare and care about the experiential reality of other apparently separate body-minds. Hence, (I) can empathize with (the other), ‘I’ can relate to ‘your’ emotions, I can imagine what you may imagine, we can feel compassion for the other, have faith in each other, laugh at each other’s humor, cry at another’s misfortune 5000 miles away, fall in mad passionate love with complete strangers, etc.
I could be mistaken, but these seem to me to be uniquely human qualities.
However, if and when self-consciousness becomes so totally identified with the impermanent body-mind that it assumes a sense of body-mind exclusivity, completely forgetting and over-looking its Divine essence and origin, then the body-mind’s unconscious base instincts subjugate the ego’s function, and thus self-assertion, self-importance, self-survival, self-defense, self-gratification, fear of death, and distrust of other body-minds that may be perceived as enemies, becomes the ego’s prime modus operandi, and motivation. Suffering and seeking then inevitably ensue, as we have lost touch with our natural Divine state of consciousness.
Is this the oppressive, out of conscious control, instinct-driven ‘ego’ that needs to die? And can the original ego under the conscious control of its Divine source then be allowed to serve its natural intended function, free of fear of annihilation, without precluding, in any way, re-awakening to one’s Divine nature and source?
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I'm curious, danalomas.
What gives you more pleasure?
Creating thoughts about thoughts (i.e. ego, non-ego, etc.)?
Or washing dishes relatively thoughtlessly?
Do you prefer doing as a doer?
Or being the doing absent a doer?
TIA
Allow me to answer with another question ... why make a distinction?
Because that is what waves do. Make distinctions. It is both the nature and impetus of waves to do so.
Distinctions aren't good or bad, right or right. They are simply distinctions. The commodity of wavehood.
All of your writings are distinctions. So I was curious about a particular distinction. Which is why I placed it on your plate.
With no expectation that you will partake of it too.
But it will be a treat if you do. :)
Scratching head ... rubbing chin ... please see two separate illusory replies below :]
These particular illusory thought/waves have arisen as a result of a lively debate at batgap over the "Bonder" interviews, re: Does the "ego" survive Realization/awakening.
Apparently a very touchy subject for some hardcore fundamentalist Advaitists!
Don't know if you checked it out, but you might find it worth a look, if not just for the amusement.
And thus I found myself trying to calm the stormy waters .. or perhaps stirring them up, as the case may be.
As for your original question: the 'ponderer' will have do some more 'pondering.'
And ready to rumble!
In answer to your 'doer' vs. 'doing' dilemma ...
This is almost impossible to express. Once again, the 'both/and' Hydra raises its heads. One understands that, yes, inherent in Realization/Awakening, every last vestige of the illusion of a separate subjective 'doer' is dissolved -- along with the ego-self. And yet the body-mind must somehow still function in the space-time dream we call this world. And so the 'doer,' is revived, however illusory it may also be, in order to navigate, communicate, and relate with others. The only difference is -- and it is a profound difference indeed -- it's now omnipresent consciousness. A living dream. But, nonetheless, strangely, paradoxically, even more 'real' than ever before.
And so being the doer or the doing, somehow seems a moot point. It is once again both/and. Either way, seems to work and gets the dishes done.
What a Mystery!
An automatic dishwasher also does an OK job, but does not provide the same meditative benefit ... too noisy ;-)
More thought/waves on the above ...
It seems the paradoxical nature of the 'both/and' Hydra must always raise its heads whenever (we) try to express and discuss these questions.
There is always the "Absolute Truth," spoken as the Non-dual Understanding of Absolute Consciousness. In that state of Reality, the 'doer,' the belief in a subjective, separate self/ego associated with a body-mind, must be sacrificed in the Fire of Being.
However, there is always the relative truth, spoken from the perspective of the space-time world in which we gradually play out the Divine Plan (evolution). Hence, for that purpose, the 'doer/self/ego' of the Awakened, Fully-Realized Human is resurrected (the intended symbolism of the re-birth of Christ) from the Fire of Being, where it experiences a transmutation, or transfiguration (the true symbolism of the Hermetic Alchemists) in order to serve its true intended function in the subsequent stage of the Divine Evolutionary Plan, within linear time and space.
So in this both/and context, both the immediate Fully-Realized, Absolute Truth of Being (no-doer), AND the relative truth of being a human body-mind (doer) living and evolving through the Divine Plan -- i.e. one's evolutionary process in the space-time world, where One becomes a Divine Human -- are equally valid. It just depends on where one is coming from.
In other words, it is essentially the difference between the immediate Truth of Being, and the Truth of becoming. Both are germane to the discussion, and need not contradict one another, as both owe their existence to the same Divine Source. Another way of expressing it could be that Realization is happening NOW, whereas Awakening is always becoming, evolving, unfolding in time. One is a noun ... the other is a verb (btw, reminiscent of Paul Hedderman's metaphor).
Just to clarify my own definition of the ego and its natural intended function, in relation to the body-mind, and its space-time world, I offer the following:
The simplest concept of the ego phenomenon may be as individualized consciousness imagining itself as an entity separate from the perceived space-time world. This apparent separation is necessary, however, in order for there to be any cultural inter-action, communication, and relationship.
Rather than being a total codependent attachment and identification of consciousness with the body-mind, the "natural" ego is simply consciousness in a working association with the body-mind, understanding its true nature and purpose, in order to function as a persona in inter-relationship with other persona's in the space-time world, in a cultural context. Thus, having or using the ego phenomenon in its natural intended way, need not preclude the Realization of that pure transcendent consciousness that is its source. In other words, the ego phenomenon's true purpose or role is to serve consciousness, as a mediator between other persona's, so to speak.
Again, the apparent problem arises when the ego phenomenon become exclusively attached to the body-mind as its sole identity, and thus oblivious to its true source and purpose. This becomes the corrupted, co-opted ego, in fear of the death, annihilation, and any threat to its status. And yet I suspect that even this seemingly corrupted ego functioning must serve some ultimate purpose to somehow advance the evolutionary Plan.
Just a note on the above. These speculations were largely derived and extrapolated from material on the Hermatic Metaphysics of Plotinus, a second century A.D. Greek philosopher. The following is just a brief taste, not a direct translation, for those who may wish to follow up on his work.
"The first emanation of the essence of the Divine Spirit, the Absolute Source of our Beingness, in Judeo-Christian terminology is referred to as: The Son of God, or Christ consciousness, and in hermetic and esoteric terminology, It is referred to as: the first Blueprint of possibilities. This divine Blueprint, when activated, awakens Self-consciousness to its Divine Nature, and allows It to accomplish the Divine Plan.
In terms of our physical universe, and the space-time world of separate appearances in which we are focused and have our being, Cosmic Consciousness represents the healing medium that sets in motion the spiritual “blueprint” or spiritual DNA in our own limited level of consciousness, healing the “wounds” created by the illusory separation of the ego personas of humans -- thus, this redemptive power stops and brings to a close the Divine hypnosis in which the ego was plunged. However, this Divine hypnosis was a necessary step to help Consciousness create the Ego of man; this was a necessary step in the evolutionary cycle of Life ... from unconsciousness to self-consciousness, and from self-consciousness to Cosmic Consciousness. These are evolutionary stages in the spectrum of consciousness. These stages unfold as different planes/dimensions of existence that allow Consciousness to take form and express whatever it needs to manifest and experience.
In other words, the ego is created so that unconsciousness of Being becomes conscious of Being. But to begin with the ego needs to believe that it is a separated subject from the rest of apparent creation, with a separate point of view -- although it is far from understanding its own true function and remains ignorant of its own Source. Later, as a seeker, the ego’s level of self-consciousness unfolds an inner process of self-inquiry into the nature of its Being, and gradually it discovers its own uncorrupted Nature, which is unveiled with the appearance of Cosmic Consciousness. This Divine Plan gives rise to the ego-consciousness the realization that it is nothing more than a projection of Divine Consciousness that allows it to function in the space-time world of duality -- i.e. the ego self simply represents the stage when the Blueprint of Cosmic Consciousness was still in its unconscious state. So when Grace happens, then self-consciousness is Baptized, so to speak, with the light of Self-realization, and One then ‘knows’ that all forms of Creation are expressions of the Divine. These are all expressions of the same Absolute Wisdom -- the Source of our Beingness.
Thus, when by the Grace of God, the process of awakening happens in a human, then self-consciousness turns gradually into Divine Consciousness and the human comes into the presence of Divine Light -- this is what is referred to as En-Light-enment. And through the power of the Divine Spirit, awakened humans are transformed into fully-realized vehicles for that Spirit, to function as intended in the space-time world of duality. This is an Eternal Ineffable Mystery. But what can be said about it is that it means the “ego self” assumes a new relationship with the Source of its Being -- which is at the center-less heart of the Absolute."
Poet at heart