How to practically force your ego to die?

[davidsun]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

The Spiritual Aspirant who uses the word 'ego' is not truly seeking wisdom nor trying to dispel ignorance and darkness, indeed they are simply perpetuating it. The word 'ego' is one that the Spiritual Aspirant shouldn't use because there are far better words that promote understanding. In Ahamkara, 'ego' is a kara or 'invented thing' - so-called ego is nothing more than the objectification of a collection of judgements, character flaws and cognitive disorders people feel much more Spiritual when they can point to the so-called ego and think that they have transcended it, but are ignorant of the realisation that in doing so have merely become unwitting victims of their own definitions.

I assume, or at least hope, that you recognize and so enjoy the convergence of our respective 'shticks', GS!

[Shivani Devi]

I am going to say this for once and for all.

In the true Yogic sense, the word "ego' as I was taught by the Masters is:

1. Anything which makes you believe that you are special, different or superior/inferior to anybody else.

2. That you have an opinion or experience you believe to be more "correct" or "valid" or "applicable to humanity" than any other belief or philosophy out there.

3. Ego is that thing which makes you believe you have a separate sense of Spiritual Identity to All that is (The jury is out as to whether Bhaktas should be included in that) *laughs*

4. The thing that makes you feel pride and arrogance in the things you have personally felt you have accomplished and are now promoting AS the Self(or self... whatever).

5. That which makes you feel better or worse off than anybody out there according to material possessions and attachments... including positive relationships.

I could go on, but I think you all get the point.

I am a scholar of pure Advaita Vedanta....and it is time I stopped mucking around.

I was a member of the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy in Rishikesh, India for many years and studied under Swami Chidananda Saraswati and Swami Krishnananda Saraswati, who were direct disciples of Swami Sivananda Saraswati, founder of the Divine Life Society...I was given Diksha by Swami Chidananda back in 2001...Swami Sivananda is my "Grand Master"...I mostly study the works of David Frawley and Hareesh Wallis now.

Whatever I teach on here was learned from sitting at their feet for 20 years.

Anybody surprised? Or did they already know this? Curious...

[Shivani Devi]

All of these lost memories are beginning to surface now ..

Like the time back in the late 90's when we had a special visitor at the Ashram.

I only knew him as "Swami Kartikkeyan-ji" I think everyone did..he was an "Associate Swami"...more of a "part-time monk" thing.

Swami came from another Ashram in Kerala State, South India and both he and I hit it off immediately (in the spiritual sense of course, because he was nearly 80).

He was the most humble, gentle, radiant being with a huge smile that lit up the whole room...I asked him "from whence does thou countenance shine?" and he introduced me to his life experiences with Swami Venkateshananda Saraswati who had just attained Maha Samadhi the year before...then I gazed at a photo of his master and I was just transfixed in awe to the spot...then and there.

[Shivani Devi]

So, this is my ego-story, now that I have started it..may as well just give it...

When I was 20, I met (and a year later, married) my Hatha Yoga teacher..a Hindu man from Fiji who was 20 years my senior.

He was heavily influenced by his gurus, Swami Vishnudevanada Saraswati, Swami Chidananda Saraswati and the very enigmatic BKS Iyengar...who stood as testament to the physical properties of yoga relating to stamina and longevity...but I digress .

My ex husband introduced me to the Divine Life Society and regular trips made between Australia and India to visit his teachers and between Australia to Fiji..his family still lived in a small village there...I loved it there...reminded me of a time before Bali became a tourist haven and a terrorist target...

After the girls were born, we made less and less trips to India and more and more to Fiji, but we always kept in contact with the Swamis at the DLS and when the Internet happened, that became much easier..."virtual satsanga" became a thing...

A few times the Swamis would be hosted to come out to the newly established Temples as well....they would stay for a week or two..do the public speaking circuit....I remember going to a series of lectures and concerts given by Sri Chinmoy... those were the days..

From there, my husband studied astrology and "priest things" which I helped him to remember all the Sanskrit Mantras ( I was pretty much born knowing Sanskrit) and I picked up a few things here and there about astrology, herbal medicine, rituals and he taught me Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and his personal practice of Raja and Kriya Yoga.

Many weekends watching Gurumayi Chidvilasananda talk about her Guru, Baba Muktananda and HIS Guru, Swami Nityananda...many a weekend was spent at the Ashram in Dulwich Hill... usually discussing Ramana Maharishi instead..

It was then I applied to the Forest Academy to get my IYTA (International Yoga Teacher's Association) accreditation and we both taught yoga during "Activities Week" at a High School in Sydney...

...end of part one.. fingers sore now..

[Unseeking Seeker]

***

@ Shivani .... a unique journey indeed! What about connection with Shiva Himself? I recollect you writing about it somewhere.

***

[Miss Hepburn]

Shivani - Fun seeing your background. I'm soon going to be mentioning things Swami Sivananda (Divine Life Society) has said
about meditation and concentration to a young man just beginning meditation. Might influence him more if
a Swami has said something rather just ole 'me'. Ha!
I would like to eventually influence him to investigate Kriya, a form of Raja Yoga...they don't call it 'King' for no reason, ha! ;)

Something I am becoming aware of is how often Australians travel to India. Lucky.
Dulwich Hill - so you are around Sydney, still, maybe - thinking of the shopping scene you told us about recently.


"3. Ego is that thing which makes you believe you have a separate sense of Spiritual Identity to All That Is
(The jury is out as to whether Bhaktas should be included in that) *laughs*"
I laughed at this, also.
For those unfamiliar with that word it would mean a lover, a devotee, and thus, a servant of the All That Is...in
whatever form.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Shivani - Fun seeing your background. I'm soon going to be mentioning things Swami Sivananda (Divine Life Society) has said
about meditation and concentration to a young man just beginning meditation. Might influence him more if
a Swami has said something rather just ole 'me'. Ha!
I would like to eventually influence him to investigate Kriya, a form of Raja Yoga...they don't call it 'King' for no reason, ha! ;)

Something I am becoming aware of is how often Australians travel to India. Lucky.
Dulwich Hill - so you are around Sydney, still, maybe - thinking of the shopping scene you told us about recently.


"3. Ego is that thing which makes you believe you have a separate sense of Spiritual Identity to All That Is
(The jury is out as to whether Bhaktas should be included in that) *laughs*"
I laughed at this, also.
For those unfamiliar with that word it would mean a lover, a devotee, and thus, a servant of the All That Is...in
whatever form.

I was born in the slums of Maquarie Fields... growing up anywhere between Liverpool and Campbelltown....they called us "Westies" and "Bogans" and "rednecks" among other things...and we usually lived up to that reputation..

After I was married...I moved to a Semi-Detached in Glebe...hello, culture shock! Good thing the Theosophical Society was just a few blocks away... Sydney had now become my "oyster"...from the ISKCON temples in Darlinghurst and North Sydney...to the "Spiritual Lighthouse" in Randwick...the Theosophists down on Kent Street, Siddha Yoga Ashram in Dulwich Hill, Satyananda Ashram in Mangrove Mountain...then there were all the Eckankar centres, the Mahikari healers and Reiki studios from Japan that were down near Coogee Beach...I had a good time...

Right now I am living in Wollongong.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

***

@ Shivani .... a unique journey indeed! What about connection with Shiva Himself? I recollect you writing about it somewhere.

***

I shall continue the journey at this point tomorrow...doing this drains me, but I like doing it too.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

Right now I am living in Wollongong.

Ah, I can picture it...same distance to Sydney I am from Boulder, CO.
Lucky, so close to the ocean.

[Tis Armand]

Originally Posted by davidsun

Talk about those who think that the 'best' way to evolve 'forward' is self-immolation!

This is masochistic (suicidal?) 'mad'ness, in my view.

Recently I woke up from a scary dream and it brought about an unsettling fear that was to linger in my gut for hours. I sent the fire of my heart into the fear and the disturbing feeling was gone in minutes. I helped my sister do the same with the black emotions of depression and it too was gone in minutes. Without this technique I'd be helpless, I'd be a victim of these thieves of energy, these psychic intruders.