miss hepburn and other none dualistic members

[john1974]

so i have been practicing meditation for about a year now and it involves just going to my bedroom and just sitting on my bed, no devices laptop,mobile,ecig,book etc so its "me just being". however i have this thing called lower ego who always trys its hardest to distract me and does quite a good job i must say. anyway there is days i just fall deeply into the silence and the warmth and welcoming of feeling home is something else, i "notice" even before falling into this silence that this "me" tries is hardest to escape the present, i "notice" it dying to reach for a phone a laptop or anything for distraction any attempt to avoid "what is" this week i have started using visualizations during meditation and its difficult to do this as i find myself wondering of elsewhere, im hoping this improves because i read somewhere if you hold a positive thought for 17 seconds it attaches other thoughts to it .

now when im at work or driving i find that this seems to be when this turd called "lower ego" sneaks up on me and its like being trapped between i lions jaws , at these times i find it really difficult to keep an eye on this little thing and somehow it sneaks in and bites me on the thing, i think its a focus thing myself as i find it difficult to keep a eye on it when driving or working so if anyone can give some pointers to crush this little thing at times like at work or driving. much appreciated

[Uma]

Originally Posted by john1974

so i have been practicing meditation for about a year now and it involves just going to my bedroom and just sitting on my bed, no devices laptop,mobile,ecig,book etc so its "me just being". however i have this thing called lower ego who always trys its hardest to distract me and does quite a good job i must say. anyway there is days i just fall deeply into the silence and the warmth and welcoming of feeling home is something else, i "notice" even before falling into this silence that this "me" tries is hardest to escape the present, i "notice" it dying to reach for a phone a laptop or anything for distraction any attempt to avoid "what is" this week i have started using visualizations during meditation and its difficult to do this as i find myself wondering of elsewhere, im hoping this improves because i read somewhere if you hold a positive thought for 17 seconds it attaches other thoughts to it .

now when im at work or driving i find that this seems to be when this turd called "lower ego" sneaks up on me and its like being trapped between i lions jaws , at these times i find it really difficult to keep an eye on this little **** and somehow it sneaks in and bites me on the ****, i think its a focus thing myself as i find it difficult to keep a eye on it when driving or working so if anyone can give some pointers to crush this little **** at times like at work or driving. much appreciated

Meditation really started working for me after my Kundalini was awakened by my Guru. Then I had something really powerful to focus on besides the chattering mind. If you are not feeling any movement of subtle energy then a Buddhist technique says to focus on the breath. They also say to keep a calm mind, not calling your ego bad names, just accepting it - that way you don't give it more power than it already has to distract you. Just keep bringing your attention back to the breath. Or you can focus on a mantra or affirmation if you prefer, just repeating the word peace for example. Whatever works for you.

When the mind still won't stop you can do things to distract it. Yoga asanas are actually forms of meditation. It takes a lot of conscious effort to hold a a pose and that keeps the mind busy and you are still meditating. You don't have to be in a sitting posture to meditate. You could also work out doing a lot of physical exercise and then it would be so relaxing and effortless just to sit still after that, meditation comes easier.

If you like group energy - then go to some spiritual group you feel comfortable with - whatever moves you, and their energies can carry you. Inspirational singing opens the heart chakra and you can feel waves of love and that quiets the mind so meditation follows quite easily - if that's your thing.

That's why there are so many meditation techniques.

Don't drive and meditate at the same time. I did that once, went into trance and crashed the car.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by john1974

so i have been practicing meditation for about a year now and it involves just going to my bedroom and just sitting on my bed, no devices laptop,mobile,ecig,book etc so its "me just being". however i have this thing called lower ego who always trys its hardest to distract me and does quite a good job i must say. anyway there is days i just fall deeply into the silence and the warmth and welcoming of feeling home is something else, i "notice" even before falling into this silence that this "me" tries is hardest to escape the present, i "notice" it dying to reach for a phone a laptop or anything for distraction any attempt to avoid "what is" this week i have started using visualizations during meditation and its difficult to do this as i find myself wondering of elsewhere, im hoping this improves because i read somewhere if you hold a positive thought for 17 seconds it attaches other thoughts to it .

now when im at work or driving i find that this seems to be when this turd called "lower ego" sneaks up on me and its like being trapped between i lions jaws , at these times i find it really difficult to keep an eye on this little **** and somehow it sneaks in and bites me on the ****, i think its a focus thing myself as i find it difficult to keep a eye on it when driving or working so if anyone can give some pointers to crush this little **** at times like at work or driving. much appreciated

"me just being' is good enough.

Indeed, the mind is habitualised to escape the present (or being present), and finds ways to be distracted, like, through devices, as you say.

That which you call 'lower ego' can not withstand the persistent and continuous gaze of your conscious awareness, but you don't want to be in conflict with it, so retain a neutral awareness and continue meditation.

[john1974]

Originally Posted by Gem

"me just being' is good enough.

Indeed, the mind is habitualised to escape the present (or being present), and finds ways to be distracted, like, through devices, as you say.

That which you call 'lower ego' can not withstand the persistent and continuous gaze of your conscious awareness, but you don't want to be in conflict with it, so retain a neutral awareness and continue meditation.

gem thanks for the advice it makes sense.

[Sojourner2013]

Hi John, I don't know if this will help, but after reading Michael Singer's book THE UNTETHERED SOUL (he talks extensively about what your post is about), I would suggest when the "lower ego" (as you call it) kicks in, to re-designate your perspective.

Speak to yourself in third person and ask yourself as if you are your "Higher Self". So, you just start asking yourself, "Hi John, how are you doing today?" Lower ego replies, "Good, but a little lost about something," HS: "such as..."

Carry on this mental conversation, until you realize that the responses that you receive are completely from the Higher Self. It may sound time-consuming and redundant, but it allows your higher self to have access to your present frame of mind. I hope this helps

[john1974]

Originally Posted by Sojourner2013

Hi John, I don't know if this will help, but after reading Michael Singer's book (he talks extensively about what your post is about), I would suggest when the "lower ego" (as you call it) kicks in, to re-designate your perspective.

Speak to yourself in third person and ask yourself as if you are your "Higher Self". So, you just start asking yourself, "Hi John, how are you doing today?" Lower ego replies, "Good, but a little lost about something," HS: "such as..."

Carry on this mental conversation, until you realize that the responses that you receive are completely from the Higher Self. It may sound time-consuming and redundant, but it allows your higher self to have access to your present frame of mind. I hope this helps

sijourner thanks for the reply, is this like enquiry?

[wstein]

Originally Posted by john1974

if anyone can give some pointers to crush this little thing at times like at work or driving. much appreciated

Though it may not seem like it, you are doing decently for the amount of practice you have done (~ a year).

As to the ego: much like the mind chatter, its far more effective to not react to them than to make an effort to rid yourself of them (crush). As such I suggest you try the method for mind chatter (voices in your head) called 'watch your thoughts' but also apply it to ego. It doesn't matter if you label them separately or lump the all together as 'thoughts'.

In case you are not familiar with the 'watch your thoughts' method it goes like this. Whenever you notice a thought or a mind chatter, simply label it as a 'thought'. Do nothing else about it. Do not attempt to stop it or to prevent another like it. Simply return to being present. If you notice another thought, label it too. This can be a little discouraging at first as there are so many that you don't even label the first one before another arrives. If you 'miss' some don't worry about it and don't try to catch up; just catch the next one.

The mistake many make is to try to 'do' something about the thought (or ego) they don't want. While the intent is in the right place, the actual effect is to reinforce the behavior you don't want. Though it seem counter intuitive, you are better off not making any further effort.

[Tobi]

Lower ego gets us all! It is a part of our experience here. Not to be disdained, but we can train it. I got lower ego today, and was aware of it (which I wouldn't have been in the past) I decided "vibration follows thought", and those low thoughts were becoming outdated and did I need them any more?

(Example: someone sent me a hamper. There were three things I couldn't eat. I looked on them as a nuisance. The cheese was so seriously out of date anyway. Gosh! What a nuisance!
I caught that thought, laughed at it, and decided to think: "Wow....someone thought so much about me to send me a hamper. That was loving and kind of them. The cheese doesn't matter. That person gave me something. That is meaningful.")

It is within our scope -everyones' scope -to grasp any thought and change it at any time of night or day. Habitual thought creates new tracks.

[Nameless]

Here's a suggestion when you are driving. You said it yourself really. Appreciate. Appreciation. I like to be in appreciation when I drive to work. I have a sort of mantra I do as well, but really the most helpful thing I do is, when I get in my car, I breathe in deeply and let it out, and when I let it out, I say release, or I'm letting go of negative thoughts. Then, I breathe in the Joy that is all around me, in the air, in the trees, all of nature that surrounds me, every living thing has joy in it. Then, on the outbreath, I breathe the Joy down into my body. I do this a few times. I can feel my cells revving up and coming alive.

One of the things I do is to appreciate everything around me. I appreciate my car, and the smooth road I am traveling on, the trees on the road, I try and find something to appreciate. Sometimes if I am at a light and catch my thoughts on something other than what I am trying to do, I'll rub my hands on my legs to get me back to the present moment and what I am doing. I concentrate on driving, and the action of driving, I appreciate my car, I appreciate my job, I appreciate my bosses, I love what I do, and I love that I can help, etc, etc.

I try to drive my thoughts before they drive me LOL.

It usually works to get in a good mood to start the day.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by wstein

Though it may not seem like it, you are doing decently for the amount of practice you have done (~ a year).

As to the ego: much like the mind chatter, its far more effective to not react to them than to make an effort to rid yourself of them (crush). As such I suggest you try the method for mind chatter (voices in your head) called 'watch your thoughts' but also apply it to ego. It doesn't matter if you label them separately or lump the all together as 'thoughts'.

In case you are not familiar with the 'watch your thoughts' method it goes like this. Whenever you notice a thought or a mind chatter, simply label it as a 'thought'. Do nothing else about it. Do not attempt to stop it or to prevent another like it. Simply return to being present. If you notice another thought, label it too. This can be a little discouraging at first as there are so many that you don't even label the first one before another arrives. If you 'miss' some don't worry about it and don't try to catch up; just catch the next one.

The mistake many make is to try to 'do' something about the thought (or ego) they don't want. While the intent is in the right place, the actual effect is to reinforce the behavior you don't want. Though it seem counter intuitive, you are better off not making any further effort.

I like this one ^