Ego is a good thing

[inavalan]

What do you call ego? Where does it fit in your model of reality?

People give different meanings to the same word. Anyway, I support the movement against anti-ego fanaticism ... :)

Here's one way to look at ego and from an Advaitin perspective. Call it an ego test.

Close your eyes and quietly say to yourself "I". If any thought of first person identity, ownership or doership comes up it's still active. That would be the ego-self (Ahamkara or I-maker).

[Miss Hepburn]

That was a good one JASG.

I have no problem with ego until it wants me to do something that
really is not good for me, is NOT in my best interest or for anyone else!
Examples: have a 2nd piece of triple chocolate cake, do some passive aggressive thing, procrastinate,
remain indignant, (well to feel an insult to begin with at ALL)!

Anything that is not pure or kind is the part of the lower ego self (Wayne Dyer called it)-that needs to be
'undone'...an ACIM term.
Like George Kastanza I often do the exact opposite of what my pride or shame (products of the ego) want me to do.
I want it to know ''who is in control here'' ---and it's my higher ego self that does the right and good and kind thing.

Now, what exactly the ego is -is something I can't be bothered with - too complex.
It's like building a clock ---when I just wanna know what time it is!

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

That was a good one JASG.

I have no problem with ego until it wants me to do something that
really is not good for me, is NOT in my best interest or for anyone else!
Examples: have a 2nd piece of triple chocolate cake, do some passive aggressive thing, procrastinate,
remain indignant, (well to feel an insult to begin with at ALL)!

Anything that is not pure or kind is the part of the lower ego self (Wayne Dyer called it)-that needs to be
'undone'...an ACIM term.
Like George Kastanza I often do the exact opposite of what my pride or shame (products of the ego) want me to do.
I want it to know ''who is in control here'' ---and it's my higher ego self that does the right and good and kind thing.

Now, what exactly the ego is -is something I can't be bothered with - too complex.
It's like building a clock ---when I just wanna know what time it is!

It can be rendered a lot more benign through simple mindfulness meditation. With enough practice one begins to become aware of its first manifestation from subconscious to consciousness in the form of a very subtle thought. There's a very small window of opportunity to let it go before it turns into a runaway thought train, inevitably resulting in an emotional reaction of some kind or other.

As to what it exactly is, well that's in the realm of neuroscience and psychology but one can think of it as processes or subroutines of the subconscious, partly the result of nature (genetics) and partly of nurture (experience). In Vedanta it's called Samskaras and can be thought of as impressions in the subconscious laid down and built up over time, like valleys that thoughts are likely to follow if left to their own tendencies. The deeper the valley, the less resistance to the flow.

Mindfulness meditation, through mechanisms of neuroplasticity, can also reshape those valleys to produce a more productive and positive flow, lessening the undesirable and strengthening the desirable.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

.... impressions in the subconscious laid down
and built up over time, like valleys that
thoughts are likely to follow if left to their own tendencies.

...reshape those valleys to produce a more productive and positive flow, lessening the
undesirable and strengthening the desirable.

Yes. And this would sum up the research done by Dr. Caroline Leaf and
neuroscientist Dr. Candace Pert's, rip, ''Molecules of Emotion".

''Biology of Belief'', "Switch on Your Brain'' - great books.

Also Paul regarding renewing your mind.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

It can be rendered a lot more benign through simple mindfulness meditation.

Why don't you define mindfulness meditation as you see it for the group.

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Why don't you define mindfulness meditation as you see it for the group.

It's generally attending (not thinking about but experiencing) some aspect of experience. Breath, sensation, sound, smell, thoughts. It's single-pointed attention to one of those objects of experience, and when one becomes aware one is no longer attending the object, that mind has wandered to the past, the future, opinions, ideas, memories, anticipations gently letting go without judgment and bringing attention back to the object one was attending.

Here's Jon Kabat-Zinn's operational definition from which I formulated my description. https://youtu.be/5TeWvf-nfpA?list=PL...PNokg&t=108 7

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

It's generally attending (not thinking about but experiencing) some aspect of experience. Breath, sensation, sound, smell, thoughts. It's single-pointed attention to one of those objects of experience, and when one becomes aware one is no longer attending the object, that mind has wandered to the past, the future, opinions, ideas, memories, anticipations gently letting go without judgment and bringing attention back to the object one was attending.

Here's Jon Kabat-Zinn's operational definition from which I formulated my description. https://youtu.be/5TeWvf-nfpA?list=PL...PNokg&t=108 7

I'm glad I asked -it's SO diff than what someone else defined it awhile ago.
I think it was said --it was being aware of self or yourself.

Seems you are describing focusing on 'something'.
Does it have to be one of those objects?
Seems that's what your saying?

Will click on link soon.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

I'm glad I asked -it's SO diff than what someone else defined it awhile ago.
I think it was said --it was being aware of self or yourself.

Seems you are describing focusing on 'something'.
Does it have to be one of those objects?
Seems that's what your saying?

Will click on link soon.

Your eating your favourite chocolate cake and savouring every bite, not thinking about the mess it makes or the calories in it, just enjoying the present moment. Your mind is full of what your doing now there's no room for anything else to fit in.

Mind-full of cakeness or whatever else you do.....

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

I'm glad I asked -it's SO diff than what someone else defined it awhile ago.
I think it was said --it was being aware of self or yourself.

Seems you are describing focusing on 'something'.
Does it have to be one of those objects?
Seems that's what your saying?

Will click on link soon.

Oh no, the objects being attended are only limited by one's imagination. Here are some from a MBSR course.

https://palousemindfulness.com/medit.../mountain.html

Raisin Meditation
Body Scan
Sitting Meditation
Mindful Yoga 1
Mindful Yoga 2
"Turning Toward..."
Mountain Meditation
Lake Meditation
Lovingkindness
Soften, Soothe, Allow
RAIN Meditation
Silent Meditations



I vary between breath, sound and smell for focused practice along with resting in awareness for non-focused practice during formal sitting and anything and everything for informal practice during the day. I really like a mindful hot shower!