No. Any effort to diminish ego is a movement in the wrong direction. Who would make the effort? Who could do anything to get rid of ego or diminish ego? Ego cannot get rid of ego. Selfhood cannot get rid of selfhood.
Ego/selfhood/the sense of being a separate person/ is a structure of thought and usually involves a long story.
The strategy/path suggested here is to stop reinforcing the thoughts that keep the structure of ego and sense of selfhood intact. We suggest, as a first step, shifting attention from thoughts to direct sensory perception. By shifting attention to what is seen or heard attention is removed from the idea that there is a separately existing entity and becomes focused upon "what is." We are suggesting that people (1) get "out of their heads," (2) stop relating to the world through reflective thought (same thing), and (3) start relating again to the world like little children. We are suggesting that people become innocent of the world by leaving behind judgmentalness, fantasization, and all useless ideation and mental chatter.
We also suggest that people become action-oriented. Do what has to be done, and then do the next thing that has to be done. Live in the present moment as much as possible and focus upon the task at hand.
We are suggesting a different way of life that ultimately unifies the observer with the world rather than keeping the world at arm's length, psychologically. To be precise, this way of life leads to the realization that all separation is illusory.
We are suggesting giving up all ideas of shoulds or oughts in favor of non-resistance to "what is." This doesn't mean that someone can't work for social justice, help people, or be of service; it means that all such work and help is done without reflection or "patting oneself on the back." It means giving up all ideas about how other people should be. It means looking within and getting in touch with one's core truth. It means finding the ground of one's being and becoming allied with THAT.
This strategy does not attack ego as an enemy; it ignores ego until it dies a natural death from inattention.
On a different but related subject you have repeatedly complained because people on this forum do not recommend service to others as a primary focus, but your idea of service is extremely limited. Why do you think that I am taking the time to write these words? Service. Why do you think that I allowed a renter who had had a heart attack and no insurance to live in a building I owned for more than a year without paying any rent (thereby losing $4000 in income)? Service. Why do I often send money to people anonymously? Service. Why have I never accepted payment from a church group for conducting a satsang? Service. Writing about this subject is distasteful to me and it is distasteful to many other people on this path, but you need to realize that service occurs in many ways that are different from traditional ideas of service. I do not take credit or feel any pride for anything helpful that occurs through this body/mind because it is nothing more than a tiny conduit for something Vast and unimaginably intelligent. I live in service to THAT.
When I meet people who are totally self-absorbed, I often recommend that they volunteer their time to worthy causes or help other people because those kinds of activities will often help them get out of their self-absorbed state of mind.
Despite what others might say, realizing one's unity with God is possible in this lifetime, and it leads to a life of total service. Don't be fooled by appearances.
Ego/selfhood/the sense of being a separate person/ is a structure of thought and usually involves a long story.
The strategy/path suggested here is to stop reinforcing the thoughts that keep the structure of ego and sense of selfhood intact. We suggest, as a first step, shifting attention from thoughts to direct sensory perception. By shifting attention to what is seen or heard attention is removed from the idea that there is a separately existing entity and becomes focused upon "what is." We are suggesting that people (1) get "out of their heads," (2) stop relating to the world through reflective thought (same thing), and (3) start relating again to the world like little children. We are suggesting that people become innocent of the world by leaving behind judgmentalness, fantasization, and all useless ideation and mental chatter.
We also suggest that people become action-oriented. Do what has to be done, and then do the next thing that has to be done. Live in the present moment as much as possible and focus upon the task at hand.
We are suggesting a different way of life that ultimately unifies the observer with the world rather than keeping the world at arm's length, psychologically. To be precise, this way of life leads to the realization that all separation is illusory.
We are suggesting giving up all ideas of shoulds or oughts in favor of non-resistance to "what is." This doesn't mean that someone can't work for social justice, help people, or be of service; it means that all such work and help is done without reflection or "patting oneself on the back." It means giving up all ideas about how other people should be. It means looking within and getting in touch with one's core truth. It means finding the ground of one's being and becoming allied with THAT.
This strategy does not attack ego as an enemy; it ignores ego until it dies a natural death from inattention.
On a different but related subject you have repeatedly complained because people on this forum do not recommend service to others as a primary focus, but your idea of service is extremely limited. Why do you think that I am taking the time to write these words? Service. Why do you think that I allowed a renter who had had a heart attack and no insurance to live in a building I owned for more than a year without paying any rent (thereby losing $4000 in income)? Service. Why do I often send money to people anonymously? Service. Why have I never accepted payment from a church group for conducting a satsang? Service. Writing about this subject is distasteful to me and it is distasteful to many other people on this path, but you need to realize that service occurs in many ways that are different from traditional ideas of service. I do not take credit or feel any pride for anything helpful that occurs through this body/mind because it is nothing more than a tiny conduit for something Vast and unimaginably intelligent. I live in service to THAT.
When I meet people who are totally self-absorbed, I often recommend that they volunteer their time to worthy causes or help other people because those kinds of activities will often help them get out of their self-absorbed state of mind.
Despite what others might say, realizing one's unity with God is possible in this lifetime, and it leads to a life of total service. Don't be fooled by appearances.
