Objectivity is lost when one becomes swayed by desire or fear. When a thing provokes either a reaction to enjoy or avert, the attempt to escape becomes so engrossing that detachment disappears. Feelings of fear or desire leave a deep mark in the unconscious mind [This mark is called samskara]. Later, it reappears in the conscious mind and brings with it the charge of feeling causing one to become involved with it or take an action motivated by it. This makes the samskara be invested with more energy. It will therefore rise again with an even more compelling push towards Words, Action, Thoughts eventually resulting in the Character and Habits of the person (WATCH). Remember that the bad habits have to replaced by the good ones first before all of them are dropped off.
The only way to get out this eternal cycle is to ignore the samskara. As it rises repeatedly and gets no additional investment it loses it power to motivate and compel and is dissipated. Thus the saying
When the mind exists undisturbed
nothing in the world can offend [or please] ...
and when a thing can no longer offend [or please] ...
it ceases to exist.
This bundle of samskaras which results in habits comprises the character or personality. It is basis of our uniqueness and individuality. It is apparent that the selective weighting of samskaras creates an individual which forms the ego 'i.' The ego is then, from this perspective, essentially an illusion . If the habits are broken, character and personality are rewritten and when all the samskaras are allowed to dissipate, this ego 'i' would disappear revealing one's true eternal unchanging nature of awareness beyond the normal consciousness.
Not heeding to the ego and satisfying it's wants amounts to losing the ego. Caution and clinging to known concepts prevents one from taking the step into unknown. This frantic clinging to attachments becomes a matter of desperation and cuts off further growth. Further, there are cultural and society pressures which foster the growth and maintainence of ego. Investing time to develop beyond the ego is discouraged in almost all the societies in the world, especially in the countries where economic and material successes play a fundamental role in the society. Though the spiritual practice to subdue the ego and eventually ignore its control is difficult, it is a necessary one to realize our true nature.
Often, pseudo-growth is difficult to distinguish from authentic growth. There are magnificient fantasies on what would be done after destroying the samskaras and thus 'attaining enlightenment.' But all these are cast from the present desires and fears and based on the ego itself. Thus, the basis of destroying an individual personality is not destroyed but is strengthed. The actual process of evolution, on the other hand, is a step into the unknown. The frantic struggle to 'improve oneself' with known concepts and expectations must be given up altogether since these are in terms of an ego, essentially an illusion.
For true change to occur, the limits of the present ego must be fully admitted. It must be examined in detail, stripped of all pretenses, and exposed for what it really is. When a desire or aversion is exposed to the uncompromising crest jewel of discrimination, it loses its ability to grow or sprout again, much like a parched seed. When objectively discriminated, all of life's pleasures and fantasies are seen to be ephemeral and they come to seen as trivial. Giving up one's treasured attachments (to objects, person, concepts) entails a certain temporary pain. When the pain is viewed with detachment, a new perspective is gained. Breaking the binding nature of the ego is difficult only because most of us are accustomed to it by habit. However, when the association with the ego is broken, no questions about duality arise. One restructures the notions about the world and himself until the ego no longer controls. Then, we always abide in our eternal nature.
Our nature is awareness beyond the ego. One's imagination imprisons, for the person identifies with this imagination. The ego is an error, a lack of true vision. Thoughts, feelings appear and leave their imprint, if unchecked. Memories of them constitute a continuity which is non-existent. Awareness is reflected in the mind's mirror giving birth to ego. Confused by the reflection, the ignorant one believes himself to be an separate individual. In reality, we are beyond the space and time.
Don't surround yourself with imagined limitations, and impose a image on yourselves. This condition is the root of ignorance and the cause of all suffering. Be alert and see the things happening on an mind/intellect level, but never associate yourself with it. You are indeed beyond all constraints ! Indeed.
The only way to get out this eternal cycle is to ignore the samskara. As it rises repeatedly and gets no additional investment it loses it power to motivate and compel and is dissipated. Thus the saying
When the mind exists undisturbed
nothing in the world can offend [or please] ...
and when a thing can no longer offend [or please] ...
it ceases to exist.
This bundle of samskaras which results in habits comprises the character or personality. It is basis of our uniqueness and individuality. It is apparent that the selective weighting of samskaras creates an individual which forms the ego 'i.' The ego is then, from this perspective, essentially an illusion . If the habits are broken, character and personality are rewritten and when all the samskaras are allowed to dissipate, this ego 'i' would disappear revealing one's true eternal unchanging nature of awareness beyond the normal consciousness.
Not heeding to the ego and satisfying it's wants amounts to losing the ego. Caution and clinging to known concepts prevents one from taking the step into unknown. This frantic clinging to attachments becomes a matter of desperation and cuts off further growth. Further, there are cultural and society pressures which foster the growth and maintainence of ego. Investing time to develop beyond the ego is discouraged in almost all the societies in the world, especially in the countries where economic and material successes play a fundamental role in the society. Though the spiritual practice to subdue the ego and eventually ignore its control is difficult, it is a necessary one to realize our true nature.
Often, pseudo-growth is difficult to distinguish from authentic growth. There are magnificient fantasies on what would be done after destroying the samskaras and thus 'attaining enlightenment.' But all these are cast from the present desires and fears and based on the ego itself. Thus, the basis of destroying an individual personality is not destroyed but is strengthed. The actual process of evolution, on the other hand, is a step into the unknown. The frantic struggle to 'improve oneself' with known concepts and expectations must be given up altogether since these are in terms of an ego, essentially an illusion.
For true change to occur, the limits of the present ego must be fully admitted. It must be examined in detail, stripped of all pretenses, and exposed for what it really is. When a desire or aversion is exposed to the uncompromising crest jewel of discrimination, it loses its ability to grow or sprout again, much like a parched seed. When objectively discriminated, all of life's pleasures and fantasies are seen to be ephemeral and they come to seen as trivial. Giving up one's treasured attachments (to objects, person, concepts) entails a certain temporary pain. When the pain is viewed with detachment, a new perspective is gained. Breaking the binding nature of the ego is difficult only because most of us are accustomed to it by habit. However, when the association with the ego is broken, no questions about duality arise. One restructures the notions about the world and himself until the ego no longer controls. Then, we always abide in our eternal nature.
Our nature is awareness beyond the ego. One's imagination imprisons, for the person identifies with this imagination. The ego is an error, a lack of true vision. Thoughts, feelings appear and leave their imprint, if unchecked. Memories of them constitute a continuity which is non-existent. Awareness is reflected in the mind's mirror giving birth to ego. Confused by the reflection, the ignorant one believes himself to be an separate individual. In reality, we are beyond the space and time.
Don't surround yourself with imagined limitations, and impose a image on yourselves. This condition is the root of ignorance and the cause of all suffering. Be alert and see the things happening on an mind/intellect level, but never associate yourself with it. You are indeed beyond all constraints ! Indeed.
