Being and ego can be construed as two dimensions as illustrated in the Human Being Map depicted below, although ultimately they are one, since consciousness is oneness of Source. Note that pure Being and ego cannot co-exist, just as darkness cannot exist in the presence of light.
The Human Being Map: Dimensions of Ego and Forever-Being
You have always been you, throughout your life as a baby, a small child, pre high school, and teenager, adolescent, adult. Is it not the same unchanging you who is aware of all these changes? Your body cells too have changed so many times, and your current body reflects your current age. The real you is forever-Being. Chop off a limb, lose an eye or replace an internal organ … and you are still you … change a thought, emotion or belief … and you are still you. Die to the human body and you are still you – assuming you haven’t experienced your own death before, you may have to take that one on faith. Again we come to the notion that there is a difference between you and your corpse which is the life force itself. Your awareness has been constant and unchanging throughout. So wake up! Realize that you are the awareness – the awareness that sees/ senses the external world and the internal world of temporary thoughts and emotions that come and go. Identification with these thoughts and emotions, especially painful ones is the main cause of psychological suffering and bondage of human beings.
How should we view such thoughts and emotions?
1. Realize that you are not your thoughts and emotions that come and go, albeit they may be related to your experiences, conditioned thought-emotion patterns and current life situation.
2. Observe your thoughts and emotions and try to put to space around them. Ask yourself questions like “where is the thinker?”, “who is the thinker?”, “where did that thought come from?” and “what is my next thought going to be?”
3. Realize that thoughts of a troubling kind are often untrue, perhaps biased by earlier conditioning, and don’t take them so seriously. But do list genuine concerns for attention in writing to get them off of your mind.
4. Quiet or stop your thinking by directing attention away from your mind, for example, by using a simple meditation/ breathing technique and/or focusing attention on the body, thereby withdrawing attention from mind activity. A regular “body scan” can help, involving just observation, (or including deliberate relaxation), of the whole body or just chosen parts such as the hands.
5. Realize that in the absence of the ego mind, there is a gap of “No-Mind” that opens you up to the “Clarity of Big Mind”, a deeper sensory perception. (Refer to the No Mind Map below).
The No Mind Map–Meditation and Mindfulness
Your natural state is one of being relaxed and joyful. If you suffer this is generally through identification with, being lost in, the trance of involuntary automatic thought. And, associated therewith, it is not the seemingly unfortunate events that make us suffer, rather the meaning we attribute to events. This is not to deny that events such as the loss of a loved one, for example, have the capacity to shake us up. Yet with the right mind-set that really understands the nature of life, and monitoring and evaluating the stories running through our minds, we can cope much better than otherwise.
When operating from ego, your Sense of Self comes from the stuff (or content) in one’s mind. When operating from (forever) Being, your Sense of Self comes from Presence, now – the natural flow of Joy, Love Light and Gratitude free of mental commentary and sufferings of your ego lost in stories of past or future.
Here are a few helpful techniques:
1. Byron Katie’s “The Work” for questioning the validity of thoughts and beliefs, and bringing in more joy
2, Eckhart Tolle’s suggestion of anchoring presence in the body – essentially diverting attention energy from our mind to our body, quieting the former
3. Sedona method for letting go of difficult emotions
4. If you are calm, or can get calm, simply stop thinking if you can, but don’t suppress thoughts/ emotions, observe them impartially, without judgment; and thereby de-energize them
5. Routinely check that your body is relaxed and that your mind is calm. Focus on following your breath, in and out, saying to yourself words like calm, clear, beyond
6. Ask yourself questions like:
(a) Am I calm and relaxed now?
(b) Am I feeling good now?
(c) Am I smelling the roses now? (I.e. am I present? And, a reminder to focus on your breath)
(d) What problem do I have right now? [Generally the answer is “none,” albeit you may have made a list and a schedule to deal with some matters of importance from a state of calm presence].
(e) Am I the “Body” or the “Animating Presence?”
7. Surrender and accept “what-is” without resistance – if nothing fazes you, you are strong not weak
8. You have experienced difficult times and worried needlessly – remember that they never lasted. Remind yourself “This too shall pass.” And ask yourself “what am I afraid of losing?” But, do not ruminate. Get into the “State of Presence.”
9. Whatever has happened, have you noticed that throughout your whole life you’re still here? The ongoing observing awareness.
10. Say to yourself, ”I don’t mind what happens” in life since first, it has happened anyway so you can’t change that, and secondly, you have decided that it will not disturb your peace of mind and you will deal with it, if action or change is warranted, from a calm place.
We are not suggesting that recognizing your forever-Being, and surrendering to real life, means being passive. On the contrary, life is to be faced fully and turned into a joyous adventure, learning along the way from missteps, mistakes and misfortunes. When challenges arise, slow down, stay calm and deal with them boldly from your Being, your access to Big Mind. You’re still here, haven’t gone anywhere or changed in your deep essence, have you?
As forever-Being, living in reality and sanity, there is nothing for you to fear other than the self-imposed barriers and excuses of the false ego. Manage the ego well, and relax!! And, remember that as forever-Being you live life in the vertical dimension, this timeless moment, now.
Reference: Peak Performance!! Merging Spirituality & Success Principles – available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble