Divine Intervention the EGO

[Zagreus]

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

Ugh... So this is meant to be taken as a true story??

This reminds me a little bit of Conversations with God, by Neale Donald Walsch (?). Every heard of that, or read any of it? There are three books that I know of, but I think the author has written several others.

Ego has taken on quite a few meanings over the years, depending on the dicipline. Typical psychological definition is fairly neutral. So is esotericism. But both of these speak of something *beyond* ego, whether that be called SuperEgo, the Higher Self, SOUL or God. The acronym mentioned on this thread is kinda neat.

Of course, ego can also just mean self-centeredness, or vanity, arrogance. So and so is "full of ego," or equally, "full of themselves." But it is even possible to speak of being self-centered in the neutral sense, as in, being self-focused, without necessarily being pejorative or critical. After all, it's a stage we go through, and there have been so, so many humans who have transcended it, and who have even hung around to tell us what it's like. Then again, some have *been* hanged for it.

I guess I still have reservations about just what kind of importance we assign to the ego in the spiritual, or psychological sense. We can't overlook, bypass, or ignore it. Yet there is certainly such a thing as "false ego," which is a confusion of the sense of self with something *less than* the Divine, and the assumption that we are *already there*, so to speak ... already enlightened, saved, whatever.

I like the idea that ego serves as a necessary, but ultimately a *temporary*, vessel, or vehicle, for something greater - our Greater Self. When we have transcended ego, and at-one'd ourself with the Divine, this will be self-evident, others will detect this, and our lives will be a living testimony to it. The tree shall bear fruit - and kabbalistically speaking, that fruit will be growing from the highest branches, or nodes, rather than the lowest sephiroth.

I don't know SacredStar, but controvery aside, I just wish she were here to comment. I can't presume to know her viewpoint. Just saw the thread and thought I'd chime in.

~Zag