A path
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 2:00 pm
The definition of the word 'ego' as I use it here is identification with something (feeling like you are doing something or have to do something). I am not saying that this is what ego means, only that this is what I mean when I use the word.
step 1:
Drop ego whenever it comes up. Don't try to stop thoughts, just drop ego and thoughts will have no more grip on you. Whenever you are turning into this voice in the head, drop ego. Stop your involvement in the story. When you catch yourself saying "I need to drop the ego", drop that too as it is also ego. How can you keep doing this, then? When succesful you will feel the pain whenever the ego is there and experience the relief of dropping it. It's that simple. This is a practice of surrender. Saying 'I have a choice' or 'I don't have a choice' or trying to figure something out is all turning the present moment into an obstacle and is all ego. So, step 1: drop ego whenever you catch it.
step 2:
Be aware of what happens now. You don't have to control what you are aware of and you don't have to label what you are aware of. Doing so would constantly take you out of the now. Just open up your awareness to the present moment. Never try to find a special state of awareness. That would be ego. Your awareness should be flexible and free and never 'stuck' on something. This comes automatically after step 1 and both steps are basically the same, but this practice keeps it in place. So, step 2, be aware of what happens now.
step 3:
Without using words, keep asking yourself 'who am I?'. Keep trying to find who you are. Look for the awareness that is aware of what is going on. Don't try to give answers and don't use words as doing so would mean the ego is back. When ego is back, drop ego again as in step 1. Always keep looking. You might ask me 'who is looking, then?', well when you are looking for who you are there is no delusion since you have no fixed idea of 'this is me!'. When you start talking about it in your head, you will once again have believed that you are your thoughts. The reason for practicing this is that you never become deluded this way and your identity will always be before thought. Basically it is an aid that keeps your 'great doubt' (as they call it in zen) alive. This takes you deeper into the now. So, step 3: without words, keep looking within for who you truly are.
step 4:
Cut down everything in your way. Cut down ideas of 'I got it!'. Cut down magical feelings. Cut down feelings of 'that person gets it!', or 'this is too complicated for me', or 'I will never gain liberation'. Again, an aid to keep your great doubt alive and to make sure ego doesn't return. So, step 4: cut down everything in your way.
Anyone can do this. Results will come if you have all of the following things present:
Great faith. The faith to drop the ego and be in a state of not-knowing.
Great doubt. The doubt of never knowing who you are. Constantly looking to find yourself without accepting any answer.
Great determination. Never stop.
Great passion. Your practice is your goal. You have passion for the practice. There are no thoughts of 'I must gain enlightenment'. There is just the practice.
Doing it is not easy, but it IS simple. Of course, someone has to be ready for this path first, but there are many ways for gaining enough understanding to be ready for this.
step 1:
Drop ego whenever it comes up. Don't try to stop thoughts, just drop ego and thoughts will have no more grip on you. Whenever you are turning into this voice in the head, drop ego. Stop your involvement in the story. When you catch yourself saying "I need to drop the ego", drop that too as it is also ego. How can you keep doing this, then? When succesful you will feel the pain whenever the ego is there and experience the relief of dropping it. It's that simple. This is a practice of surrender. Saying 'I have a choice' or 'I don't have a choice' or trying to figure something out is all turning the present moment into an obstacle and is all ego. So, step 1: drop ego whenever you catch it.
step 2:
Be aware of what happens now. You don't have to control what you are aware of and you don't have to label what you are aware of. Doing so would constantly take you out of the now. Just open up your awareness to the present moment. Never try to find a special state of awareness. That would be ego. Your awareness should be flexible and free and never 'stuck' on something. This comes automatically after step 1 and both steps are basically the same, but this practice keeps it in place. So, step 2, be aware of what happens now.
step 3:
Without using words, keep asking yourself 'who am I?'. Keep trying to find who you are. Look for the awareness that is aware of what is going on. Don't try to give answers and don't use words as doing so would mean the ego is back. When ego is back, drop ego again as in step 1. Always keep looking. You might ask me 'who is looking, then?', well when you are looking for who you are there is no delusion since you have no fixed idea of 'this is me!'. When you start talking about it in your head, you will once again have believed that you are your thoughts. The reason for practicing this is that you never become deluded this way and your identity will always be before thought. Basically it is an aid that keeps your 'great doubt' (as they call it in zen) alive. This takes you deeper into the now. So, step 3: without words, keep looking within for who you truly are.
step 4:
Cut down everything in your way. Cut down ideas of 'I got it!'. Cut down magical feelings. Cut down feelings of 'that person gets it!', or 'this is too complicated for me', or 'I will never gain liberation'. Again, an aid to keep your great doubt alive and to make sure ego doesn't return. So, step 4: cut down everything in your way.
Anyone can do this. Results will come if you have all of the following things present:
Great faith. The faith to drop the ego and be in a state of not-knowing.
Great doubt. The doubt of never knowing who you are. Constantly looking to find yourself without accepting any answer.
Great determination. Never stop.
Great passion. Your practice is your goal. You have passion for the practice. There are no thoughts of 'I must gain enlightenment'. There is just the practice.
Doing it is not easy, but it IS simple. Of course, someone has to be ready for this path first, but there are many ways for gaining enough understanding to be ready for this.