Most recent edit on 2008-06-11 14:51:26 by GregEhmka
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#5, A Yogic or traditional way of prying yourself loose.
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A Yogic or traditional way of prying yourself loose.
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A Yogic or traditional way of prying yourself loose.
Being Identified
Some people identify with their car, some identify with their children, some people identify with their money and some identify with their job. Most identify with their physical body and virtually everyone identifies with their name.
What is interesting is one's name is really kind of a label for the ego. Considering that the ego is a program, software for the physical body, one's name is kind of like the name of the software and even a version number.
The next time someone asks me, "Who are you?" Maybe instead of just saying the normal "I'm Greg." I might say "I'm Greg version 4.0." What is good about that is although I still identity with being Greg, I am identifying with being a CHANGING Greg! If I thought about how many big changes I have gone through, versions 1.0, 2.0, etc. and how many small changes, .1, .2, .3, etc. I could be up to "Release 435.8" or even higher by now.
Could that mean my ego is changing too? I think so.
The Identifier
If we again consider that the ego is a program then who is the programmer? And is a changed Ego a reprogrammed one? And then on top of that, if I say "I" am the programmer then who or what is an "I?" Especially if I identify with my ego.
So am I the programmer or is Greg the programmer? Well, if I am Greg then there is no difference but if I am NOT Greg then there is a difference. If I identify with Greg (or my car, kids, money, job etc.) then am "I" the identifier?
Could it be that I am the identifier who chooses what to identify with? If so then maybe there is an option to HAVE an ego rather then only Be one. Maybe then I can "identify" with being whatever it is that Blue says I am and at the same time HAVE an ego.
A Yogic Traditional Technique.
The Yogi's worked on this question a lot and came up with a way to get a handle on who or what the "identifier" (or programmer) was by trying to get an experience of who or what the "I" was.
The technique is called: "netti, netti" and it means " not that, not that." And, it is a process of elimination.
The process is to ask the question "what am I?"
And then the mind makes a suggestion.
And then you test the suggestion. by asking the question :Can I set this thing that is suggested aside for consideration? The "setting aside for consideration" really means: "Can I separate myself from that?"
If the answer is "yes, I am able to set it aside for consideration" then it cannot be what you are since what you are is doing the considering and therefore not the thing considered!
And then whatever is left over after all of the setting aside is done must be what you really are which is able to do the considering and not be the considered.
As we begin, ego-self says, perhaps sarcastically, how do you know you aren't your elbow?
You reply; "because I can set it aside for consideration. Meaning I can adopt a "point of view" that is separate from the elbow and consider, for example, it's size, shape, color, function etc. And so you assert, "I am not that."
Ego-self retreats a bit and acknowledges you can do that with legs, liver or lungs and therefore any physical body part. It then suggests that you are your thoughts.
As you think about this, you notice that you actually ARE your thoughts for a moment! But, just like any good traditional mediator you begin to simply OBSERVE your thoughts and as you do this realize that you are, in fact, setting them aside for consideration. Setting them aside for consideration is just about the same thing as observing them.
So you tell ego-self: "Nope, not that."
Ego-self then says, "Well, suppose you just fell off a cliff and there are rocks at the bottom. You are screaming your head off "I don't want to die, I don't want to die…" So clearly YOU will die and therefore YOU are your physical body!
You acknowledge that this is a tougher one and go to work on it …..
Ego-self actually interrupts you and asserts rather loudly: "Even if you think that you are not your physical body, look at how scared YOU are and so for sure YOU are your terrified emotions!"
You're getting nervous now and ego-self senses the advantage and presses hard for ultimate victory. It blasts you with: "AND THEN even if you wiggle out of that through some ILLUSION, when YOU hit the rocks and YOU stop screaming because YOU are dead then YOU will be GONE!" RIGHT?!!
………So, my friends, if you feel the impulse, when you are ready, draw your sword of truth and see how you fare against the ego-self. See how far you can go and how many times you can look it in the face and calmly, in your truth, say "No, not that."
The I, and the me.
Most commonly, if you or anyone else asks you who or what you are, you will say. "Well, I'm just me." Have you ever wondered what a "me" actually is?
Please see these entries in the
Dictionary: to assist in considering that profound question.
I,
Me,
I am,
Identified,
Intentionally Identifying.
much love and much peace …. greg
The Master Game Primer
