To GeorgeSon on taking ego out of the involvement

[Guest guest]

GeorgeSon wrote:

 

Thank you for the very well thought out response. I am in accord

with the great majority of your post on Seva and the ego.

 

When in doubt it might be wise to turn to a Realized Master.

 

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa had two categories for the ego.

The "ripe ego" and the "unripe ego"

 

If a devotee goes out to the front lines and pitches in during

disaster relief it is indeed super (even if flawed by the mind's

sense of agency..

 

What we hope he leaves at home is her sense of "doership"

The "unripe ego" thinks I am saving these poor people. Another

example might be "I am using my skill here to "help" these brothers

and sisters in distress. A knower of Brahman is more likely to

feel "not I but Thou" A christian mystic might state "I am merely an

instrument"...

 

 

 

Dear GeorgeSon,

 

Thank you for all of this very good writing and information. I have never

before heard of the concept of the "ripe" and "unripe" ego, and I'm not sure I

totally understand (so feel free to write more on this subject and help

educate me).

 

I am reminded of my last job, which was working as the Director of a small,

national nonprofit that worked on behalf of timely immunization for children.

Though small (me being the only employee), Rosalyn Carter was one of the

Co-Chairs, so you can imagine me running behind the speeding train of all the

people who wrote called, etc., wanting info, help, etc. I never did catch up.

But there was one thing that really impressed me, after having worked at a

number of nonprofits before. A nonprofit would be the last place a person might

expect to see rampant egotism, but, unfortunately, it is there in abundance.

What was so unusual about this effort (because many other groups were

involved: governmental and other nonprofits), was the openness, the lack of

group

"agency," the sincere intent of everyone to help.

 

We had many meetings, so there was lots of opportunity for ego to rear up,

but it never did. After awhile, I began to talk about this rare phenomenon with

other peers. We coined a term for what we were all experiencing: people were

"checking their egos at the door." I always felt this was a very good

metaphor, for the ego, like the body, is something we, in a sense, "wear." The

difficulty is separating personality from ego because nobody wants a bunch of

automatons. But this was not a problem for this effort. We had lively

discussions and debates, lots of ideas exchanged, and myriad personalities ...

but

everyone had checked his/her ego at the door. I have held onto this metaphor

for

myself whenever I become involved in a "worthy cause." As humans we want to

help. As devotees we want to help. All we need do, is when we go by the coat

check door, is to check our egos as well. : )

 

Thank you, as always, for giving me something to think about.

Jai Ma,

Linda

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Linda:

 

Thank you for the mind provoking points stated below.

I was struck by your allusion to automatrons.

 

My mind tends to equate "egolessness" with dry arrid lifelessness as

well. Perhaps I need to go deeper and transcend this notion.

 

Ammachi has nary any ego. Is She dull and lacking in charisma? Was

Paramahansa Yogananda devoid of magnetism? Were Saints like

Anandamayi Ma and Mirabai lacking in inner as well as outer beauty?

Sri Ramakrishna was not dry. He danced often! Ramakrishna would

sing and dance with a brilliant smiling shine on His face at the drop

of a hat. His famous disciple Vivekananda's oratory left the Chicago

Parliament of Religions spellbound.

 

Perhaps I need to re-think the notion egolessness leads to androidism.

 

With Love,

 

GeorgeSon

 

Ammachi, nierika@a... wrote:

>

> GeorgeSon wrote:

>

> Thank you for the very well thought out response. I am in accord

> with the great majority of your post on Seva and the ego.

>

> When in doubt it might be wise to turn to a Realized Master.

>

> Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa had two categories for the ego.

> The "ripe ego" and the "unripe ego"

>

> If a devotee goes out to the front lines and pitches in during

> disaster relief it is indeed super (even if flawed by the mind's

> sense of agency..

>

> What we hope he leaves at home is her sense of "doership"

> The "unripe ego" thinks I am saving these poor people. Another

> example might be "I am using my skill here to "help" these

brothers

> and sisters in distress. A knower of Brahman is more likely to

> feel "not I but Thou" A christian mystic might state "I am merely

an

> instrument"...

>

>

>

> Dear GeorgeSon,

>

> Thank you for all of this very good writing and information. I have

never

> before heard of the concept of the "ripe" and "unripe" ego, and I'm

not sure I

> totally understand (so feel free to write more on this subject and

help

> educate me).

>

> I am reminded of my last job, which was working as the Director of

a small,

> national nonprofit that worked on behalf of timely immunization for

children.

> Though small (me being the only employee), Rosalyn Carter was one

of the

> Co-Chairs, so you can imagine me running behind the speeding train

of all the

> people who wrote called, etc., wanting info, help, etc. I never did

catch up.

> But there was one thing that really impressed me, after having

worked at a

> number of nonprofits before. A nonprofit would be the last place a

person might

> expect to see rampant egotism, but, unfortunately, it is there in

abundance.

> What was so unusual about this effort (because many other groups

were

> involved: governmental and other nonprofits), was the openness,

the lack of group

> "agency," the sincere intent of everyone to help.

>

> We had many meetings, so there was lots of opportunity for ego to

rear up,

> but it never did. After awhile, I began to talk about this rare

phenomenon with

> other peers. We coined a term for what we were all experiencing:

people were

> "checking their egos at the door." I always felt this was a very

good

> metaphor, for the ego, like the body, is something we, in a

sense, "wear." The

> difficulty is separating personality from ego because nobody wants

a bunch of

> automatons. But this was not a problem for this effort. We had

lively

> discussions and debates, lots of ideas exchanged, and myriad

personalities ... but

> everyone had checked his/her ego at the door. I have held onto

this metaphor for

> myself whenever I become involved in a "worthy cause." As humans

we want to

> help. As devotees we want to help. All we need do, is when we go

by the coat

> check door, is to check our egos as well. : )

>

> Thank you, as always, for giving me something to think about.

> Jai Ma,

> Linda

>

>

>