Geo

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/6/03 10:38:02 PM,

Chinese Medicine writes:

 

<< Many times this " conviction " is not seen as ego - and that is

 

why I don't like that word. In fact ego is an ever-changing set

 

of convictions. It seems one doesn't see there is an assumed

 

inner center acting there... perhaps it is not even possible

 

to identify it like that... but the effects. >>

 

Lon: The first part of your post does state my experience regarding the

disinction between consciousness itself and mind. However ego is equivelent to

" self-image " . Ego is a purely mechanical phenomena that conditions mind in

exactly

the same way in all of us.

 

1. It is a filter that lets in only as much reality as we can handle.

2. It generates an image (self image) of who we are and how life is.

3. The nature of the filter can be qualified into the constitutional types

but the mechanisms are the same in all of them.

4. The image created leads to an *already knowing* and causes us to draw

conclusions regarding how everything we perceive relates directly to us. Hence

all

qi flows toward us in a selfish and narcississtic movement. This self focus

causes us to fail and perceive the true and right nature of all phenomena

experienced because, in reality, *nothing is personal*.

5. Ego generates a false sense of an independant self.

6. Ego leads to cynicism: There is nothing new=I already know=I'm not interest

ed.

7. Ego leads to the supposition that we have time to change and it is built

on all selfish actions, motivated by fear and desire, taken in the past.

8. Ego conditions the mind by causeing us to identify with thoughts and

feelings, so that it appears to us that we *are* our thoughts and feelings.

 

I could right more but these are some basic properties of ego in my usage.

ANd they are mechanical and invariable.