Transcending the Mind, Dying the Ego-Death

Pretend you are an archeologist out on an expedition in the jungle. You come across a clearing where there is a thirty foot hole in the ground. Looking into the hole, you spy a rare archeological treasure at the bottom. You pull out your rope and descend into the hole to retrieve it, but about five feet from the bottom, the rope breaks.

While not seriously hurt, you notice that the rope is slightly frayed, but reasoning that it is your only way out, you continue to use it to climb out of the hole. Time and again the rope breaks, and each time you hurt yourself more. You think the rope is the way out -- but the rope is the problem.

The mind represents the defective rope.

To unravel the formidable barrier the mind/ego represents, we must recognize the defective foundation upon which it sits. Remove this foundation and it collapses on its own. As it collapses, the God-Self replaces it. Now please think these next two questions through slowly and carefully:

1.  Can your eye see itself? (Please take the time to think this through)
2.  Can the tongue taste itself?

Much like the eye cannot see itself, nor can the tongue taste itself, the mind cannot clearly perceive itself. Only from your true essence -- Spirit -- can the mind be clearly seen. The spiritual realm is a vantage point above the mental realm. If you are meditating, you have already observed the aforementioned foundation of the ego-self, which looks like this:

1. Rehashing the past. Continually overlaying prior negative events onto the moment of now, limiting current joy and growth.
2. Future fantasies. Dreaming about the future without focusing on the reality of the present and/or fears of the future, causing paralysis.
3. Projections. Superimposing one’s personal experiences, thoughts and meanings onto others and erroneously believing they are truth.
4. Return of the victim. Repetition of a past moment of helplessness and/or wallowing in it for the perverse inner ‘juice’ derived from playing the victim.
5. Random repetitions. A mind loop in which the ego obsessively replays a thought or event
6. Polarized opinions. perceiving a conversation or idea that ignites an automatic positionality or side taken ‘against’ the other side causing vehement frustration, negativity, or even violence.

These represent the six main games of the ego that serve as the moorings upon which it (the ego) is constructed. Simple exposure to these lessons will help you identify them as they arise, revealing them in the light of your awareness. The moorings are rusted and ready to crumble right now, so do not change your approach -- simply stay the course.

The difference is this; every surrender of the ego’s will may be accompanied by an ego-death. Ego-death is an inner transformation that occurs when you intentionally surrender a desire, control, or the attachment to being right. This is a noteworthy event for your soul and will cause a momentary feeling of transitory anguish, followed by a feeling of great relief. Tears, mental collapse, or physical exhaustion may occur and are not unusual.

An upward spike follows this in conscious awareness that, of course, makes it all worthwhile.