The Great Ego Debate

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=671575" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="041d4c00dduajq.gif"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="95" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 46 WIDTH="91"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="46" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="91" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> Copyrighted</div> <div> by </div> <div> Susan Holm</div> <div> 2001 - 2005</div> <div> This is Opinion, feel free</div> <div> to express your own on the message board or</div> <div> to email me.</div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#003333" FACE="Arial" ><B>Galens World</b></FONT>     |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Galens World"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Galen"><U>About Galen</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contacting Me"><U>Contacting Me</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Readings, Classes, Scheduling Informatio"><U>Readings, Classes, Scheduling Information</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE BOOK SHOPPE And Links To Other Site"><U>THE BOOK SHOPPE  And Links To Other Sites</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Facing Fibromyalgia "><U>Facing Fibromyalgia </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Honor"><U>Honor</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Spiritual Workout"><U>Spiritual Workout</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Balancing Act"><U>Balancing Act</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Risk....."><U>Risk.....</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Workbook..."><U>Workbook...</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Road To Happiness"><U>Road To Happiness</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Yeah.... but......"><U>Yeah.... but......</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id50.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats CHANGE Got To Do With It?"><U>What's CHANGE Got To Do With It?</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats RIGHT With The New Age?"><U>What's RIGHT With The "New Age"?</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats Wrong With The New Age?"><U>What's Wrong With The "New Age"?</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PSYCHICS do I need to hire one?"><U>PSYCHICS do I need to hire one?</U></A>   |   <B>The Great Ego Debate</b>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="_"><U>--Type Title Here--</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Guest Book"><U>Guest Book</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Message Board Forum"><U>Message Board Forum</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="England Journey"><U>England Journey</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Basics In Astrology"><U>Basics In Astrology</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id53.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Why War, Daddy?"><U>Why War, Daddy?</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Political Links: "><U>Political Links: </U></A></div> <div> The Great Ego Debate</div> <div> 08/23/01</div> <div> For years, I've heard people say that "ego" stands for "edging God out".  I have read books, sat thru discussions and chats all about the evils of the ego, and how we must suppress that evil thing in order to have a relationship with God.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>The dictionary definition of the word EGO reads as follows:</b></div> <div> <B>       NOUN, New latin from latin</b></div> <div> <B>The Self esp. as contrasted with another self or the world.</b></div> <div> <B>Self-esteem</b></div> <div> <B>.... the organized conscious meditator between the person and reality.</b></div> <bR> <div> Now, as I read this as a literal interpretation (and I tend to be very literal in interpreting words and meanings of words) The ego has nothing to DO with the "other" except to act as a gauge to clarify that there is a difference between the self and another.</div> <bR> <div> It is to help the "owner" of said ego to be able to understand reality from an individual viewpoint.</div> <bR> <div> It is not evil, nor does it, by itself, disassociate the Self from their responsibility as Human Beings AND Spiritual Beings!</div> <bR> <div> GOD CREATED EGO, as our Creator.  As a part of the Self that would be able to differentiate between tribal mind and individuality.  God must celebrate this part of us, as God celebrates ALL that is within us, as a tool to allow the person to grow a healthy self-esteem and thereby be of greater help to others on that same search.</div> <bR> <div> People erroneously equate EGO with "egocentric" or "self-centeredness" They are not the same thing, and it is best to clarify the difference rather than to try to SHAME THE EGO out of every living being.</div> <bR> <div> There is such a thing as a healthy shame; if one is ashamed of having committed an act that caused harm to that self or another, and makes every attempt not to repeat the behavior, that shame has created a healing link and is a good thing. However, in some spiritual pursuits, it seems that SHAME is another method used to numb the senses and to prevent the person from developing self-esteem at all, in other words, turn their power over to another, to become a follower, rather than one who walks their talk.</div> <bR> <div> At any given time in a persons' life, they may need to follow the advice of another, or give over their control in order to learn that not needing control is the ultimate in healing control issues, however, if the ego is crushed early enough and repeatedly enough, it may become a constant battle to even FIND the Self, in all the pain and suffering and emptiness of the numbing.</div> <bR> <div> If you have ever had dental work, you know that for a time, your mouth is numb.... not "pained" but certainly not in it's natural state.  It's an odd feeling, and depending on the agent used, more than just your mouth may be numb for awhile.  However, they warn you after you have been numbed not to drink anything hot, and be cautious in chewing because when you are numb you are unaware of the normal body reaction to stimuli... And this happens in spirituality as well, more often than most people are willing to discuss.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I>GOD WANTS PEOPLE TO KNOW JOY.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>God wants people to celebrate their Selves.</I></div> <div> <I>God wants people to be able to show others how to live in joy by becoming living examples of Grace.</I></div> <bR> <div> The Ego allows you to say NO, to a situation that is no longer healthy nor safe for you.</div> <div> The Ego allows you to be an individual, capable of growing and becoming more.</div> <div> The Ego allows you to know what is real in your life and what is false... that is, no longer viable in your life.</div> <div> The Ego allows you to stay in touch with God.</div> <bR> <div> One cannot "edge God out". It's impossible, for the Creator is in every cell and every act and deed we commit.  </div> <bR> <div> So when you are working on your spiritual journey... and you read (and I know you will) of the evils of ego...... I hope you take just the tiniest moment and remind your Self, that it IS your SELF that is reading this information, and you are allowed to accept or reject any information you receive, keep it for as long as it serves the Highest Good, and discard it, as well, when it no longer reaches your soul.</div> <bR> <div> Blessings,</div> <div> Galen</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>