Ego

[Reality]

Destroy the ego? No, it has to exsist for a reason (someone fill that in for me please)

Not allowing it to drive you crazy, yes. If you allow your ego to become upset, you become more and more subjective rather then seeing things for what they really are...which is ultimately what enlightment is all about! Seeing the truth without the crap you make up!

Reality[]

[jilola]

Given free reign the ego will search its ultimate realization as a crystallization of all there is.

You have to perceive the disctintion between you and the ego and render the ego as the tool of individual perception that it should be.
That way it's entirely possile to perceive and experience the ubiquitous eternal now and the equally proverbial oneness of all while still being able to contrast them with individual perception.

The thing about the enlightenment experience is that it can lead you astray just as easily as any other experience. You can have the Bing Blink and think there is nothing and then someone asks you "Who had the Big Blink?"
There is always a perceiver but the secret is to realize the unity between the observer and the experience and between the experience and eerything else as a whole. It's a circle and the deepest ralization comes from finally being able to say "I choose this as the start of the circle."

2cents & L&L
Jouni

[Rastus]

I have experienced my EGO out of control.  Not a pretty sight, and a barrow full of bad karma to go with it.  I still have problems with it.  Condesending attitude, and talking down to people when I know better are signs I still have much work to do.

But, In knowing that I also lessen the effects.  I think beyond the here and now, I look for alternatives that don't require ego.

Then again, there are times to use EGO. After all, what good is a tool if it's never used?  If the Goddess gave you a tool, and you worked a physical lifetime to be rid of it, doesn't that imply you aren't considering the big picture?  For why would you be given a tool to never use?  I've never bought into being given something you have to work a lifetime to get rid of.....

[jilola]

Indeed why get rid of a perfectly good hammer? Just replace the shaft and get a good grip on it.

2cents & L&L
jouni

[samsara]

Can't the ego be shown that whatever it craves only brings temporary happiness so it will then work with the higher self to attain true nature?

                                         Samsara

[daem0n]

fear is the root of ego, who will do everything to maintain itself regardless of what you may already know, one of the ways is to perceive the ego from the outside, from the real I (whatever you may call it) and then work on it, if you don't understand that the ego is not the centre of you, and that emotions you feel at the moment are not you, effects will be temporary, self-observation is the key
(to know is not equal to understand)

[jilola]

Wouldn't it rather be: "Ego is the root of fear?"

2cents & L&L
Jouni

[BlackBox]

Fear due to attachments. Egor only likes to gain...aggrandize.

[jilola]

Indeed.

The fear of losing or harming the attachments by which the out of control ego tries to define itself.
Once the ego is rendred into its proper place as a tool of focusing individual perspectives most if not all fears disappear as we realize the true extent of our existence and infinite nature of our being.

2cents & L&L
Jouni

[Makoto]

It seems a common theme among those who wish for enlightenment to strive to destroy the ego. To become a part of the whole and remove the I.But could not the way of the ego merely be a different path, a changed perspective.When ones ego reaches fullfillment then you would be all things. Some wish to join the universe as you are already apart of it. But I say that it is a part of me. A different ideal entirely. I beleive it may have been said that the ego gets in the way of psicick devolopement like telepathy. But isnt it really that what you view as you you have perfect control  over, the act of expanding you field of influence(ego) would come out the same as letting the source or god or w/e enter and become a part of you.Two roads traveling to the same destination from different paths. I am not one with the universe the universe is one with me.