Mike: That’s it! I’ve had it with you! I want nothing more to do with your sheit!
ego: Gosh, Mike, what could be the problem?
Mike: You know darn well what the problem is! Every time I write a post, you tell me “this is it! this is the one that’s gonna trip out the entire world and everybody will think you’re a genius.” You get me all friggin’ hyped up, only to realize that nobody reads it. Nobody’s interested. It’s a flop!
I’m sick and tired of this roller coaster ride you’ve been takin’ me on my whole damn life. My whole life you have consistently jacked me up, only to crash every time. I can't be happy listenin' to you and doing what you say.
So, from now on, we’re through. I’m done with you! From now on you need to stay out of my life!
ego: But, Mike, I can’t stay out of your life….I’m you.
Mike: Whaaa!?…..well…I guess that’s true. But it doesn’t matter… because I’m on a spiritual path to enlightenment. Ya know what that means, don’t ya? It means your done. Finished! Because once I awaken to enlightenment your gone, dude. Your days are numbered. That’s what “enlightenment” means… NO MORE EGO! No more you.
ego: That’s fine, but if your going on a spiritual path to enlightenment, then, unfortunately, I’m gonna have to come with you. At least until you get where you’re going. You do understand that, right?
Mike: Well…fine! I suppose you do have to tag along, at least until I get my enlightenment. But just stay outa my way, do you hear! I can’t have you buttin’ in while I’m trying to become an enlightened master. This is a spiritual path I’m on, not an ego trip.
ego: OK. But since I have to be here... maybe I can help?
Mike: Help? You’ve been no help so far, so I can’t see what you could do to help me get enlightened. How could you possibly help?
ego: Well, I could help you find the right books to read, the right groups to join and I could even assist in finding the best guru. I could even help you schedule your spiritual practices around the rest of your life and remind you when you’re thinking too much and not meditating correctly.
You got to admit, we have learned a lot along the way and it seems a shame to trash it all now. Besides, you still need me to do other things like make money, enjoy sex, justify your anger when others piss you off, make it seem like your intelligent when you’re not, show you what to get serious about and what to ignore…
You’ve got to admit that I have helped you many times in negotiating that cold, cruel world out there. In fact, what would you be without ME to protect YOU?
Admit it…you know you love me.
Mike: Well…ok… I guess you can help sometimes. But I’ll let you know when I need your help so don’t be buttin’ in when I don’t need you.
ego: Ok, you got it, buddy! I’ll only take direction from you. Otherwise, I’ll be as quiet as a mouse. Oh, this spiritual enlightenment will be such fun!
I will NOT tell you how much I've been enjoying your ego posts because that would just make... you know who... twitch with glee.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the real problem is not when our ego takes to the cockpit. It's when she slips in there and we don't admit it's she who's doing the flying.
Or it could be the word 'ego' is just too loaded with meaning for our purposes. The Concise Oxford defines ego as 'a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance'. But it defines 'self-esteem' as 'confidence in one's own worth or abilities' and 'self-importance' as 'an exaggerated sense of one's own value or importance'. What we really need, then, is to let fly that part of ego that makes us tick and let go of that part of ego that makes us want to stay where we're at. More willpower, less clinging!
Have a great day bro!
Crazy Pianist,
ReplyDeleteYep, that's it. It's not about playing the games, since we all play a game of some sort and in some sense we MUST, it's about, as you say, "when she slips in there and we don't admit it's she who's doing the flying." Playing but denying the nature of the game and that playing is a choice, certainly gives the ego undeserved power to victimize. Bondage is inherent to the 'serious' game which demands the rules enslave us.
G'day to you to!
mikeS
Have been enjoying your articles mikeS. I was even going to subvert my ego momentarily to let you know I think you are a genius, but then I noticed that you placed my link below Adyashanti’s.
ReplyDeleteHA!
ReplyDeleteSorry MJ, seems I was seeking for some sense of symmetry with regard to the length of the titles. Obviously, that's absurd.
Thanks for exposing the error of my ways! (since even genius's have brain-farts from time to time) LOL!
mikeS
Sweet. Now my placated ego can focus on reading every word you have written.
ReplyDelete