ANSWERS: 16
  • No, you just retreat more and more from the people who try to tone down your ego until the only one left to impress is yourself. Then you go on the internet:-)
  • I would say it is not possible, and even having that as a goal represents a certain kind of confusion about ego. There are two basic naive views about ego: a) ego should be eliminated. It's bad, period. b) ego is the source of self-confidence. It's good. People who think that being egoless is a good goal will generally wind up with some very complex pretense of humility -- "oh, I'm nobody special"... or even "I have no ego at all". They'll set themselves up to be at war with their ego, smacking it down whenever it pops up, in a neverending quest to achieve the nirvana of egolessness -- but of course, if you're at war with yourself, it's a bit hard to locate any real peace. The opposite extreme is just as bad: someone who thinks their ego is a precious source of self-confidence will expend a lot of energy boosting and defending their ego, lost in a tangle of positive affirmations and self-manipulation, constantly trying to manage their thoughts... but of course, the "manager" is just as much a byproduct of thoughts as the "managee", so once again the mind is split into factions struggling to control each other. Both of these viewpoints fail at the same spot -- not understanding what ego is -- not seeing it's true nature. Ego is essentially a conceptual, conditioned form of self: a collection of images and ideas, reinforced by the tendency to separate from the rest of life. This tendency is a conditioned response... a visceral withdrawal rooted in avoidance of pain, discomfort, fear, etc. -- like a sea anemone which withdraws when touched by a child's finger. It's an automated construction of the mind that just comes with the way thoughts are constructed and the way we attempt to protect ourselves. In other words, it's a mechanism... it's neither good nor bad, it just IS. When one sees their own ego clearly, it becomes "transparent" -- it becomes clear that this mechanism is not our true self. Stripped of both it's glory and it's demonic aura, one can begin to relate to ego in a much more mature and realistic way: it's just something to be managed. It's a mistake to let ego run the show. It's also a mistake to deny it's presence or influence (i.e. to pretend). It's like a 3 year old child -- the proper approach is to focus on being aware of it and not letting it do damage. We don't strangle children to get them under control, we just restrain them gently and keep an eye on them. The more we see ego clearly for what it is, the less destructive and dominant it becomes. Over time, that does result in a reduction of self-centered thinking and other ego preoccupations. But it never goes away entirely, it will always be back. To imagine that one can function without ego is really just more ego (the spiritual kind).
  • No, it is not possible, nor is it a worthy aim. It is misguided philosophy. The Ego is an essential mechanism that enables us to exist as physical human beings. Aspiring to be Ego-less is like aspiring to be a body-less human being. The reason that the ego has received so much 'bad press', and why many 'spiritual teachers' advise that the ego must be snuffed out, overcome, and so on, is because if you focus your attention too much through the ego aspect of the self, then you get caught up in mind-stuff and those aspects of the limited perception of reality. And the reason one focuses one's attention with an exaggerated ego-perception is because of a lessened conscious connection between the personality-self and one's 'higher-self' consciousness. The solution to ego problems is not to kill the ego, but to infuse it with more of the unbounded consciousness that we essentially are. And a way to develop that broadened perception is through (effective) daily meditation that allows the mind to transcend thinking and experience simply 'being'. The regular daily experience of broader consciousness or awareness brings more of that into daily living. That in turn takes on a bigger role in your life, and adds a broader perspective to the way the ego functions. In this way, over time, we find that the tail is no longer wagging the dog so efficiently, but rather it is the other way around. And this happens spontaneously, not through effort, coercion, discipline and force. After striving a lifetime to become ego-less and finally reaching the point where one believes that to be the situation, that is simply the ego believing that. So it’s all just a myth and a total waste of energy. To apply a popular expression to the ego situation, one might say: you have an ego in this life and always will; so deal with it. And the way we deal with it is to add more consciousness to it, not to try to destroy it, which is impossible anyway. Gavin http://www.Unlock-Your-Happiness.com
  • Upon death! ;-)
  • Yes it is possible to surpess all inner desires. However not exercising any control over an aspect of our individuality allows new possibities to come to us. Without a shaddow side we cannot be good because good needs a shaddow to compare it to which makes us human. We do exercise control over the ego when needed but rather than losing the ego we direct it more positively and we learn to use our own talents and who we are contructively. If we are too opened up and without an ego we are impressionable and not strong. We end up a peice of wood being tossed around by different influences. Another function of the ego is to attempt to create permanace. Ie the ego will not change until something has been tried and tested. It is a deep level of our consciousness which is reluctant to change for good reasons. Without an ego is also a detriment. Selfish emotions do in a way drive us and our selfishness helps us to be altruistic. This might sound complicated but it bascially means the centre is in the self so the self needs to care for those close to us who are a close part of our life and if we care about ourselves we are more likely to be understanding to others because care and love creates an attitude which makes us more careful and better more understanding people. The ego is probably one of the most powerful drives in us which we are born with for good reasons. We cannot lose the ego to the extent we change and forget the origional reasons why we do the things we do.
  • All of my Spiritual masters that I have been with were Egoless...... So my answer is yes. ..... However it takes lifetimes of dedication to this to be able to ever reach it...... Through meditation, we can dissolve the Ego so as to experience the absolute truth within...... But the natural tendency of the mind is to be constantly engaged in thought so the ego is always in play with that...... .....But through intense concentration and dedication to a meditative lifestyle we can have moments of freedom from the ego in deep meditation.... .....WE must understand that we have had lifetimes of being totally within thought and Ego and our attachment to our thoughts and Ego is very strong...... so it is all about our attachment to our thoughts and The idea of who we think we are attachment to our Ego...... WE are not the body, we are not the Ego, and God resides within us as us. .....Once we realize this..... and our attachment to the illusion wanes, we can become aware of that which is beyond the ego, and have our Mind become still and become aware of the presence beyond the Ego.
  • anything is possible
  • When you are Body-Less.
  • I think it's much more common to become Eggo-less. "Who got my Eggo?"
  • Sure, join a Trappist monk monastery
  • You dont wa t to do that. Ego is what keeps us moving forward. "Looking from an anthroposophical view of a human being, Ego is exactly what sets us apart from animals. This view is also supported by anthroposopholgist Rudolf steiner. It is a gateway to awaken our soul through our experiences with our physical body when it comes into contact with the environment. There is no universal truth and everyone perceives others in their own flawed distorted sense of self awareness aka Ego. The evolution of the idea that one's thought process is superior to others is distorted in the first place. The bottomline is to trust your ideas and have an open mind to accept others views. Ego is a either a motivation or a path for destruction depending on the way you perceive it."
  • Why would you want to do that? I can barely fit in a room with another person because my ego so big
  • That's what union with Christ is for the Christian, because you are no longer guided by the ego, but filled with Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit. 1 cor 3:16 - 23 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. Gal 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Ephesians 4:22-24 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Philippians 3:8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, Luke 9:23-24 And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. Romans 6:11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 1 Peter 4:1-2 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. Galatians 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Romans 8:12-13 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Luke 14:33 "So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. Romans 6:6-7 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.
  • Ego is when you think of yourself so much that you are so important. Jesus is the cure for ego. If He is your Lord then you should think more of others than yourself.
  • Why on Earth would anyone want to do that

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