'Identity' Articles
Many are identified by what their ego has accomplished or allowed them to accomplish. They attribute that value to the ego, where the ego was just a window. It’s often argued we need an identity. I don’t in the least disagree, we certainly do, but we shouldn’t mistake the finger for the moon it’s pointing at. We need this being that we are, and need to not sabotage it with doubt, or a belief that in any way who we are is insignificant or invalid. If it were, then how in this infinite world did we arise at all?
Your way isn’t out of order. Your feelings aren’t out of control. There is change, but this is necessary. It’s life, and living things need flow.
“I’ve grown certain that the root of all fear is that we’ve been forced to deny who we are.” Frances Moore Lappe
“The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose.” Richard R. Grant
“The identity of one changes with how one percieves reality.” Vithu Jeyaloganathan
What Is Identity?
We are going to talk about identity. First, I will ask people: Who are you? I am me! Hard question. And this is good. Who is me? Good extenuating question. Me is not thee? Ah, but is negative definition real understanding? A state of focusing consciousness, filtered through a perception honed over time. Ah, sort of ethereal? An avatar being driven by an avatar of the spirit I call me. Good answer. Still leaves the question who is me. Is true it does. Hmmmm, am I the main avatar or just an alt? Valid question, and amusing. I find that… Seek More
Who Has Fear?
Is anyone experiencing an emotion in a chronic way that they don’t like? Yeah, would you define fear as an emotion? Yes, I would. I’m not fond of fear, and being introverted, it scares me to say something though it doesn’t always stop me. Involuntary introversion is fear. First, everyone recall a moment in which you felt fear. See if you can still vividly recall it. Now consider this while you are recalling the fear: Who is it that is having that fear? Ego? Hmmmm, my body is. The little me that’s afraid of being out of control of circumstances.… Seek More
Who Is Impatient?
Everyone recall a time in which you were impatient. Everyone who stands in a line getting groceries? Especially if you went shopping while you were hungry. Now ask yourself this, who is it that’s being impatient? The ego in a hurry. Seems like it’s related to habit. It is all related to habit and judgment of some old emotionally charged situation that you aren’t in right now. A sense that I’m the most “important”, the world revolves around me and all that? Well, it’s not a sense of importance, but actually rather the opposite. It is a sense of fear.… Seek More
All You Need
Now here is a big revelation, and yet is perhaps the most simple truth I know. How many emotions do you have? Probably an infinite number. Countless or one? I’m not sure I can feel more than one at any time. Is true, and well they say God is love right? They also say that God cannot be in the presence of sin. Love. All you have is all you actually need. Love. Any emotion you call by another name is actually just love distorted through judgement. It’s life sustaining, and it’s not invalidating of anything. So when I asked… Seek More
Sense of Identity
The subject is identity. It’s a pretty intense issue. When asked about who they are people often just say “I’m me”, and this is true, but in all likelihood they carry around identifications with roles and feelings and circumstances even if they aren’t paying attention to them. So, how much of the identity issue is taken up with things that aren’t really the self? Feels like all of it. The way we are taught it is all of it. All that we are allowed to have. We get a constant stream of messages about what we are to other people,… Seek More
Who Is Me?
What is this me? There is a simple practice of inquiry that can lead to very deep insight. What is this me, and who is asking? It’s me. Yes, but we often still get caught up in life, even if we understand this inquiry it just seems easier. We get distressed and just go on auto-pilot, because to stop seems like it would just be weird. It would be “not-me”. But if you can do it, how is it not you? It’s disorienting if it’s not what we’ve done before. We have to be brave and motivated. So instead we… Seek More
Good Enough
By definition, is anything you can observe, you? Or is it something you have? Are your body and mind somehow in charge? Did you see something beautiful today? You only saw yourself. Did you see something ugly? You also only saw yourself, but these are not the true self. Self is self and all others are also self? Others are mirrors, and the mirror is sacred as you are the mirror, also. The Buddhists engage in a practice loosely called death meditation. Some say that’s just ugly and morbid, but they do it to fully embrace life, all of life.… Seek More
