Going beyond the Ego

What is the biggest trap in life? What is the biggest trap on the spiritual path? What is the biggest limiting factor in your life? What keeps you blind and small? What prevents you from growing? What keeps you away from solutions?

The answer is simple: The limitations of your ego!

In the ego state, you orientate yourself completely on your own opinions, likes and dislikes, on your own philosophy, your own desires, etc. You follow your own “truth”, your own limited experiences. This is natural and normal, but this self-centered worldview does not bring you anywhere, – simply because you look only for yourself to confirm your own attitude.

Now, if you want to achieve real growth, then you necessarily need to change your point of orientation from yourself to someone or something outside which has a higher level of standard than you. This means, you have to find someone who has already achieved what you want to achieve. This person can work as a role model for you. Or you look for specific standards, values, qualities or goals which help you to define your destination, your path.

Let´s take two examples:

Let´s imagine that you want to become a master in martial arts. In your ego state you say “It must be great to be a Kung Fu master. But I don´t like hard training, so a workshop at the weekend for a few hours must be enough.” Certainly, this cannot work out. Going beyond your ego limitations you say “I know, I can only become a real master of Kung Fu when I do regular training over several years. I will check for a master and real training, and I will take the master as my role model to learn in the best way. I know that hard training is not my personal desire, but I am strong, and I will make it my new habit.”

Let´s imagine that you feel the desire to study the various philosophies to become wise. In the ego mode you can say “I will find a fitting philosophy which I like, which fits to my ideas about God, mankind and creation. By studying it, I will become a respected expert in this philosophy. Then I am a wise man.” Beyond the ego mode you will say “Wisdom is my goal, highest wisdom. So, I will study all available philosophies to reach the highest possible understanding of the world. I am not interested in my truth, but the standard is the absolute truth, – the ideal which I will strive for!”

In conclusion, it is obvious where the differences between ego state and going beyond the limitations of the ego are. It is important to become aware of these two different states or modes and to make conscious decisions. Certainly, it is necessary to take care of the limited ego with its needs, so that you can grow well and expand your limitations in a positive way without damage or destruction.

To repeat it: Failure is in main a matter of preferring the ego mode instead of going beyond the limitations of the ego. Reality exists independent from our opinions, desires, philosophies, wishful thinking, preferences, dislikes, etc. If we want to make progress, if we need solutions, then we need to ask reality, we need to orientate on reality instead of the ego.

How many seekers are outside who just try to find nice teachings and nice exercises which fit their personal opinions, which feed their egos, and which fit into their frame of suitable training?

And how many seekers are there who are willing to go far beyond their own limitations? Who are willing to orientate on highest values and highest standards? Who are willing to face reality whoever it might look like in the end?

And what are you willing to do?