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Spiritual Topic for October 2022 - The Authentic Self, the Ego & Identity



The Authentic Self, the Ego & Identity


Overview


People often ask the question, “What do you do for a living?” as if this is who you are. This kind of question encourages us to equate our profession with our identity, even though this is just one aspect of oneself in this current lifetime.


In the past, identifying with one’s profession was even more evident. One was Jones the Blacksmith or Mary the Midwife. People were born into a role or trained to become a particular profession which they stayed in for life. No one questioned their identity. Now the world is far more complicated in terms of different professions and technological advances, but we are still encouraged to identify ourselves with the work we do. And yet we are so much more than only our jobs!


We are also encouraged to identify with various characteristics which are regularly collected to categorize and divide us. These include nationality, skin color, sex, sexuality, gender, able-bodied / disabled, age, and religion, which are matrix-imposed conformations. The government and media try to impose new beliefs on us to divide us into smaller groups and factions and manipulate us into identifying with a personal identity which may not naturally belong to us. Why? To better control us. “United we stand, divided we fall.”— Last line of the fable, The Four Oxen and the Lion by Greek storyteller, Aesop.


The above outlined characteristics and others are not fixed. Our identities change throughout our lives, our age advances, and our nationality, sex, sexuality, gender, and religious identities can change over time. It can be fun moving from one identity to another. For example, as a child, a girl may be a tomboy, climbing trees and racing go-karts with her brothers, when as a teenager she may become interested in dresses and boys.


The ego can connect closely with these identities, but the Authentic Self is above and beyond any of these identities. If one peels back every filter, programming, and layer of one’s being, what remains is pure God / Source / Love / Bliss. This is pure love and truth, and what many people refer to as their God Self or their Soul.


In this topic, when we talk about our Authentic Self, we are not referring to this space of pure, unconditional love. Instead, we are looking at being who we truly are in the here and now—physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.


Each of these aspects are naturally subjected to and affected by our life experiences, here and in past lives. They are also heavily impacted by our beliefs, which are often hidden filters held in our subconscious. Our beliefs impact our thinking, which impacts our reality.


Understanding your beliefs is of the utmost importance… Are your beliefs really yours or have they been imposed upon you? Are your beliefs limiting you? It’s important to recognize that you can challenge your beliefs and make conscious choices to release those that do not serve you, in order to change how you perceive things. This is what people who are awakening are doing.


When one begins this process, they may go through a period of feeling uncomfortable and ungrounded because they are trying to discern the truth. Our beliefs are being challenged so greatly that we must remain fluid during this process of settling and solidifying our thoughts into a new paradigm.


Have you heard the phrase, “He’s thinking so hard I can hear the cogs turning?” When your thought system is so fixed, it becomes like rusty cogs, and it is difficult to shift gears. Whereas people who are waking up have it within themselves to oil their mental cogs so they can become unstuck and fluid. With this, their thoughts and belief system can move and change in a conscious, active way. It may slow and solidify into a new format or become fluid again and take a different shape. The ability to do this is what sets awakened people apart from those who are unawake.


Personal identity, the Authentic Self, and the ego are being manipulated and dumbed down to move us away from our Authentic Self, to better control us. We are aware that this is a bold statement.


Our true Authentic Self (our soul) can be hidden and guarded through many filters. One of these filters is the ego. Many people view their ego as negative and suggest we must get rid of it. However, our ego serves a purpose.


The ego is your conscious mind, the part of your identity that you project as your “self.” While the ego is often vilified, from a psychological perspective, as popularized by Sigmund Freud, the ego is simply the conscious mind or the awareness of one’s identity. 

The ego is a projection of personality. Multiple personalities (real ones do not even know about each other) have different egos.


An important role of the ego is to protect us. The ego looks for threats and danger so it can guard us from harm, which is beneficial when a threat is real. However, our fears are often imagined, and exaggerated through TV, social media, and other tools the controllers use to generate visions of fear and keep us in a fear-based state.


“The ego, however, is not who you really are. The ego is your self-image, it is your social mask, it is the role you are playing. Your social mask thrives on approval. It wants control, and it is sustained by power because it lives in fear.”—Ram Dass, Spiritual teacher / Student of Maharajji.


The ego is a created identity, based on past experiences, and fragile because it is sensitive to trauma. The ego has the potential to be easily manipulated because it can get drawn down dark alleyways, that appear to be exciting. The ego is not necessarily connected to truth and love, it is more closely connected to fear because it is designed to detect fear and to protect oneself from fearful situations. Because of this, it is not intrinsically strong. The ego can be a good liar, as it can project, deflect, and create an energy that’s not in alignment with our true self.


If the ego is designed to protect us, why do people call it fragile? It’s likely because the ego is a projection, and it may or may not be an authentic projection (it may be a mask.) However, the ego is a tool we can work with. We can use it more consciously and align it more closely with our Authentic Self.


If we can explore our ego to detect the difference between our ego and Authentic Self, we can have a better understanding of ourselves. We don’t need to suppress or ignore the ego; instead, we can have a dialogue between our Higher (Divine) Self and our ego.

While the ego is about projecting one aspect of oneself (whether it is a real aspect or a mask), authenticity is about being true to oneself and knowing who and what one truly is in any given moment, without filtering or changing oneself for others.


Authenticity is being in tune with yourself and your emotions. When you have a strong desire to do something or have a moment of deep joy, follow this. It’s a calling from your soul, and it’s often tied to creativity.


If you are deeply upset about something, you can express it in a way that has clarity if you are truly in touch with how you feel. People can often get moments of clarity to their own feelings, and therefore their own Authentic Self, when they are in deeply emotional situations because this is when filters and layers have been peeled back. When we feel things keenly, we receive an indication of our true self, of our identity as a human being.

Yet the path to authenticity is wrought with obstacles. Sometimes people suppress how they are truly feeling to protect themselves. Some medications, alcohol, and drugs suppress one’s feelings as well, and disconnects one from their authenticity. 


Fear is another big obstacle. We are afraid others may not like us and we may not fit in. We may fear losing a job or relationship, or not getting a desired promotion. In a previous topic, we talked about the matrix, including programming and mind control that keeps us tied to the established systems. We are taught from a young age to act a particular way and told what is acceptable and what isn’t. We are bombarded with programming—from society, schools, families, TV, etc. Children are easily programmable, especially under the age of 5. This is why many ‘woke’ programs begin in schools in early years, and so begins the process of encouraging people to be something they are not.


Finding one’s Authentic Self takes courage, and it can be difficult due to the programming we have been subjected to through our entire lives, whether through society / local communities, schools, media, parents, etc. Be mindful that the energy of all of these affect us. For example, the energy of local communities impacts us, especially children.


Moving toward authenticity entails breaking free of the matrix, becoming sovereign and taking responsibility for one’s life, and making a commitment to act in alignment with one’s true thoughts, beliefs, and desires, instead of accepting those that others have created for us.


Many of us are recognizing that we came to Earth with a life mission. Part of who and what we are is to discover or remember what this mission is. It’s highly likely to be connected with something you are passionate about, something you have a natural affinity for, something that brings you the greatest joy. It’s okay if you don’t fully know yourself. Searching for and finding one’s life / soul purpose can be a fun adventure. It’s important to put out a clear intention that this is what you wish to do.


Knowing oneself can be a lifelong journey. If you don’t know who you are, start now.

As Grandmother Mulara so eloquently states…


“With each step you take, you will learn how to grow your heart with practical feet.”

 

Discussion Questions

  • Can you differentiate between your own ego and your Authentic Self? How?

  • How can one nurture the ego and use it for one’s benefit?

  • What are the obstacles to being who one truly is, and how can these be overcome?

  • What are some of the ways one can better know their true self?

  • How can one connect more clearly and directly with one’s Authentic Self?


A Deeper Dive: Authenticity & Overcoming Adversity


“When you’re congruent with your authentic self, you’re walking in your truth.”— Becky Parkes


Why is authenticity important when overcoming adversity? It allows us to peel back the layers to find our core and draw on our inner strength. Authenticity stems from truth and divinity, and it is from here that strength can be drawn. This enables us to overcome adversity and show incredible kindness and compassion toward others.


One cannot draw strength from that which is fake…masks / mirrors. When faced with adversity, one cannot rely on their usual set of tools…they are not strong enough.

Often when faced with adversity it is about the loss of something, whether it is losing one’s job, home, limb, loved one, paradigm, etc. Often the greater the challenge, the greater the potential to connect with one’s authenticity and overcome adversity.

“It is worth remembering that the time of greatest gain in terms of wisdom and inner strength is often that of greatest difficulty.”–Dalai Lama


There are many stories of people who have overcome great odds to fulfill their life mission and to inspire others.


Stephen Hawkins was 21 years old and studying at the University of Cambridge in England when he was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,) a motor neuron disease, and given two and a half years to live. Hawkins beat all odds, living to 76 years old and becoming one of the greatest physicists of all time. He is best known for his work explaining the origins of the universe and black holes, and his most famous book, A Brief History of Time, sold more than ten million copies.


Professional Surfer Bethany Hamilton was attached by a shark at age 13 and lost her arm. But this tragic experience didn’t stop Bethany from living what she calls an “unstoppable life.” On her website, she shares, “If you’re anything like me, you’ve faced many obstacles in life so far. Some made you stronger, solidifying your purpose, while others may have caused you to doubt what you’ve known to be true. No matter what you’ve been through, one thing I know is that with each struggle, we can either become stronger or get beat down.”


We have all faced challenges throughout our lifetime whether great or small, and most of us have grappled with questions such as, “Why was I born now?” and “Why am I here?”

In the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Frodo said, “I wish it need not have happened in my time.”


“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”


What do you think Gandalf means by his statement—“we have to decide what to do with the time that is given us?” Perhaps he is acknowledging that things are not always as we want them to be, and yet we can still choose to make a difference in our own way. Life can be very challenging and it’s how we choose to respond to these challenges that shapes us. It’s the knocks and pressures that shape a rough diamond into a beautiful sparkling gem. Life is meant to be lived to its fullest, in alignment with our purpose / mission, without allowing obstacles or the need for perfection to stop us.  


Leonard Cohen said, “Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There’s a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”


Ringing the bells that ‘still can ring’ means doing what you can still do and not worrying about being perfect. Our imperfections make us beautiful. It is our vulnerabilities that often give us strength, letting the light in, connecting us with God / Source and our inner wisdom and power.


Discussion Questions

  • What adversities have you faced, especially during the last few years of great awakening?

  • Do you feel these adversities have helped you connect more with your Authentic Self? If so, how?

  • Have you ever contemplated the questions, “Why was I born now?” or “Why am I here?” If so, what was your experience?

  • What do you think Gandalf meant by, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us?”

  • How can we go about “ringing the bells that still can ring?”

  • Do you have an overcoming adversity story that you want to share for consideration in a CC spiritual topics book? If so, please see the instructions below.  


To Submit a Personal Story:



Review, sign, and submit the Release Form: https://eu1.documents.adobe.com/public/esignWidget?wid=CBFCIBAA3AAABLblqZhA2gaaIisyiWhxIaGPMm1MrRfLDMhFGIORX6Aa2jsOlf2tMvcViTfOvazCrDdrt84Y*. Note that when you click on “sign,” the form will auto submit.


*Story Submission Instructions


To Submit a Personal Story Related to a Monthly Spiritual Topic 


Please email your story and make sure you indicate which Monthly Spiritual Topic your story ties to…examples: Heart-Centered Living; Thriving Through the Holidays; Empathy and Compassion; Raising Your Vibration, Intuition and Discernment, Judgment and Forgiveness, etc. and then provide your story. Please provide a concise recap, while at the same time, sharing key information. We are looking for short stories that are between 100 – 1,000 words long.


To Submit a Personal Awakening Story


Please email your personal awakening story and experiences. This may include what triggered your awakening or a series of events / occurrences that initiated a gradual awakening. Please provide a concise recap, while at the same time, sharing key information. For awakening stories, we are looking for stories that are between 500 – 2,000 words long.


Worksheet:



A Deep Dive:




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