Sorry to be harping on this but it is a serious thing that needs attention, despite all the avoidance that miseducated people have regarding it. As was mentioned in previous postings, when one was very young, one had a Raggedy Ann type of doll whom one carried around as a great, first-rate pal. Then, one day, one came to the realization that the charming, smiling doll was not a real, living friend; it was fabric, stuffing, and such. It was quite a shock at first but then one got over it very quickly (finding other interests and discovering nature). Later in life, perception concerning the ego, or “me,” was much the same thing. Let us say, metaphorically, that a man carries a stick around (never letting it go and even sleeping with it) day after day, month after month, year after year — just as others taught him to do — all the while believing that it was his central self, or “I,” or “me.” Stick would feel that everything decided upon and done by thinking was what emanated (or originated) from “stick.” Stick would be thought of to be the core essence of what one was and any suggestion to “let go” of “stick” would be construed of as utter nonsense. Letting go of what seems to be the core of one’s essence (and means of control) would seem ludicrous and unimaginable.
The human organism can function beautifully with great harmony, insight, bliss, eternity, and order without clinging to the taught concept of an isolated/controlling “me” or “I.” Most everyone in society, now, has a concrete ego, isolated self, a “me” that they ardently cling to, just as has been done eons ago by our primitive ancestors. Actually look at society as it is now — with all of these “me”s and egos — with all of its chaos, wars, crimes, dishonesty, and pollution. We must change. We must grow beyond this nonsense. In previous posts, one wrote about the brain as being like two halves of a walnut… and about how certain surgeries splitting these two halves — by severing the corpus callosum — left each half not knowing what the other half was thinking. So, in actuality, two fields of consciousness were produced from one field, via advanced surgery (in living human subjects). Times and evidence have changed; yet so many of us continue to cling to the erroneous (primitive) notion of a central “I,” a central “me” or controller. For a very long time now, one — when thinking, instead of using the term “I,” — has been using the words of “this movement.” Of course, for the most part in this primitive culture, one doesn’t verbally say “this movement,” instead of “I,” when actually talking to people.
“I”, “me,” and the notion of a “central controller” are all products of thought (fabrications of thought) either learned or inherited by our culture over millions of years. “Me” depends upon (and is) a product of thought. Clinging to that is like perpetually clinging to a little stick, fabric doll, or shadow. Going beyond that is wisdom that does not preclude joy, bliss, insight involved with the eternal, and harmony. On the contrary, obstinately clinging to that creates guaranteed disharmony, sorrow, and separation. Ignorance is: Me separate from man or so-called others. Me separate from the environment. Me separate from “my fears.” Me separate from “my desires.” Me separate from “my thoughts.” “My religion, my country” separate from others. (It is all so immature and involves separation that feeds conflict, friction, and endless turmoil.)
People will read this — or will not care to read it — and go on in their standard, ordinary ways. Even those who claim to be employing sophisticated forms of zen or meditative techniques are additionally subtly entrapped via endlessly clinging to the “me” or “central controller” in many surreptitious ways. The brain engages in all kinds of subtle or unconscious tricks to maintain the existence of a supposed central controller who is domineering (even though no such center really exists). One has seen this, time and time again, in many so-called “wise” others… (who have really not changed fundamentally whatsoever). Going beyond this doesn’t demand sophisticated methods, stratagems, or meditative techniques that take time. This demands facing something that people absolutely do not want to face; additionally, it demands going into and beyond the root of conditioning. Most don’t really want to be bothered. However, actual order can only come about when real seriousness exists, beyond mere fabrications. The stick is dead; it is not part of the living tree; it is not the whole. The whole is living and is not what symbolic thought is capable of. An immoral, violent, primitive society has given you a stick to depend upon. Are you still endlessly carrying it around? Are you still relying on it, depending on it? (Actually, it is a virtual image, a symbol that we have taken to be something real — which is even less than a dead stick — but we won’t elaborate any longer at this point.) Profound compassion is, on the other hand, real and living; profound compassion goes far beyond mere symbols, images, and borders.
Ringo Starr… Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2018
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
Yes the stick is dead, and we look to a future where the ego is healthy, thanks for this.
Thanks, Paul. 🙂 There is no such thing as a healthy ego. Wisely and intelligently go beyond the ego, and then the physical organism and the world will be immensely more healthy and better off. Cling to the ego and try to polish it up with spurious control (as so many do) to make it better… and things generally stay distorted and ugly.
I guess in how I see it, if you transcend ego, it is healthy because it is not driving or directing, it just is.
Very well said Tom. I spent much of my life aspiring to religious and social elite, but found calm in the real me when I let it all go. I have no stick nor guile any more. I just love everything and everyone. One day, each one of us sees how wrong we were about something. I was wrong about a lot of things, and literally the moment I let go of that stick, everything changed for the better. Great and superb words today. Love it!
Much appreciated, Jim! We have to be extremely careful with all this. One is sure that you realize that you have transformed significantly. However, one cannot ever know that one has no stick… that one is not carrying a stick. Sticklessness is the unknown, and one cannot ever know that one is in and of the unknown. Part of the beauty of it is that you cannot even know that you are (currently) of it. Yet if it is there it manifests as a benediction. The beauty of real (egoless) meditation is that you cannot even know you are doing it. That stick is very clever at disguising itself as something else! We, like was suggested, have to be very careful in all this! 🙂
Agreed. Committed to learn and grow. I presuppose as little as I can. It’s a journey for sure. Thanks.
There’s never an end to real learning, for any of us… 🙂
OMG I just saw a ladybug this morning and included it in my post for today! 😀 You are so deep in your message for today my friend, Dr. Tom! 🙂
Thanks re the message, Kym! 🙂
Ladybugs! Ladybugs! Ladybugs! Ladybugs! Ladybugs! Ladybugs!
What an awesome rant! Reblogging to sister site Success Inspirers World
Thank you and thank you much for the reblog! 🙂
One doesn’t think one will win any popularity contests with this but that’s just fine. If one or two serious people glean something out of it, that’s all that matters! 🙂
That’s very true, and yours foolie has lived her life by this credo. Now, however, she finds herself in the position of being able to expose deep and worthy works to thousands of new people every day, and she’s absolutely evstatic to have the opportunity! 😆
Another intriguing read … “stick” such a great metaphor for what we so naturally grasp and hang onto w/o questioning.
I love the ladybug …
Yes, of course, each holds on to it without questioning; even the degreed psychiatrists and psychologists — and the so-called gurus — have it largely wrong. No wonder so few actually are involved with nirvana.
You’re very deep in your writing Tom. You’re very magical in your macro photo-capturing. Up close and personal with the ladybug makes that shell looks almost like it is a metal paint job doesn’t it? Kind of reminds me of my first car, a VW Beetle circa 1973.
Ah, i used to drive a VW Beetle around 1973. It sure was a fun car to drive with that sweet stick shift feel!
One always wanted to go deep (for the longest time). Baffles me that so many do not. Indifference and fear stop many. The irony is that any escape from reality — especially psychological escapes and excuses — ends up causing much more suffering and problems down the road.
Thanks about the macro photos; been fascinated by bugs and all kinds of critters ever since being a little kid.
Now if we could just get everyone else to think like that…
🙂 Don’t hold your breath about it, Michael!
Thanks Tom for that insightful post! Oftentimes we hold to our Ego because we feel it’s all we have…when in truth it’s belonging to something greater or reaching beyond ourselves that shows our true identity. Like a particle in a universe; you really don’t know it’s anything unless you see it in relation to something else. Keep up the great insights!
It is not easy to think outside our cultural sticks that try to control who we think we are, but try we must.