Shall we let go of our ego?

[bongosdad]

Is it our egos that hold us back. Would life be better if we didn't have egos?

[ozfan]

Is your ego holding you back? How do you define ego and how do you think it can hold you back?

[bongosdad]

Very hard question to explain so let's hope one of you boffins help me out. I think the ego effects everyone and can be very cruel and damaging if you listen to it. It's effected me in many ways and stops me feeling good about myself.
I'm learning meditation and it has helped me.

[MissWinnie]

If you're learning meditation, Bongo, I am guessing you may be defining ego as a self labelling thing, where we artificially create our own identities through an array of labels eg good, bad, clever, dim, based on what has happened/happening to us at the time?

Eg if things are going well, we might give ourselves lots of positive labels eg 'I've beaten Yubby this week at Fantasy Footy so I must be brilliant' or 'oh no I picked X as my Captain and Yubby 's got loads,more points than me - I must be really stupid' . The reality is that I am the same person whatever the outcome. I think it can hold us back if we are letting these labels govern how we feel about ourselves and our subsequent behaviour/actions.

I think manipulation of our egos also plays a big role in maintaining consumerism. If only I could own that car or house then that would mean I'm successful, driving people to half kill themselves with exhaustion, getting into debt etc to try and fund their quest to feel go

[bongosdad]

Thanks Winnie for helping me out. That was spot on and exactly what I'm on about but couldn't explain it. I think you can lead a happier life and become a better person by not letting ego control your feelings and actions.
I'm very new to meditation and find it hard without a CD but it's early days. I'm researching the subject and TM meditation seems a good one. I'm going down the Buddhist centre soon. - view external link

[bongosdad]

Also this is the 10 minute CD I listen too. - view external link

[xchurchVilla]

Hey Bongo,

When I was about 15 I read a book called Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance by Robert M Pirsig. It was supposed to be a book that changed your life. Well, guess what, it did change my life.

The underlying message is that life is about how you see it.

It has had a somewhat profound affect on my life. I used to have a very good (well paid (ego)) job in local government. For the past four years I have been employed as a delivery driver.

Some people may question this "career choice" but as I say to people, "If I wasn't working, I would probably be sat at home listening to music, or going down the gym for a work out, or maybe going out for a drive. With this job I do all of those things and somebody pays me for doing it"

And in answer to another question on this board, I drive a w reg Renault megane estate. Its got about 128K on the clock, is covered in dents and scratches but manages to get through its MOT every year with the minimum of cost so why would I wan

[MissWinnie]

Good for you, Churchy - doing what you enjoy and not pandering to the daft notions of our 'status' driven society.

[bongosdad]

[quote="xchurchVilla"]Hey Bongo,

When I was about 15 I read a book called Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance by Robert M Pirsig. It was supposed to be a book that changed your life. Well, guess what, it did change my life.

The underlying message is that life is about how you see it.

It has had a somewhat profound affect on my life. I used to have a very good (well paid (ego)) job in local government. For the past four years I have been employed as a delivery driver.

Some people may question this "career choice" but as I say to people, "If I wasn't working, I would probably be sat at home listening to music, or going down the gym for a work out, or maybe going out for a drive. With this job I do all of those things and somebody pays me for doing it"

And in answer to another question on this board, I drive a w reg Renault megane estate. Its got about 128K on the clock, is covered in dents and scratches but manages to get through its MOT ever