This morning I listened to a Ron van Dyke video on overcoming the ego by integrating with your higher self. I agree with what Ron says about the Big Lies of both the Western religions (Judeo-Christian, Muslim) and the Eastern religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.). All religions share some wonderful truths, but all are also full of lies.
Before you read on, I highly recommend you take a few minutes to listen to Ron’s entire video, regardless of your religious background or whether or not you consider yourself “new age.” When you view this video, you will know that Ron van Dyke is the real thing.
To access Ron’s video on overcoming the ego by integrating with your higher self, please click on the link below. Then come back to read the rest of this post for the how-to info.
Video: Overcoming the Ego By Integrating With Your Higher Self
I agree with Ron that Eckhardt Tolle’s teachings on the ego (that we must deny the ego, we must bring it down a peg or two, we must become “ego-free”) are pure nonsense. Eckhardt Tolle’s teachings never resonated with me as I knew the key to enlightenment was not in denying a part of us but in integrating, becoming whole and understanding the bigger picture of life here. When I read his first book The Power of Now (because a relative had recommended it highly), I didn’t get what the big deal was. I did not hide my opinions abou this; I had shared my ideas about the ego and the importance of integration in my first book, What Everyone Believed: A Memoir of Intuition and Awakening and I wrote a couple of articles disagreeing with Tolle’s ideas back in 2008 and 2009. (Once I did that though, I concentrated my efforts on promoting the how-to of reconnecting and integrating with your higher self.)
Ron does not go into the how-to of connecting and integrating with your higher self. Sharing the “how-to” steps in plain English (including sharing real-life examples) is what I had concentrated my efforts on for the last ten years or so.
The How-To of Connecting and Integrating with your Higher Self
In a nutshell, the how-to involves reconnecting with your higher self with an effective meditation practice, learning to recognize and distinguish your inner guidance from your mental conditionings and your wants, gaining enough confidence and trust in your inner guidance such that you follow through with it promptly and consistently, even if doing so puts you in a (temporarily) uncomfortable situation, and then paying attention to what happens over time.
When you follow through with your inner guidance the “Universe” will bring you the results you need (new insights, “aha moments,” favorable synchronicities) so that you gain more and more confidence in your connection until eventually you get to a point where you follow your own inner guidance rather than the advice of those whom you considered the experts in their field (e.g. the “Eckhardt Tolles of the world”). It’s not that you will disregard all expert advice, not at all. But having a bigger picture viewpoint will help put things in proper perspective.
Following through with your inner guidance and making changes consistent with the nudges of your higher self is how you integrate with your higher self. If you ignore your higher self, if you ignore your inner guidance and just do as you did before (by just following conventional wisdom or how others want you to behave), you can’t expect to integrate with your higher self and you can’t expect to activate the higher power within you!
The process of connecting and integrating with your higher self isn’t something that happens overnight and it isn’t just a good thing to do, it’s a requirement right now. It’s how you discover and fulfill your higher purpose and unique contribution toward the Great Shift. It’s how you fulfill your potential and create the success you always wanted, your own Golden Age. And it’s how you do your part, through your contribution, to create the Golden Age for all beings on the Earth.
Added July 18, 2012:
After reading all the comments and pondering it all, I woke up this morning (in that inbetween state of sleep and waking) being reminded again of the bigger picture. When you see the bigger picture you will realize that it’s the Higher Self (not the ego self) that created the Separation, the higher self created the Fall in Consciousness–for the very noble goal of spiritual growth through learning and experiencing firsthand many types of experiences, including difficult challenges. The ego self is just a vehicle the Higher Self uses for this experiencing / process. (Focusing on the ego is not the most direct way to transform your life.)
Furthermore, one can spend many years processing through one’s pain body and feelings of unworth and inadequacy, and actually not get very far. However, when you muster up the courage to follow through with your inner guidance, that’s the fastest way to discover who you truly are and what you’re capable of–which does absolute wonders for your feelings of worth and adequacy. I know this because this has been my experience, not just a theory.
Want to learn how to integrate with your higher self and activate the higher force within you? The eBook, Activating 2012: A Practical Guide for Navigating 2012 with Confidence and Clarity contains clear, easy to understand steps in plain English, including real-life examples. Just click the link below:
Activating 2012: A Practical Guide for Navigating 2012 with Confidence and Clarity
Thank you for reading my work!
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I found by letting go of who I thought I was or should be, is the easiest way to let the higher-self come through. It’s not always easy though because the mind doesn’t particularly like change that much.
Christine,
Have never seen it described more clearly than this, and thanks for sharing Ron’s excellent video.
Thanks,
Les Schmidt
Thanks for your “How-To” information. For myself alot of information is just that, information. I need the How-to do something. And that is what you are good at giving. Keep it up…….
Thanks Mary! Information is one thing, but direct experience is even better. That’s why I’m not so big on complex information and philosophy but rather, I offer simple but effective steps to take so that readers can have a direct experience of receiving positive feedback from the Universe that they’re on the right track–because that is what is going to give people the confidence they need to keep going in these very challenging times. (Also, I put these steps in proper perspective so that readers understand what’s going on, which will reduce their fear.) Best, Christine
Dear Christine and friends, the no self concept is central to Buddhism and it does not mean that we don’t have a self…it does mean that we must let go of the notion that we are “separate” from all aspects of our world, universe.
According to Thich Nhat Hanh, when we are identified with the self , the ego, we see ourselves as separate from everything. When we are connected to our deeper self, what he calls being in the mode of seeing things-as-they-are then we are experiencing our interdependence or amazing connection and dependence on all life.
He calls this Interbeing…how we are not separate from the earth or the sun or the plant or each other or our higher self (he doesn’t use term higher self). We cannot exist without the sun, earth, or plants. Just as a piece of paper cannot exist without, the sun, the earth, the moon, the tree, the person, etc.
Of course we have an ego that sleeps, works, shops, makes money, etc…and THAT IS NOT WHO WE ARE…we are this Interbeing…WE ARE THE SUN, EARTH, PAPER, TREE, CAR, ….we are everything…we are not the thing that shops and eats and sleeps…
Video: http://plumvillage.org/video/337-beyond-environment.html
Article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/zen-thich-naht-hanh-buddhidm-business-values
With great love and gratitude that we can have this discussion and shared experience,
Christopher
One clip from the article listed above:
He (Thich Nhat Hanh) believes we need to move beyond talking about the environment, as this leads people to experience themselves and Earth as two separate entities and to see the planet in terms only of what it can do for them
(My words here: if we believe we have a self, we are a self, then we are separate from the earth, from our higher self…when we are our higher self…we are not a separate self).
Change is possible only if there is a recognition that people and planet are ultimately one and the same.
“You carry Mother Earth within you,” says Thay. “She is not outside of you. Mother Earth is not just your environment.
“In that insight of inter-being, it is possible to have real communication with the Earth, which is the highest form of prayer. In that kind of relationship you have enough love, strength and awakening in order to change your life.
“Changing is not just changing the things outside of us. First of all we need the right view that transcends all notions including of being and non-being, creator and creature, mind and spirit. That kind of insight is crucial for transformation and healing.
“Fear, separation, hate and anger come from the wrong view that you and the earth are two separate entities, the Earth is only the environment. You are in the centre and you want to do something for the Earth in order for you to survive. That is a dualistic way of seeing.
“So to breathe in and be aware of your body and look deeply into it and realise you are the Earth and your consciousness is also the consciousness of the earth. Not to cut the tree not to pollute the water, that is not enough.”
Tolle’s work is not about denying the ego, it’s about learning to cultivate a different relationship to it, and learning how to use it effectively, instead of being controlled by it.
Keith, I agree that Tolle’s work is about being in the here and now which in essence is about being connected to the higher self. The ego is not able to be in the present moment. It is involved in the dualistic world of win and lose, right and wrong, good and bad…and Tolle’s work is about going beyond this.
He talks about being in and working with the pain body and this is not possible for the ego. The ego wants, needs to avoid pain at all costs. Being in the pain body is only done in the here and now through reflection and prayer and feeling…not for the ego.
And doing this pain body work helps the ego mature and grow not deny it
Hi Christopher, I’ve read 2 of Tolle’s books, the Power of Now and the New Earth. I have also learned in life that what you focus on grows: when you focus on pain body work, you get more pain body. My philosophy is to focus on connecting as directly as possible with the higher self. (And that’s my main issue with Tolle’s work.) Perhaps I have missed something, perhaps Tolle’s followers also misunderstand Tolle because so many of them focus on denying the ego! I feel the same about Gary Renard’s work. My opinion based on my personal experience is that the focus is off for both of these guys. However, that does not mean that Tolle’s and Renard’s work won’t work for others.
Christine, thanks for your thoughtful response…I guess I have a slightly different take on the pain part…my experience as a body centered psychotherapist and meditator for 40 years is that being with the pain embodying the pain with the intention to experience, share, nurture, and comfort actually heals the pain.
This then allows us to move out of distress and reactivity and be in our heart and the prefrontal cortex of the brain where I believe we access our true nature, our higher self. Otherwise there is a way of “spiritually bypassing” that denies this darker self aspect and only gives it life in the deeper parts of the psyche.
This is my experience and not everyones. I am delighted you have found your way and I appreciate your website. It often helps me with insights.
Warmly,
Christopher
Hi Christopher,
Thanks for your response!
A little about me: I have felt this deep pain within me since early grade school and pain is what helped me search deeper for answers. I was never one to avoid the pain, I do not / did not deny the darker aspects, and I have not numbed myself ever with drugs or alcohol. Pain is a wonderful motivator. It’s just that when the emotional pain got really intense, the time was right for me to take a different approach to get answers than I had previously done and I vowed to connect deeper with my higher self (heart) and follow through with my inner guidance. The new insights I received over time is what then allowed me to see the bigger picture. It’s a slightly different approach, but it worked for me, and it’s how I was guided to go…
Christine, thanks for taking the time to sharing the video and letting us reflect. A few words about Tolle:
Tolle is hard to follow and understand. I think a lot of people fail to see his bigger picture, which is probably what you and Ron are really trying to point out. Tolle is not just a quick read that can enlighten the searcher. In fact, he can be bring more confusion than liberation – unless his message is digested properly. Maybe this is the hangup a lot of people who are trying to teach us to go to the source are having with him?
Personally, I tend to think Tolle is brilliant. But I had to read his work multiple times to see this. I had a friend who was having trouble with mainstream Christianity. He read Tolle and it opened many doors for him. However, he also expressed that Tolle is at times quite confusing. He suggested Tolle should only be recommended to people who are truly ready to see a much bigger reality. I tend to agree. One should read Tolle with a great deal of caution. What do you think?
Hi Joshua,
I do have a pretty good understanding of the bigger reality. And I do wish Tolle would write in a way that would not confuse so many people. I am a person who strives to be clear in my writing. That’s why I often give real-life examples along with the ideas. There’s enough misinformation around on spirituality that I feel teachers owe it to their readers to be as clear as possible. I also understyand the problem with trying to describe complex ideas with words; one can often interpret a statement a couple different ways, on different levels.
I’m willing to reread Tolle’s book, which one would you recommend? However, I do not at this point see that doing so would be more than an intellectual pursuit. The How-To of enlightenment is clear to me. But…I am always open to hearing what you have to say Joshua! Christine
Christine
As I have said, Tolle’s work is not about denying the ego. I think you need to read it again – slowly this time.
Hi Keith,
which book would you recommend? I’m open to looking at it again when I have a moment.
Christine,
One thing that I appreciate about your writings is that you always go directly to the source. This is the single most important thing any searcher can aggregate towards. Tolle is merely a vehicle to help someone who hasn’t realized a bigger reality yet. That’s really the gist of what I want to point out. He was brilliant to me because I was so stuck in a mindset early on in my journey that kept me from the higher self. He is complicated and confusing at times, but some of things he says can joult us into a different perspective which starts the journey to the higher self.
The Power of Now is a classic to me that helps this process – it won’t resonant with everyone, but its impact is an overal positive one in my experience.
Christine
Practicing the The Power of Now (the supplement to The Power of Now) with teachings, meditations and exercises should do. And contrary to Joshua’s experience, I find Tolle to be the simplest, clearest and not confusing at all (compared to lots of other writers on spirituality). Then again, I come from a psychology background having read Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and James Hillman (among others) whose writings on the pscyhe/soul and ego (probably more complex than Tolle’s because of the psychological jargon they had to invent to get ideas across) prepared me to instantly get what Tolle has to say.
Firstly a definition for one’s higher self may be useful. Armed with that identity, it would be easier to access it? Assuming you’re accepting the idea of the fall of man from a state of perfection to a state of birth and death, what is it that you are missing? Looking around this place, there are two types of sex, males and females. The closest expression of oneness is through the act. That seems to be the most this body can do to express itself for perfection. Reasoning further, it becomes apparent that perfection is the circle full expressed and unbroken. At Virgo we can put feeling and at Scorpio Desire. Libra is the fulcrum. Leo for life/time, Sagittarius for Motive. The line between Cancer and Capricorn is for Light (The Breath) and Power (I AM that I AM). The “Aha” moments occur during the pause between the in breath and the out breath. By steadily focusing your Light on the act of thinking, you may obtain the answer to any question you choose to pose. The “Intuitive” response is returned to your mind by your Thinker and Knower. These two parts of your higher-self and are not fully embodied. As for the ego, separating and distinguishing identity from personality is a step forward. In ordinary human thinking a person is governed by expediency, then nature impressions control feeling, feeling arouses desire, desire ignores rightness and forces reason and desire has its way. In self government by law and justice, rightness guides feeling; which prompts desire, desire agrees with reason. The feeling and desire are controlled by rightness and reason – > Love and Peace.
I always had trouble with my monstrous ego…even having a better understanding of Life and God only ended up boosting my ego. I posted queries and raised the issue in discussions but never really got a clear answer…and then I came to understand that each soul is pure and each is having its own experience but the core is always the same pure and divine energy. I realized that I am neither better…nor less than any creation…and just this realization killed my ego. It was so simple…so natural and easy.
I am now learning to treat others same as me and have no problems related to EGO 🙂
Hi Ranjna,
sometimes ego is confused with egostism. Yes, everyone is just as worthy and as valuable as anyone else. Our egos are just temporarily playing different roles in this Divine Drama…Thanks, Christine
Loving the blog and the comments, though unable to view the video due to slow connections.
I read the Power of Now and simply took from it what I needed in the moment (lol), the idea of living in the present. Sometimes it’s the idea of something that sends us on our journey and this reading was well before many of my lessons and was at a time when I was focused on suppressing ego.
The integration or control of ego came as I entered the releasing from old belief systems, as I started cutting cords to the past (people, beliefs, defenses, etc.). To cut those ego cords helped to find the trigger points (the ego or knee-jerk response points).
However the lessons come, whatever wisdom or teaching resonates with a particular person.
Ego is our self-identification, what keeps us in our body. I do believe we have to work on ourselves, to release old traumas, belief systems, etc. To look at everything that we react to strongly and ask why, where is it coming from, and clearing it. For some time, I avoided this as I found it much easier to go “out there” rather than looking within. Now I do both … and it’s always a process.
Thank you, Christine, and thank you to all those who responded. Loving the discourse, the discussions and the various points of view.