Opinions and Reality

“In Zen they say: ‘Don’t seek the truth. Just cease to cherish opinions.’ What does that mean? Let go of identification with your mind. Who you are beyond the mind then emerges by itself.”

— Eckhart Tolle

This idea is one that I am still practicing, and it is of a zen-type origin.

The reality that we all are much more & less than the opinions we create & speak about ourselves & others.

The idea that our real self is an experience beyond words.

This is an idea & a reality that is difficult to comprehend & even more difficult to experience, yet it is liberating to practice.

It’a at least a meditation, and at most a way of life.

What opinions are you holding within yourself that weigh you down? Opinions that anger you? Opinions that limit your experience?

Here’s a meditation guide to get you started.

The Fragile Ego

“The ego is always on guard against any kind of perceived diminishment. Automatic ego-repair mechanisms come into effect to restore the mental form of “me.” When someone blames or criticizes me, that to the ego is a diminishment of self, and it will immediately attempt to repair its diminished sense of self through self-justification, defense, or blaming.”

— Tolle

The ego can be fragile – easily offended, easily angered, feeling threatened easily, quick to blame others…

Is there anything beyond the human ego?

Obviously, yes, but most of us grow up in environments that enforce & reinforce individual egos – in both inferior & superior ways; artificial identities.

We learn to identify with our race & country – & to feel threatened by other races & countries… We are taught to identify with where we were born & to imagine that our country & race is superior to other countries.

Is anyone’s country or race superior to another? No, but people are not taught this. People learn egoic identities from an early age & egos are reinforced time & time again until people genuinely start believing in lies: that their race & country are superior to other races & countries .. politicians especially reinforce theirs & others egos by preaching supremacy, & then pastors in churches reinforce politics by preaching supremacy by supporting racism, sexism, egoic ways of thinking…

the blind flow of the ego has led us all here… will we continue with the fragile & easily threatened egoic ways that cause wars, hatred, violence?

… or will something new emerge?

Something beyond the ego? …