A fish, an ego and the Universe

Ever go snorkeling?  Amazing fun isn’t it?  You can enjoy the incredibly peaceful Flow of Oxygen thru a snorkel as you float on the surface of the warm, safe waters. Aaaahh, like a meditation.

You feel a connection to Pure Source Energy (please use whatever Label you like for IT). You feel Awe, Inspiration, Love, Gentleness, and Appreciation there on the surface.

Suddenly, a Problem Fish swims by. (cue sinister music here…)

The little bugger just chaffed up against  your outer protection, your Ego wet suit.  THE NERVE! You’d like to ignore it, but with enough chaffing of your wet suit, you’ll get a hole and YOU will be exposed. You’d better catch and teach that little fish NOT to do that again!

You could just let it swim by, but no – you want to “school” that nasty fish! (ouch, sorry.)

As you stare at it and think of a Defense, the Problem Fish draws your Attention downward.  You suddenly find yourself amazed at the shifting and complicated patterns of it. It seemed so simple at first, but the more attention you give it, you see it really has some attitude about it.

You take a huge gulp of air and you dive down to chase this little nemesis. As you dive down, you increase your distance from your natural FLOW of Oxygen, your Life Sustaining Energy, and instantly feel worse.

You’ve left the warm feelings of Freedom, and a relaxed Awareness to feeling pressure and tight. Oh, you REALLY HAVE  TO catch and fillet that thing now!   Get the wasabi or tartar sauce ready!

Painfully, as you give it more Attention, it continues to swim just a little faster than you and remains elusively out of your reach.

Feel the power of that litte fish!  It’s ugly and only a few inches long, but it seems to have the strength of the mightiest sea Kraken of yore. Rather than just letting it go, IT now seems to be dragging you down into the depths.

You’ve almost forgotten how Easy and Balanced you used to feel up top.

The Surface still calls to you, but you don’t hear it.  Your Attention has shifted.

Gently bring your attention back to the Peacefulness of the Energy, the Oxygen that gives us all LIFE.   Refocus you attention.

Re-center and Just Let Go.

The Universe has your back!  Remember when YOU USED TO  Feel its Warmth?

 

Clucking in the social media coop

Dear Reader – Allow me to ask you a question so I can learn from your perspective. Thanks!   First, let me tell you what initiated the question.

According to Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth – Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose” –

• the ego “Justifys, attacks, blames, defends its position…“
• “the ego will play a role to get what it needs- “material gain, a sense of power, superiority or specialness, or some kind of gratification be it physical or psychological.”
• “there is nothing that strengthens the ego more than being right.”
• “Awareness and ego cannot co-exist”
• “the truth, in any case, needs no defense. The light or sound does not care about what you or anybody else thinks.You are defending yourself…”

I would say I agree with those ideas, how ’bout you? Now, look at Social media. Yes, even including MY own blog, as well as everyone’s Facebook, Twitter, etc….

Scroll thru any Social Media and you’ll hear millions of chickens clucking. I am one of them, I can admit that.

So, when is clucking like a chicken warranted? You have learned, or created something (like a chicken that clucks when it lays an egg) and you want to share it. You build a platform so you can get YOUR learned message out there. Some people will learn from it. Most will only hear more clucking.

My Question – Is building a platform for any message just an EGO building exercise as a person shouts what they think is right?

I’ve learned a lot from others. I’m glad they shouted, wrote a book, gave a lecture, created a blog, a bible, a mandate, philosophy, or dharma . Their platform’s message helped me live a fuller life.  How can that be just a negative Ego practice of communicating what They Believe is right?

• Like a state fair, every chicken has something to offer that is different from the other chickens. What’s wrong with letting the differences show, or being presented?  Like my website or yours?  Is that only Ego gratification?
• Oprah built a platform. Eckhart built one too. They both have books and shows and even talk about each other.  Millions have lived richer lives because of both.

Yet, what kind of platform does the (ego-less) light, or sound or flower need?