Leveling EGO???

1. 81

   Kain 360posted 10 years ago

   What does this mean: "You will be challenged with leveling your ego in this lifetime." Does this sentence imply/mean that you will have a difficult time having a big ego or small ego?

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I read it to mean that you will have to control your ego as you go through life.

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      Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      If you think of an ego as the conscious part of your mind which controls urges and desires it starts to make more sense. We have to balance our urges and we also have to give into them, but we need to know when it appropriate to give into them if at all. A person unable to control these urges will likely end up in jail. A person attempting to over control the urges will likely eventually give in a big way.

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         Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I like this explanation, Radman.
         
         I think it means if you are arrogant, something or someone will come along to knock you off your high horse…
         ouch.

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   3. 82

      Sed-meposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      You did not provide context. Maybe the story is about a man who thinks little of himself... or about a man who is arrogant. Perfect example of why context is vital to understanding.

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   4. 79

      arksysposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      ego: a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance.
      
      your ego can go up or down depending on your situation.
      
      when in depression your ego will go down, at that time you have to bring it back up. (lift yourself up)
      if you do well for your self in life then your ego will automatically rise; this time you have to bring it down. (don't let it get to your head).
      
      levelling basically means keep your ego balanced in whatever situation you face.

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         psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Regardless of the general dictionary use, the 'ego' as postulated by Freud is a kind of mediator between the desires of the id, the virtues and constraints of the super-ego, and the demands of the real world.
         
         But without context I have no idea whether the quote is referencing this meaning of 'ego'.  As an executive function is could not be meaningfully 'leveled'.  Leveling is for a substances, not an action/function.

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            arksysposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            that's the same as lower self / higher self right... or is id and super-ego something different?

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               psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               As per Freud they are all just parts of the person with their own function and the ego mediates between them to produce the person's choices. One can suffer from having too much or too little of either.

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                  arksysposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  But can you not control it according to freud? by levelling it would mean to be able to control it.
                  
                  This famous Cherokee legend seems to be on similar lines, but allows the control of it.
                  
                  An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life...
                  
                  "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.
                  "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
                  
                  "One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego.
                  
                  "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
                  
                  "This same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."
                  
                  The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,
                  "Which wolf will win?"
                  
                  The old chief simply replied,
                  "The one you feed."
                  
                  A similar concept is also found in Islam which is a part of the conquest of oneself. The Sufi are partially an example of those who have been able to control the 'nafs'.
                  
                  The inciting nafs - the lower self
                  The self-accusing nafs
                  The nafs at peace - This is the ideal stage of ego for Muslims
                  
                  i'm sure there must be others out there.

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                     Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     Who say's you can't control ones ego? One with a week ego will give into the impulses of the ID and the needs of the superego. One with a strong exercised ego will know when it's okay to give into certain needs and when it's unacceptable. One with a strong ego will understand that it doesn't matter if others don't see them at church and will know that the ego is not allowed to hurt others.

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                        arksysposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                        So it is the same concept of the 'nafs' and wolves.
                        
                        Another example then for the OP from a book called essential Sufism.
                        
                        "One of the sayings of the prophet analyses the differences between human and angelic  natures: 'god created the angels from intellect without sensuality, the beasts from sensuality without intellect, and humanity from both intellect and sensuality. So when a persons intellect overcomes his sensuality, he is better than an angel, but when his sensuality overcomes his intellect, he is worse than the beasts' ".
                        
                        It is a fight within yourself and only you can keep it balanced with the free will you have been given.

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                           Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                           It's important (IMO) to understand that one needs to give into those urges once in a while, (as long as no one is hurt) or those urges will eventually eat you up and explode. It's all about a healthy balance.

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                              God shetposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                              Well said.

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                                 Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                 Thanks, but when I reread it I had to edit, as it wasn't very well written. Probably still isn't.

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                                    God shetposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                    Well said, again. Cheers!

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                              arksysposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                              true.

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2. 81

   Barack Jamesposted 10 years ago

   According to my understanding of the sentence; It's a small ego - leveling as a verb can also mean to make an average out of something or to reduce or to "demolish"- if it were a big ego then it could be something like "leveling up".
   
   Anyone??  not a native speaker!

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   1. 81

      Kain 360posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I thought it meant that it would be hard to have an EGO. For example, some people have too much EGO, while others do not have enough EGO.
      
      I just thought this was phrased slightly strange.

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         misterhollywoodposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         That's because it is strangely worded:) does not sound right. I'm reading your hubs by the way- very cool bud!

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3. 74

   lone77starposted 10 years ago

   Any ego is corruption and a source of evil.
   
   Ego is self-concern, from the most benign urge to feed your body, and to help the little old lady cross the street, to the urges of Hitler, Stalin, Obama, Bush and the Wall Street thugs who create and operate such mad men and puppets.
   
   Ego is separation (the opposite of love). Ego is spiritual blindness. Ego is selfishness. Ego is self-righteousness. Ego is doing good for the benefit of self, even if that benefit is as minor as anonymous satisfaction for having done "good."
   
   Ego is nearly impossible to eliminate. That's why Christ said that the path is narrow and difficult. He said that the First (egoist) shall be last (left out in the cold) and that the Last (humble) shall be first (welcomed into Heaven). This isn't about punishment and reward. This is simply a matter of fact. Ego is physical (vulnerable energy, space and time) and such coarse, physical things will not fit into the non-physical realm of spirit (Heaven). Simple! Trying to put ego into Heaven is like trying to squeeze a mountain into a thimble.
   
   Only recently have I learned of a method for getting rid of Ego by expanding Ego and then converting it. How cool is that! You use the urges of ego against itself. This is from the teachings of authentic Kabbalah -- not the New Age, Hollywood pseudo-Kabbalah you hear so much about. These are the guys who wrote the Bible in code so most people would not understand it without their insights and training.
   
   Converting ego requires critical self-awareness. Years of meditation might help. My years of spiritual counseling have helped, but it's still tough. The object is to convert the selfish desires of ego into desires to help others without any self-concern. When you reach this point, physical reality dissolves and miracles happen. I've been there, so I know what it tastes like, but getting back has taken me decades!
   
   With authentic Kabbalah, we each can be rid of Ego and connect with each other in ways we may never have thought possible. The following video may give you an idea, if you're ready for it.
   
   http://perceivingreality.com
   
   Without ego, you become us. The individual uniqueness is still there, but amplified without separateness and self-concern. It's pure, altruistic love.

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      Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      You are once again confusing the ego with the sub-conscious urges.

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      Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Self IS beyond ego. Self is not Ego. How do we get in touch with true self, Lone Star? Do we ever loose touch with our individuality? What is the essence of "individual uniqueness?"
        The "method for getting rid of Ego by expanding Ego and then converting it." sounds complicated. I believe awareness of true self will obliterate ego naturally and without struggle.  I believe meditation is a process which helps one increase awareness of true self. Ego is actually pretty valuable when living in a body. When you elevate your consciousness and realize you are not bound to the body, ego becomes a non-issue. Not arguing just sharing my understanding.
      Also, I did a lot of senseless battling with the ego. I discovered one can transcend the ego through awareness of what is behind it.
      In my understanding.
      
      Love is a given.
      The more we are in touch with true self, the more we are in touch with love.

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4. 69

   psycheskinnerposted 10 years ago

   Not just 'give in to urges', that still implies survival instincts are wrong.  There is nothing at all wrong with hunger, sexual passion, the drive to acheive etc.  The wrong is only in going too far with these things into gluttony, preoccupation with lust,, callous treatment of others etc

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      arksysposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      True: do everything moderately.
      Excess leads to disaster in most cases.

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