The Ego and Soul
I’ve been contemplating on mind and soul understanding among students and felt impressed to write a few words.
As far as soul contact goes seekers fit into several categories.
[1] Those who believe they have soul contact and do.
[2] Those who believe they have soul contact and do not, or not as much as they think.
[3] Those who believe they have it from time to time.
[4] Those who want it and not sure if they have experienced it.
[5] Those who are pretty sure they have never experienced it.
The problem is that these divisions create problems, just as all situations where separation occurs create problems. Since this is a natural separation that happens to all of us as we progress upon the path there is nothing we can do to change the situation. The solution lies in understanding the situation and seeing the inner unity behind the outer divisions.
Divisions 1 and 2 are generally the spiritual teachers among us and there is often a cleavage between these and the other three. A lot of this comes from the perception that these teachers are being set apart either by themselves or their students. Categories 3-5 will often perceive the upper two in the following ways.
[1] They perceive the teacher as thinking he is better than others.
[2] They perceive that some devoted students think they are better than others.
[3] They perceive others think they are always right so if they disagree their opinion doesn’t count for anything.
[4] They think they see more truth from the resources they have than does the teacher who thinks he sees in the soul.
This problem is complicated by the fact that most teachers who think they have reliable soul contact are merely in touch with solar plexus energies and many of these do have an air of superiority and infallibility. In these cases, criticisms like this are often accurate.
The irony, however, is that these perceptions of superiority and infallibility are more pronounced in the groups headed by a true teacher with real soul contact than a false teacher. The reason for this is the false teacher uses the authority of the Beast and speaks more strongly to the astral feelings in devotees. Because of fear or glamour, which is thus created, the students are much less likely to speak out.
The true teacher attempts to cultivate an atmosphere of maximum freedom of thought and speech and because there is more feedback he will often be viewed by outsiders as more worthy of the criticism than the false teacher with a muffled following.
That said, categories 3-5 often contribute to the problem. The core reason for this is the ego. The ego tells us that we are as good as anyone else. Because this is true on the inner planes this thought is seen internally as true, but the truth is warped by the ego to produce separation and isolation to the student whereas true equality produces unity. The ego takes that which is different and says it is the same, whereas the soul sees eternal equality and unity and transmits the ideal to the disciple.
Let’s use the Spanish example again. If I were to take a Spanish class from someone who can speak the language, it would be silly of me to assume I am as “good” at it as is the teacher. The ego tends to twist the meaning of the word “good” into relating to the whole person. If the student begins accusing the Spanish teacher of thinking he is better than the students he is warping the use of good. In a sense of wholeness no one is better than anyone else, but all of us are better than others in some areas where our talents are concerned.
The teacher or student with soul contact may indeed have more ability (for want of a better word) to perceive through the soul, but he will never desire to present the image of being an intrinsically better person. His main concern will be his own ability to communicate, to help and to serve.
This will often not be seen correctly by students. Those who themselves are struggling with ego will see motivation of the teacher as being from the ego whether it is there or not. Ego sees ego in all except authorities of the Beast. The soul sees ego where ego lives and soul where soul dominates.
Generally speaking, it is true that none of us like being wrong, or having our words or thoughts seen as inferior to the words and thoughts of others. It is almost a miracle that any of us can be students and learn from anyone, but we all manage to do it at one time or another, some of us better than others.
Fortunately, learning is fairly uninhibited if we learn from an accepted authority. This accepted authority carries significant power and there is little resistance if he has finished a proven work and students do not have to deal with his personality.
For instance, easy authorities to accept by many members of this group are: DK, Jesus, H. P. Blavatsky, Tesla, various scriptures, Buddha and others.
I, being a living accessible teacher, am much more difficult to accept. In another hundred years it will be much easier for students to study my teachings without resistance for I will only represent a name from the past that seems easy to accept or reject and will be in no perceived competition with anyone’s ego.
Since we cannot avoid living teachers, perhaps some tips are in order to effectively deal with them. Here are a few.
[1] We must realize that living teachers and innovators will always be necessary. Because of evolution and changes in society we cannot learn all we need from dead teachers. We must all be mentally conditioned to be open to learning from others. None of us are experts in every field and all can learn from others who are living.
[2] The ego must be recognized for what it is and overridden by the mind when it interferes with learning or cooperating.
[3] Each of us has areas where we excel. We can often placate the ego by telling it something like this: “So what if Bob is my teacher in this area. I know more than him in ‘X’ area.” When the ego is still in play tactics like this can be helpful.
[4] The seeker must realize that living teachers can help him, or stimulate him to progress. Even the ego likes personal advancement.
[5] The seeker who does not believe he has soul contact should realize that the energy of soul filters down to us all. Many of us just do not consciously access it, but all are influenced by it. Soul energy is equally available to all, but it does take attention, focus and purity of motive to consciously register it.
The seeker who has not established conscious soul contact has many perils to face in crossing the bridge between spirit and matter. Later new perils emerge but he must concentrate on where he is, not where he is not. If he does not successfully navigate the ego, as he is on the road to mastering the ego, many frustrations will occur and he will be in a constant state of tension with seekers who do have true soul contact.
For all of us to overcome our next hurdle, the advice is the same: Follow the highest you know and let not your attention fall below that level.
DK quote: “This attitude of non-interference and the refusal to criticise, in no way prevents service to each other or constructive group relations. It does not negate the expression of love or happy group cooperation. There is ever much opportunity for the practice of impersonality in all group relations. In every group there is usually one group member (and perhaps several) who constitute a problem to themselves and to their group brothers. Perhaps you yourself are such an one and know it not. Perhaps you know who, among your co-servers, provides a testing for his fellows. Perhaps you can see clearly what is the group weakness and who it is that is keeping the group back from finer activity. That is well and good, provided that you continue to love and serve and to refrain from criticism. It is a wrong attitude to seek assiduously to straighten out your brother, to chide him or seek to impose your will on him or your point of view, though it is always legitimate to express ideas and make suggestion. Groups of disciples are groups of free and independent souls who submerge their personal interests in service and who seek that inner linking which will fuse the group into an instrument for the service of humanity and of the Hierarchy. Continue with your own soul discipline and leave your brothers to continue theirs.” Discipleship in the New Age, Vol 1, Pages 48-49
Oct 13, 2006
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