What does spirituality mean to you?

Originally Posted by ameliorate

[color="Green"]Sorry but there IS a general understanding by what is meant by ego that we commonly share.

The ego can't be 'minimised' if there is no clear understanding of what the ego is and how it works. If you're minimising something you may as well imagined? The mainstream 'ego' is a common, shared Chinese Whisper so basing Spiritual understanding of Spirituality on that it talks of the lack of authenticity and understanding.

Having 'transcended' the ego is egoism, associating with Spirituality can be a Spirituality based on egoism and the seeking of status. Egoism becomes the paradigm and internal reality becomes relative to that, so egoism can become the foundation of all that is held dear.

It's not Spiritual, it's a mess. And the real answer is what are the reasons you accept the mainstream 'version' of ego? For me personally, I went with Buddha in that I question everything because I need to be authentic as possible. That's how my ego works, I need something more than face value.

[ameliorate]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

The ego can't be 'minimised' if there is no clear understanding of what the ego is and how it works. If you're minimising something you may as well imagined? The mainstream 'ego' is a common, shared Chinese Whisper so if you base your Spiritual understanding of Spirituality on that, it talks of the lack of authenticity and understanding.

Having 'transcended' the ego is egoism, associating with Spirituality can be a Spirituality based on egoism and the seeking of status. Egoism becomes the paradigm and internal reality becomes relative top that.

It's not Spiritual, it's a mess. And the real answer is what are the reasons you accept the mainstream 'version' of ego? For me personally, I went with Buddha in that I question everything because I need to be authentic as possible. That's how my ego works, I need something more than face value.

I beg to differ! Our self, in the way we project it, CAN be minimised. Of course it can! There is a world of difference between someone egocentric, pre-occupied with themselves and someone who is primarily focused on the concerns of others.

Also, on your last point, questioning everything is not the same thing as being authentic. To have an enquiring mind does not necessarily entail being honest/truthful in interactions with others. Sorry but your thinking frequently reveals muddled associations.

[Altair]

I'm curious. What is this common understanding about the ego that we all share?

[ameliorate]

Originally Posted by Altair

I'm curious. What is this common understanding about the ego that we all share?

A person's sense of self...along these lines! Would you disagree?

[Altair]

Originally Posted by ameliorate

A person's sense of self...along these lines! Would you disagree?

No, that works for me.

[bobjob]

No you don't understand. Ego has been the subject of so many threads where people have waxed Spiritual about something they simply don't understand and think it's Spirituality. They don't want to know that they're fooling themselves.

Aren't we supposed to be looking for understanding, and how is making up any old nonsense conducive to that?

Is there any wonder accusations of not understanding are made when folk use the same words to mean wholly different things?

Or choose to spell them with capital letters implying they mean something different and special?

[bobjob]

I'm curious. What is this common understanding about the ego that we all share?

Isn't that an assumption?

Originally Posted by ameliorate

[color="Green"]I beg to differ! Our self, in the way we project it, CAN be minimised. Of course it can! There is a world of difference between someone egocentric, pre-occupied with themselves and someone who is primarily focused on the concerns of others.

'Self' is another mess, and what most call the self is the ego. Some, on the other hand, create a persona or a mask as the self.

Yes there is a difference between someone who is egocentric and someone who is focussed on the concerns of others but both of those are relative to one's ego. But that is not about minimising, that's about 'contents' - the 'contents' of the egocentric ego is different to the 'contents' of . It's about who and what we perceive ourselves to be and that's the understanding.

If there's no real understanding of the ego then ego-less only becomes egoism, and I guess you can work out the implications - and the irony - of that.

Sorry but it's your perceptions of what I've said are muddled. An enquiring mind and authenticity aren't the same thing, nor is it being truthful or honest. Neither of which I've tried to imply nor say. I try to ne as authentic as I can be, and an enquiring mind helps me understand certain subjects more comprehensively.

Originally Posted by Altair

I'm curious. What is this common understanding about the ego that we all share?

It's the bad guy, the root of all evil.

[bobjob]

Words are the roots of many of humankind's woes.....