Into the Mist

A core of my belief system is that no one I go to work with, visit with, or share this writing with is actually experiencing the same world/reality that I am. It’s easy enough to accept that there is a wide distinction in the practical reality of people with significantly different resources, experiences, or opportunities. From a pyschological perspective one could make a case that people in agreement about any subject are more accurately in a “practical agreement”—not some supreme, unqualified concordance that we sometimes imagine.  

But what about the people that I share the closest connections with in this life? My wife? My dearest friends? From my point of view, even these dear intimates do not truly share the exact perceptual space from which my experience originates. We alone see from our particular point of observation.—Of course others’ existence in their own realities are vital in the creation  of our unique experience. 

This group of people that I love and percieve myself interacting with, as a whole, has a finely defined balance of (spiritual/energetic) agreements including that there is not a lone reality (until we rejoin the infinite energy source). It so happens that we have enough mutual connection points for a illusory experience of a common reality. We are interdependent of—co-creating—each other,  but we do not exist in the same place—in fact, we do not exist in any space, but that is for another “what is not time.” 

When focused on our human experience, we are a completely unique in our perception, therefore, alone in our reality. You experience through the definition of your reality but everyone else does not experience your perception—therefore, it exists only in concept for them. As you believe, it is so….but only for you.

One reason this idea of an isolated reality does not trouble me is that in fact (for me, but not someone whose soul chooses otherwise) realities are illusion, the momentary perception of choice. The only real existence is the intelligent energy field that people give infinite characteristics (wants, rules, names, etc). That is all that is out there and we are points of perception for that ultimate intelligence. In truth you and I, and all you hold dear are not separate; we are the One Mind, the Absolute.

Human consciousness is a filtration system, a segmentation of the immeasurable signals in the Collective Consciousness. This is vital for the experience that we know. Just as one must block some light signals to perceive something other than white light, to experience the rainbow we need a filtration system. Our experience of reality is the result of that filtration system for the Absolute.

This is the best example I know to explain the concept of each of us being a channel of perception for the Absolute: Close one eye only. Open it while closing the other.

Each eye sees a slightly different variation on the scene before it, yet the brain is able to blend two different signals into a collective view that gives greater depth perception and detail. So the greater complexity of the Infinite Intelligence is able to simultaneously perceive the “eye” of billions of individuals (and other lifeforms) in every moment through all time and realities.

We each continually perceive exclusive aspects of the collective reality—different personal realities. For the most part, when we believe we are sharing a reality—a world—we are actually experiencing overlaps of similarity in our unique realities. It is only the vagueness of language and our inability to accurately communicate (consciously) that provides the illusion that we are in complete agreement, seeing the same things before us.   

You may ask if I do not feel lonely with holding such a perspective. No, I do not. For I know that segmentation is only an illusion to experience the joy of an otherwise impossible phenomena, the rainbow—a radiant expression of filtered energy that is human life. Besides you and I are ultimately aspects of the Absolute—One—and there is no space or time vast enough to separate us.

copyright 2008 CG Walters

C.G. Walters primarily writes fiction that focuses on the mystical, metaphysical, and mythical insight that we all possess. His current novel, Sacred Vow is a metaphysical love story, a tale of soul mates—twin flames—a journey toward our one true love…in its infinite expressions…bringing together two individuals from disparate realities—but one spirit—to heal the rift in the Collective Consciousness.

Receive new editions of Into the Mist through a reader  http://feeds.feedburner.com/IntoTheMist

Get the full length FREE PDF of Sacred Vow by going to www.cgwalters.com/spirit_story.htm and clicking on the link in the page to download the eBook. This will allow you to save the book to your disk.
Purchase a signed paperback copy from http://sacredvow.dragonsbeard.com/ – or buy from your favorite brick and mortar, or online store (Amazon.com ).

This copyrighted article may be freely reprinted as long as the entire article and complete by line is included.

A common “suggestion/implied obligation” encountered in one’s spiritual study is to “overcome the ego.” The idea seems to be that one should subdue, train, or even eliminate the ego. As a tool to avoid misidentifying myself as only ego, it has often been suggested to me to consider “the watcher” that remains outside the psychodrama of any moment of my mind or life—a marker to bring my awareness to the true, higher self.

I, however, would suggest that as long as there is a “watcher,” there is ego. Coming to awareness of the watcher merely brings my attention from one level of ego to another. Perhaps the nature of this next level of ego is something the (egoic) mind would consider less objectionable, but it is still ego. Does the Tao ‘watch’ the unfolding of its infinite manifestations? Does it care? Caring and watching (more “considering what we see”, in this context) is an anthropomorphic—human-like—characteristic. ‘Human’ is by definition ‘self-aware.’ Self-awareness is interdependent with—the soil of—ego.

I am by no means in disagreement with this long-established practice—focusing on “who is watching”—to pull oneself from the mire of immediate obsession. Nor do I question the benefit of this method. I have already suggested that we might better define where our attention has arrived when considering this watcher, and I would also suggest we reconsider our intention of subduing, training, or (especially) eliminating the ego.

First and foremost, I would disagree with eliminating ego. This is contrary to the entire nature of our experience here…much like coming into a physical reality for the purpose of experiencing that which requires physicality, yet disregarding or pursuing the elimination all things physical and sensual. Even the experience of “disregarding/pursuing the elimination” requires the antecedent physical environment and experience.

Another flaw in the idea of eliminating or confining the ego is that in this dualistic reality, whenever you try to eliminate or restrict something, you make it stronger. In the unmanifest Tao, neither black nor white exist. When you extract white—bring it into existence—you create black. The more you try—the more energy you apply—not only do you create your intention, but you also create what may seem to be the opposite of your intention.

I agree that our identity is not limited to the any level of the conscious definition of self, though the experience of that ultimate identity sometimes requires we become lost in our very limitation. Our true essence, the state that is without ego and identity, exists eternally—it is the prerequisite canvas for the painting of life and ego to exist. We always know that Ultimate Nature intuitively, and become acutely aware of it now and then. Even knowing that Nature requires ego in order to achieve this perspective. One cannot look into our own eyes without a tool or trick. The tool to perceive OurSelf in this space is ego—that thing that segments us (gives us a sense of experience separate) from the Absolute, from All That Is.

So, the ego has long been defined as a liability. Somewhere it was suggested to me that if you have a characteristic that has consistently been pointed out to you as a liability, find a place or a perspective where that ‘liability’ can prove to be an asset. The ego has invariable characteristics.

You can count on a core pattern of behavior from ego. We can trust it to express its ‘flaws’, and therefore we can benefit from its fixedness.

The ego is a master in working toward its own survival. It will morph into infinite expressions—fooling even the most adept onlooker into thinking it no longer exists or is not actively expressing itself—when it has merely changed form. Historically great benefits to humanity and spirit have been achieved under the mask of ego. Yes, quite a bit of damage has also been done in the expression of ego. But would you eliminate horses because they have a predisposition to kick in certain situations? As with the horse, the ego seems to do most harm when feeling threatened.

One does not need to try to master the ego or eliminate it, but rather co-opt the ego into using its tremendous talents of self-preservation and perpetuation to achieve what you (from your current view point) would consider a higher goal. Sell the ego on how it benefits from your humanitarian effort, your monastic seclusion—anything!—and that intention will immediately have access to a vast reservoir of focus and energy. The ego is a powerful vehicle that will be in motion and will always exist for as long one has even the desire of a spiritual path—that desire also springing from ego. Rather than fight something that is our nature as much as is seeking the divine, place the cargo of your “highest” aspirations onboard this natural powerhouse…and may we all benefit from the ego’s next (”higher”) manifestation!

By the way, I am not saying that one can never escape ego….just that one will not be in a position or inclination to contemplate the achievement when it happens…you will have moved outside duality.

Copyright 2008 CG Walters

C.G. Walters primarily writes fiction that focuses on the mystical, metaphysical, and mythical insight that we all possess. His current novel, Sacred Vow is first and foremost a metaphysical love story, a tale of soul mates—twin flames—a journey toward our one true love…in its infinite expressions…bringing together two individuals from disparate realities—but one spirit—to heal the rift in the Collective Consciousness.

Receive new editions of Into the Mist through a reader http://feeds.feedburner.com/IntoTheMist

Get the full length FREE PDF of Sacred Vow by going to www.cgwalters.com/spirit_story.htm and clicking on the link in the page to download the eBook. This will allow you to save the book to your disk.
Purchase a signed paperback copy from http://sacredvow.dragonsbeard.com/ – or buy from your favorite brick and mortar, or online store (Amazon.com ).

This copyrighted article may be freely reprinted as long as the entire article and complete by line is included.