Another observation

While offline I also noticed I had at some point done quite a bit of research on ego vs. soul. I found some interesting information acquired from an Osho (a mystic guru from India) website. He said in part, the ego is a by product of living with others. If we lived in a cave away from other humans we would never develop an ego. (That doesn't sound like much fun and we would grow to become an animal.)

The ego is nothing more than what society thinks of us and society is ALL minus you. I love that thought and it is a very good thing to remember.

There was another Osho thought that I liked and that is, "If you know the false as false, truth will dawn on you. You have to encounter the untrue to know what is true." In other words, stop believing everyone else and tune into what your own soul knows to be true. If following someone else feels wrong pay attention- it is! Stop it!

As the result of contemplating that thought I created a list of about 10 people who made an impact on me in recent years and are no longer part of my life. I was curious to see what they might have in common. Most of them were basically nice people, but they were all pushy, demanding and controlling in their own unique way. They all wanted me to live my life according to the way they thought I should.

Interestingly, I saw that they all acted as mirrors, either reflecting the person I once was or a person that I absolutely do not ever want to be. No wonder they are no longer part of my life. Who in their right mind would want to invite that brand of negativity back in? They did their job and I am grateful- the end.

Looking at other notes I had taken on ego vs. soul I found a comparison written by Barbara Whitefield that I would like to pass on for your consideration.

The voice of ego/mind
Flatters, commands, demands, tests, chooses for you, imprisons, promotes dependency, intrudes, pushes, excludes, instills fear, is status oriented, judges, insists on obedience, claims ultimate authority, offers shortcuts, seeks personal gratification.

The voice of spirit/soul
Informs, suggests, guides, nudges, leaves choice to you, empowers, promotes independence, respects, supports, includes, promotes well-being, is free and open, accepts individuality, encourages growth and development, recognizes a higher power, offers integration, lives in unconditional love.

A message I received this morning was: just be you and don't worry about what anyone else thinks.

It appears that sometimes we need to take a quiet break and observe what we have already been offered before jumping ahead to the next lesson. I recently had a dream that I had graduated and it wasn't from high school or college. Perhaps now someone will actually hand me the diploma I have worked so hard to earn.