Oh, how our ego loves to tell tales. With its sly reptilian ways, it regales us with non-stop stories about our humanness. Through its perspective, we and so-called others are labelled wicked or worthy. Via the faculty of memory, it can fill us with pride about our successes; and then–in a moment flipped like a coin–empty us to shame about our failures. In a dizzying twirl, it can wind us up like gossiping toys about our neighbours’ recent sins; yet conveniently forget our own transgressions. Through our belief in the reality of the ego, suffering arises.

In the blink of an eye, our ego can shape-shift from role to role. As the charmer, it coddles us with, “You’re the best–so good and lovely!” When it plays the judge, it holds the gavel and we pray for a favourable verdict. Reduced to beggars, we wonder, “Today, will I be spared or thrown to the lions? And even if we are spared, our ego then immediately pokes us with the next grave thought–“But what about tomorrow?” Behind our backs, our ego slaps its knee and howls, “Ha-ha, hoh-hoh, they don’t even realize that NOW is all there is!”

***

Dear Readers: If you’re begging for release from your ego’s harsh judgement, please consider the practice of daily meditation. Even five or ten minutes is enough to begin. You might also consider asking: Who Am I?–really. Are you really the person that is observed? If the person can be observed, what is That which is witnessing? You are home–“free”–when you recognize that true Self is beyond the ego’s stories–both good and bad.

Dare to Dream (and care for one another).

With heartfelt regards,

Art

Copyright © – 2023 – R. Arthur Russell

P.S. Please share this article if you enjoyed it. If you’d like to view my latest book (This Taste of Flesh and Bones–released September 8, 2020), press here. My YouTube videos may be found through this link. May the content of either or both help you along your spiritual journey. 🙏🧡

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