Comments on: Obsession of Identity

By: Mat

Mat — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:53:45 +0000

Seeing the soul is not possible or more people would have reported it with full descriptions.

It is ever present clear awareness to our sense of perception, when we do feel the sight of our soul.

The soul is like an unborn self, we “grow on top” of it.

A Root grows upward and yields a beautiful flower. How does a flower know itself? It thinks it will always be there,
its only concern is the flower.

In the winter, the flower is gone. The root will grow again another beautiful flower.

We are the root that never dies as an unborn self is never born so it can not die. We grow on the outside like bacteria.

We can all experience the truth of this.
Relax and look inside, what do you see?
What do you feel? Now after that what is the color or sound of or shape of the soul.

pure clear awareness and the body connected to the unborn self.

By: Razvan

Razvan — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 09:04:34 +0000

maybe it’a little off topic but I noticed (in the american media mainly) that they teach people to expect a hero to save them: Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Captain Planet, Captain Sky, Inspector Gadget, Robocop and so on, in order to keep people from doing something for self development.

By: Attila Borcsa

Attila Borcsa — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 10:33:40 +0000

Brian, thanks for joining and welcome!
Becoming identified with the condition of the body is a lot easier when vitality is effervescent. But also if the body has some handicap (for so many reasons) it might be even easier. I agree with you that this identification becomes an addiction or obsession at times. Still, being able to start some real yoga practice requires health. Or if the word is proper, then let’s say some balance and vitality, not only on the physical side. When we say health, usually we think of the physical health, and less of the mental. And it is so many times easier to reach a state of physical health than the mental one…
It is interesting to realize how identity is formed by – as you say – “a series of negatives”. This comparative reality is slowly developing in us since we were born. And those who wish to get into some form of spiritual development are faced with the paradox of neutralizing what they have built with such effort, “constructed from cradle”.

By: brian

brian — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 08:00:34 +0000

Hi! Have just subscribed,thanks for the interesting blog. I can see that health – however it is defined- can be very helpful to spiritual development but do not see it as essential. Often, however, the notion of one’s own “purity” and “wellness” becomes a marker of that development. This i have noticed particularly around circles where yoga is practiced with some, but by no means all, practitioners becoming identified with their health and the condition of their body, and dismissive of those who do not – or cannot- reach such a “high” condition.
Despite this reservation, i agree with the main point of your article about our fear of losing our identity. The irony is, however, that the identity to which we cling so hard is, in fact, built of a series of negatives. It has been constructed from cradle by a continual proces of differentiation and consists of a long series of self-statements which, even though they began before language, amount to “I am me because i am not you and this is the way we differ”.

By: Attila Borcsa

Attila Borcsa — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:26:34 +0000

Sure, I can fly out of my body in an instant when I start a shower with ice cold water. My body follows me only after a few seconds.
Regarding the health part, the concept is indeed an invention and pertains to relative judgment. Still, the signs of illness are many.
On the other hand, there is the quite exact methodology of yoga, which states very clear the necessity of health in order to start applying procedures. Many think of yoga as a healing method – even a sport – which per definitionem is not.

By: teodora

teodora — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:06:20 +0000

I wouldn’t call it practice but spiritual (kind of) experiences are a possibility to anyone at any “level”. Not sure if there’s a difference in quality cos health is just another human invention.
As for developing spirits, is there a test on how high you can fly from your body in a minute or how many teaspoons you can bend?

By: Attila Borcsa

Attila Borcsa — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:32:41 +0000

Quite ironical we are today, aren’t we But much to agree with in what you say. Lunatics are in need of grounding, but I guess that’s part of an imbalanced, unhealthy personality. Neurosis at least. The problem here is that they think it is a spiritual practice what they are musing about. There is no spiritual development unless one is healthy. None. Instead of a strong ego, I would say that health is the very basic requirement to start something in that direction. And until this is not perfectly fulfilled, the contradiction – as you say – will be there. But a strong ego is not a sign of health either.
How can be practiced that part, about don’t even giving a damn about things? I’m curious on that and lol too.

By: teodora

teodora — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:08:50 +0000

I think that strong ego they speak of is not an exaggerated identity or egoism but a healthy character or something that will keep you out of the lunatic asylum after meeting spirits or whatever. Like saying you need strong legs to play football but you don’t have to be a foot fetishist yearning for a bigger shoe collection.

I seriously doubt people can make themselves fully independent of their ego, those who say so usually live in an illusion. Most of them follow some practice with clear rules telling the “signs” of being on the right way to freedom, so they can say they are more developed souls because they dont have sex or dont drink, or behave this or that way… while imo it’s just changing desires. Those I met from this kind were absolutely blind towards themselves too, enjoying the comfort of being right on track to nirvana.

I don’t think there’s a solution to the contradictions above. Getting close to letting go? Getting up early each morning just to practice how you don’t give a damn about things? Being aware and paranoid about all the influences and vibrations that can divert you from getting unaffected? lol.