Hey, New Morning. I've been loving your posts on "opinions that are 97.9 %
true," "rules of engagement" for dialoging, etc. Your observations are very
profound to me.
Regarding this question, I'm not sure what you are asking -- this is thorny
stuff to put into words, so abstract -- but I'll answer the part I can. You
quoted then wrote:
Judy:
> my understanding is that if
> you identify with the Self rather than the self,
New Morning:
Judy, in your framework:
Who is the "you" that is identifying with the small self?
If the answer is "the ego", then what is the differentiation of the
ego with the i) "you" (above)
Which are volitional?
Same question of Bronte, or anyone, if the above framework is your
understanding, or experience. And which?
Bronte writes:
Who is the "I" that identifies with the small self -- or for that matter,
with the Big Self? This is a profound question you ask. It focuses me to
observe that the "I" that dentifies has to be something other than the thing it
identifies with, either Big Self or small self (small self meaning a collection
of time-space parts: body, mind, life-built personality, senses, experiences).
That which does the identifying is something different from any of that,
something that stands inbetween: individual consciousness, the sacred
uniqueness, the spirit-personality, the impulse of divine mind at the base of
ego. Ego in its pure, pristine form, uncluttered with identification with body
or sense experience. Not the earth-bound personality and body nor the Universal
Self. Something else.
I remember a lecture by MMY on levels of mind or personality. He layered it
like a cake. Outer layer of the personality is the senses, beneath that the
body, beneath that is the mind, subtler still is the intellect, subtler still
is feeling, subtler still "individual ego," subtler still "universal ego."
Maybe someone can remember if I got those right. If I did, individual ego would
mean the individual consciousness, the innate unique impulse of divine mind
that is "I." Universal ego would mean that part of me that is still deeper, the
universal mind itself.
Which is volitional, you asked. Individual consciousness is volitional, so
much so it that it can will to destroy itself if it's has swallowed the story
from gurus that self-annihilation is the path to God. Once it self-annihilates,
no will is left, no motivation to dynamic or creative action. Only the outer
shell remains, that collection of parts we spoke of. Just Universal Mind and
the body/mind shell -- no individual at home in it anymore. The prince has
abdicated the throne. Universal mind's very purpose in creating that individual
has been subverted.
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