Awakening powers of the nous to the realms of the psychical and noetical must not be mistaken for an indication of dwelling from and in the True Self. Inner work, to tame the ego, is in constant need. In fact, from my perspective, Daskalos’ exhortation that one must “kill the ego” can be quite problematic for people who miss out on subtle nuances.
As Einstein rightly said, “No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that caused it.” If I set out to kill my ego, I become more egoic, but now the strength of the ego becomes more cleverly disguised and harder to see. If I think, “Wow, I am quite developed because I am attracted to the higher things, especially to lightwork (ala Researchers of Truth),” then I am fooling myself with a new kind of arrogance that creates a “me” and “the rest.”
I admit that I have this attitude from time to time and when I do, I thank God that God (every single time!) brings me back to earth by exposing my heretofore hidden ego.
Initiation rights, in my opinion, can be dangerous to those initiated, especially if one is moving from the edge towards more increasingly inner circles, if a person does not have a really good and ongoing practice of identifying the ego’s need to be important and special. Life-giving groups that utilize initiation to higher levels of participation are precious precisely because a major criteria for “advancing” is the lessening of the ego, and not the opposite.
My own mantra regarding my ego is nothing new but it really makes sense to me. Rather than “killing the ego,” I transcend and include it. I look at it with compassion from a more centered place. If I am hurting because of some encounter that left my ego bruised, I don’t try to get rid of the hurt but approach it and the ego’s reaction (the cause of the hurt) as a gift given for my overall spiritual development. The main fruit, for me, of this gift is humility. And from humility I am suddenly able to see even more expansively than ever before.
Building 4th Cosmic Christ 
“Transcend and include” is very simple on the surface. Yet is has taken humanity a very long time to develop those souls that can give voice to the concept, it seems. I have not heard the idea except from Richard Rohr and from Ken Wilbur. It seems much of our history has been “reformers” fighting the “old guard” in a dichotomous manner in order to create something new. It’s all so conflictual like a Hegelian dialectic. I’d be curious if anyone knows of authors who voiced the same concept before Rohr and Wilbur.
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Great observation and question. It sure is hard for me to do this.
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A great way to “transcend” the ego is through the lessons and teachings of A Course In Miracles. I completed the 365 lessons and text in about 1.5 years. And yes, the end is just the beginning as ego transcendence is really a daily practice. But, the lessons are an awesome jump start on the path. If you are looking for guided assistance in your journey to ego transcendence then this is a great way to go.
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I think a great tool in the transcendence of ego is A Course In Miracles. The 365 lessons are a great way to not only jump start the journey but also help put a daily practice in place to keep you focused. I completed the 365 lessons in 1.5 years and the text in about 6 months. But, of course, the end is just another beginning as ego transcendence takes daily commitment and practice. If you haven’t yet checked out ACIM then I encourage you to do so, it’s been a Godsend for me, quite literally. One day in meditation when I was asking “Jesus” for my next “assignment”, the answer that came back to me very loud and clear was “A Course In Miracles”. It’s changed my life. I’m also a student of LoO and RR. I just came across your blog. Loving it so far. Thanks.
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Are you also a student of A Course in Miracles? Catalyst and Miracles I believe are the same and if awareness is developed and strengthened, the Holy Spirit provides the “eyes to see and ears to hear” as Jesus teached/learned!
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Hi Brett. No, I haven’t read ACIM although I am familiar with it and like how it affirms the efficaciousness of forgiveness. Thanks for your interest in my blog!
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“Include.” I accept the ego as a survival resource within a larger concept of self. We are much much more than the ego. Just like our feet, the ego helps us stand up. It wouldn’t be helpful to kill our feet. I stub my toes, step on sharp objects, get blisters, and all of those pains tell me important news. I am not my feet nor my ego. I am not my resources; I am my source.
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Thank you for your comment. My take is that I am both my source and my temporary personality (or permanent personality via many lifetimes) just as I am my toe and my toe is me. If I don’t include the “illusion,” then I am not really living the Law of One in an embodied way. The Law of One material’s primary message, it seems to me, is that all is one–both the Source and the Illusion. God is the toe, so am I, because I am God having a Doug’s toe experience. Something like that
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Hi Doug – Im sifting through your blog . Glad I found you through your last interview on BATGAP . I resonate with your practice of including the ego . I try to view this part of myself as I imagine God would – with love understanding and compassion for the turmoil and mess it finds itself in. The enables me to seperate it from my true self . Blessings
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