11-13-08
WHO AM I?
My friend Pamela recently posted an entry on her blog titled: Wayne Dyer: On Ego & Intention. http://potentialwithin.wordpress.com/2008/11/13/wayne-dyer-on-ego/ She refers to the acronym he uses for EGO – Edging God Out. This past August, I had the great fortune to hear him speak. I was attending a conference in California and during the week I was there, Dr. Dyer was filming a movie on the grounds. He was not on the program, yet very graciously addressed our group one evening. Dyer described the ego as: a false self, an illusion, a belief system, the cause of all problems, an idea about who we are. Following is a summary of the three main components of the ego:
- I am what I accumulate. I define myself by that which I own. Consequently, the more I own, the better I feel about myself. And, the less I own, the worse I feel about myself. This results in the never-ending pursuit of more and better matter. It also contributes to how I judge others and their worth. The problem with this belief is that if I ever lose what I have… who am I?
- I am what I do. I identify myself with the work that I do in the world. “I am a teacher.” “I am a student.” “I am a mother.” I also judge others’ worth by what they do. What happens when I can no longer do what I do? I may have an identity crisis, feel worthless… who am I?
- I am what other people think of me. This puts my identity in the hands of others. It results in people pleasing. I am constantly motivated and affected by the reactions and opinions of others. I look outside myself for validation. What if they don’t like me… who am I?
Each of these beliefs results in Edging God Out. I am identifying with form, with an effect. Every form is temporary, including me. So if I am not what I own, and I am not what I do, and I am not what other people think of me, then who am I?
If I were willing to take this question into the silence, and contemplate it, I would discover, over time, who I am NOT. And in discovering who I am NOT, I would begin to realize who I AM. Being open to the question, “Who am I?” creates an opportunity to become less identified with the ego and more in touch with that which is eternal and changeless. This results in more peace, more harmony, more joy, more love and definitely a more meaningful life.
Last Updated 12/10/08
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