Release The Mind in Spirit

On the topic of spiritual wellness, here is a bit about “releasing ego.” You will hear of this in some spiritual circles. The idea of Ego, includes that which we are mentally attached to — desire, want, need, and satisfaction because these relate to society or the external world and are our mental construct.

Ego is not the subconscious. So in releasing we are letting go. We are not becoming aware of hidden desires, we are acknowledging what we already know, have, and are operating or functioning on. Releasing in this context means letting go by accepting and not overthinking. Momentary awareness is a valuable tool.

We are designed to think, feel, and regard ourselves. Consciousness is that, regarding ourselves, or the spiritual word is “awareness,” and it is a big spiritual word that means more but for this lesson in spirituality that is the premise.

Cheers To a Healthy Conscious Regard

The idea that we need to “release” ego is a common facet to understanding ourselves. It simply means to stop and think for a minute. Why? Because that is awareness. We know why we want something or want to do something, neatly put. Most people operate through life on a go-with-the-flow perspective based on what we are used to and that's fine. If you want to make changes, stopping to be "re-aware" of a few things might be essential to a healthy new perspective.

This is no self-assessment — why is not part of the picture. Pretend the why is already known or actually, is nonexistent. No one cares about the why of how you got where you are except you and that is personal and already a given. “Why’s” means guesswork which could lead to doubt if you're examining what you really want, or guilt, or the what did I do wrong standpoint or the Can I — who needs that. Live without that ok. Pretend you can and think likewise.

Releasing ego can be a double-edged sword

Want to make feasible or make something happen because that is where we sort it out in our mind bringing to fruition our desires, or what we believe is good for us. The danger in this is believing that we can make things materialize in our lives when want has nothing to do with it. Many factors come into play, the timing for one.

To “release,” ego also means to put it out there, to think about it, and feel that acceptance of what we want and that it is right for us. Since indecision guides many people on a daily basis, and the easiest thing to do, is well, to do what comes easier which may no fit our schema — so then, in Ego rests our ambition also, our motivation, higher ideals, and to release that is supposed to encompass as a process. Inhibitions? There are none. Nothing inhibits or impedes your growth of mind.

Take a moment to reflect = what's your game = think freely = the details don't matter (for the purpose of finding your inner spirit) = meditate on a mantra, 5 minutes to start then half an hour to an hour = no ego = no attention to distracting factors = dissolution of worries = you got this = happy.

A concrete example could be that you are aware of a point in your life that you do or don't have control over. A goal in your life or what you want to attain — these all relate to many things: self-esteem, abilities, emotion, ideals fitting with our lives — and they all coast on a wave of desire, be it a softly ebbing wave or a large surf. The point is the a w a r e n e s s, we know this on a level, we stop and think about it. The goal then becomes an awareness of a higher purpose as we release the daily stuff. As riding that wave we know where we are in that, gliding on a fastening object (the wave or surfboard) we are on that fastens us to the waters (awareness), while we sense the world around us (sun, breeze, and wave) and where we are in that moment, seeing everything (big picture).

These things are therefore in the forefront of our mind through the sense of ego and could be good or bad for us but they are there and influence our other thoughts subtly. That is not a bad thing, it just is and I am just pointing that out because we are trained to think in a society that with enlightenment comes the need to “fix” something so we regard what we take in that way. Enlightenment is learning — so rest easy and soak it up. This all sorts somewhere in the membranes of your horizon. I promise it will.

The other side of releasing ego is the overall state of mind you are in. For a person who is depressed for example to manifest ego could mean acknowledging fear and putting that out there — by shaping our perceptions and seeing the fearful side of anything, and fear is a condition of the depressed, there is something somewhere that they are afraid of. So a person comforts then, and becomes self-protective even to the point of non-movement. Fear is never good and it should not exist in our Self. Therefore Ego needs a conditioning point. In that person's awareness, should be self-assurance. Self-talk should say so and affirmation should make one believe so because that cognitively re-structures - changes us.

For a person who has a healthier self-awareness releasing the ego can mean actualizing beyond goal setting. By nonattachment to the here and now we can open our minds to anything else. It can mean incorporating a higher ideal, a new framework to see life, a spiritual one. Acknowledging the mind and that it works for us, we in the human condition control that. Next is whatever stage of growth we are in and you take that as far or as little as you want. Our mental construct is our point of learning or improving or changing, accept that.

The reason for positive affirmations is to relieve the burden of conquest from ego. Accepting life as it is a big step for some people or not a step at all for others — but complacency is the danger there — we still must strive for what is better. Spiritualists — gurus — living advisors — take the meaning of ego to another level. Psychologically, the meaning of Ego is Self — our conscious reality, what we are aware of. But it is more than that. There is the spiritual side that is also mind. Where we are in the presence of our conscious reality and our life matters. Are you happy? By releasing ego we are becoming aware of what we can do. Taking awareness to another level of faith in achievement can mean even more.

Steps for Releasing Ego

• Realize that a moment of thinking is a healthy thing.
• What is the predominant drive in your life right now (career, creativity, family, relationship, sex, love, finances, emotion?) None of these are bad things, they just are.
• Acknowledge that your mind is a constant flow. The elements of your drive are not all of you. Attachment to problems don't matter. Keeping an even flow does = don't react.
• How? Chose a mantra that is outside all meaning of attachment. The word Peace, is a good mantra or a Prayer repeated. 5 minutes a day will lead you to release your ego so everything is an even sphere and keeps the mind open.
• These are simple steps but valuable and necessary for overall health.
• What you are doing is removing yourself from any unnecessary conditions that hamper your spirit. Even ones you are not aware of.
• It's not magic - it's mind - and it matters to acknowledge your beautiful self in the workings of your beautiful mind.

When you have hope for all things you wish to attain the guidance will be natural in what you can achieve. Then you trust your mind, in the goodness of yourself — there is that awareness also.

Trusting that a higher power exists in the framework of our mind is key to everything knowledgeable or attainment spiritually. Trusting that even the higher aspects of mind, or thinking, come to us through the ego and are therefore naturally guided from the Heavens.

More on this topic in my book God’s Call, also in the works and near completion, my words, my work. Hope this pleases.

I was first taught meditation at about 10 years old at a day camp. I started incorporating it in my life in my 20's. Years later, meditation became the essence of living and I would meditate for sometimes 6 hours a day or on occasion more. I had a joyous personal spiritual sabbatical of nine years. It profoundly changed me and I recommend it to anyone, even 5 minutes a day. I don't surf, have a fear of deep waters but a glorious passion for water, and meditate every day. Through my writing on the topic of the spiritual, you will learn what enlightenment is with a thread of free spirit. Peace, Namaste.

More of Lachapelle’s work HERE and HERE

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