How do you rise above the ego?

Question: How do you rise above the ego!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I don't believe that it is possible to actually rise above the ego!.
What I have been trying to do is "get honest with self" so that I can realize when my ego is "acting out"
I have learned to embrace it, and allow myself to be surprised and amazed after I have challenged myself, to Not allow my ego to have it's way!.
See, my ego is what tells me to be afraid, to attack or defend, Not to Love, or not like someone for a petty reason!.
This can get somewhat complicated because!.!.!."no," it's not always possible to be everyone's friend or biggest admirer but it is possible to have Love in my heart for everyone and to not feel the need to hold a resentment!.
Starting to ramble, and I am just a novice sharing what I am learning!.

Peace!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Short Answer: You don't!. The ego must gradually resign its dominion over your mind, thus allowing your True Self to shine forth!.
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The answer to this question is both simple and complex!. Ultimately the answer must unfold within the one asking the question!. Here are a few pointers to consider:

Asking this question from the perspective of 'one identified with/as their ego' is like ego asking how it can rise above itself, which of course is totally opposed to ego's prime directive: self preservation!. In a sense, all effort to rise above ego is an ego tactic for short circuiting the endeavor altogether!. But there is a way out!.!.!.

There are many levels to this understanding, but initially the ego, or false self, must be educated and shown what it truly is, and just as importantly what it is not:

"When the personality is shown, step by step, what it was created for, and how wonderful the change will be, it will gladly erase itself to allow essence to emerge!." (Patrick Moore, book reviewer of A!. H!. Almaas)

You can begin to initiate this through meditation--by simply fixing your awareness upon the awareness that is naturally present within you, and ignoring any thoughts that arise!. In essence, you are looking at your Self, or Self gazing, to the exclusion of all else!. You may also educate your ego through studies in Advaita Vedanta and Non Duality, as well as immersing your mind in several of the resources listed below!.

also worth mentioning is that cultivating the quality of unconditional love within your heart center will probably move you further along the path toward Self realization than any other one thing!. Ego cannot persist within the presence of unconditional love!. Unconditional love is the great solvent of the ego, and it can be cultivated in much the same way as anything else: you practice and then apply it!.

One milestone along this path is the realization that 'you are not your thoughts', and that your True Self has nothing at all to do with thoughts, whatsoever!. Thoughts are the product of a false self/core, a false construct within mind that was born long ago and that continues to reinforce and perpetuate itself through a vicious circle of past and future associations!. Your True Self is completely independent of all concept and thought, and can be glimpsed when the seat of your awareness has shifted from your ego, to the simple and silent state of Being (be-ing)!.

How do you know when you have "risen above ego"!? Perhaps one signpost is when you are able to perceive your world from a place of 'no-thought', when you are able to abide in silent awareness devoid of all mental chatter!. You now control the on-off switch to your mind!. Sound tricky!? The ego would have you believe that it is, but in truth it is all much simpler than you could imagine!.

Ego is utter complexity, as its nature is to slice and dice up all experience in order to make comparisons and judgments, to arrange hierarchies, and to position all of these object valuations within an increasingly intricate web, commonly referred to as 'me'!. Abiding in/as the silent awareness of your Being, however, is the essence of simplicity, for it requires nothing in order to reveal itself in awareness!.

The ego is do-ing, while the state of "ego transcendence" or Self is be-ing, and this is a common sticking point where ego will lead you astray at every given opportunity: It will convince you that in order to "rise above ego" and embody something greater which your intuition senses is 'there', will require certain efforts or things that you must "do", but any "doing" is a trap designed to lead you further away from Self!. In truth, to embody your True Self requires that you cease doing much of what you have been doing all along and to simply allow the brilliance of your True Self shine forth!. Simple, yes, but maybe not particularly easy, in the beginning!.

See, your True Self has been there all along, it's just that your awareness of it has been clouded over by the impostor self (ego) and all the adorning ideas and identifications it uses to reinforce its seat of power in your awareness!. The way out of this entanglement is much more about non-action than it is about action!. You can't 'kill' or get rid of your ego, but its predominance within your mind can be transformed, intelligently!.

Keep in mind that realizing the Self does not require that you retreat to a monastery or abandon your obligations in life!. This state of Being, of Self realization, is your natural condition!. It is You with all of the ego's clothes removed!. When you're no longer a slave to ego, you naturally have much more space to negotiate your inner and outer life, and you're able to see things from a much greater perspective!. When ego has been justly demoted, you'll come to realize that it actually requires more effort to identify with/as ego than it does to be as your True Self abiding in simple and silent awareness!. Living an existence identifiedWww@QuestionHome@Com

You don't rise above it because trying to rise above something gives creedence to its' existence!. You have to see through it and if anything, stay below it!. Don't allow yourself to be consumed with yourself!. Life is about being compassionate and respecting others!. By focusing on the big picture and treating all living things with respect, you will naturally become happy through karma and the seeds that you have sewed!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

There is a wonderful book I am in th midst of reading called, Transformers!. It is all about our fight between our outer world - the ego, and our inner world - the essence / soul!.

It talks about how we are in a constant struggle between the two, and how most people base their whole world on the outer ego!. When they do this, they are giving away more and more of their self and power over to something that is not of quality or substance!.

The book suggests that we start to focus on who we are on the inside, to discover more and to learn how to project it to others we encounter!. When we learn this concept, we stop worrying about what other think about us, and we stop craving materialistic objects and things that really won't enhance who we are as individuals!.

So, if you consider focusing on the inside as a way of rising above the ego, then YES! and LOVING it!

Thanks for reading! Www@QuestionHome@Com

One simply has to examine it, analyze it!. Look within and see what the "ego" really is, if it is anything at all!. Find out what makes it tick, what makes *you* tick because we tend to identify with the ego!. Is it permanent / transient, changing or unchanging, proactive or reactive!?

Eventually one can see the ego in its proper place and not be identified with it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

an ego is often considered what makes a person bother another ego some people are egotistical and others not!. an ego can be a kid ego which still wants to be a kid, and a grown up ego every thing a man does, it depends what the person believes within that ego, some people live in that box others manage to break through like a mirror when it shatters!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You put aside your desires, fears, and most importantly your insecurities!. The ego is there to protect us from what we might perceive as threats!. That's why people with large egos usually have something to prove, because they are actually hiding something!. Usually an insecurity!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

One has to look inside to be sure, but one also has to look outside one's self as well to see that we are not alone in our suffering!. Compassion for all is the counter-balance to out of control ego!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Focus the ego on the world outside of itself!. Nothing centers the ego like self-pre-occupation!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

a simple shift in awareness, seeing that you are not it and that ultimately it is not!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

ego smeego!. do you even know the meanings of your own words!? i doubt it!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think someone wants to dance with you!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I'm far too important to do that kind of thing!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Eat some mushrooms!.Www@QuestionHome@Com