What is the Ego?

Students of A Course in Miracles are forever vexed by the question, What is the ego? Is it a real entity or just a belief? Should we love it or condemn it? Does it keep us safe or endanger us? Should we take it seriously or disregard it? How can we tell when it’s speaking to us? And how can we let go of it? In this episode, Robert and Emily draw upon their years on the path to speak to the whole range of questions about the ego, from the most abstract to the most practical.

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#spiritualawakening #spiritualpath #spiritualpodcasts

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CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
02:50 What is the ego?
05:00 The ego’s origin
09:10 Should we have compassion for our ego?
14:36 Appreciation of individuality
20:10 What is the ego's motivation?
25:59 Withdrawing vs. hating the ego
32:08 Hidden nature of the ego
34:28 Signs we are in our ego
42:43 Summary of the ego
47:43 Ego’s relationship to the body
49:00 Does the ego fight back?
50:27 How do we deal with the ego?
51:33 Can we get rid of the ego in these bodies?
53:35 What happens to the ego when we leave our bodies?
57:30 Did Jesus have an ego?

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We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle’s purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE").

Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world.

[sumitrabluefrog]

One of my favorite parts of A Course in Miracles is the basic identification of ego traits vs Holy Spirit/soul traits. Just learning these two distinctions makes it clear Who’s on first, and who’s attempting to steal it…

[JeanetteOstlinginSpiration]

Love to listen to both of you!! So clear and easy explained 🎉

[danpatton]

I enjoy CoE's views, opinions and especially the Teachings, of and from "The Course." Emily sets up the question and Robert gives an answer, then Emily challenges it. In my opinion, this method answers a lot of questions the audience may have and does it in a respectful manner.
The videos are not saccharine, cheerleading or pretentious. From a Myers/Briggs perspective, I see a Feeling person and a Thinking person working out the issues, so everybody understands.
Thank you

[peacelovejoy]

The Ego Mind - the greatest "Con - Artist" of All!

Dismantling the ego takes work and lot's of it!
Thank you guys for diving into this subject it's fascinating 🤩

[soulherd]

I love that there are always new facets of the diamond filled in my mind from your podcasts 🙏 It always seems a strange idea to me *hating the ego* because surely any hatred or negativity IS the ego… and loving it is not love but infatuation… I feel that when we are in our right mind, we are in a state of unconditional love and then there is no ego… so do we really need to focus on how to feel about the ego separately/intellectually at all? I don’t know… and is it possible to be aware of the ego without identifying with it… perhaps when we are seeing it as a call for love then we are not identifying with it as ego, so it is no longer real/seen in that moment 😅 it is definitely so clarifying to think about it, raise it up as you do, and ask the Holy Spirit 💛

[sumitrabluefrog]

I love being aware of ego when it shows up; at that point I simply withdraw from it and surrender the “issue” to the Holy Spirit. Awareness and surrender can be very liberating … ✨🍃

[nicolelovespirit]

Thank you both! And I do love your analogies, so helpful to get the message across... blessings 💕🙏

[AugustusBroadford]

Q&A at end very helpful - good format ❤️

[sonyaparkin]

I have enjoyed Michael Singer’s books (and talks) about this - was valuable to me in understanding this distinction 👍👍

[Yes-bkcl]

❤The Lady has such beautiful eyes❤Seldomly seen❤ Eternitys glance into Eternity❤

[TheSaviorSaid]

That was great look forward to part two...
Love from the UK

[HavaEliyahou]

Thank you so much for this conversation, it is so helpfull ❤

[Newfoundmike]

I remember you talking about what a Miracle is, I was listening to Carol Howe and she said Bill would say that it was a shift in perception but your right it doesn't appear. 💖✌️

[dr.donlevine]

I need to get out of bed, eat, go to work, and make decisions in my life or job, but when the ego identifies with anything I do or think, that is when the ego is a problem.

[I-Universe-]

As long as you don’t go around being mean about being great, be happy. Let’s not shroud greatness.

[AaronSmith-sxez]

You mentioned "non-duality"...you should do a video on the difference between the Course and non-duality/advaita/nihlism.

[Aetherfield]

“Ancient Ego, ” seems a term that an ego would use to re-establish it’s false nature in the illusionary world. Reincarnation is an illusion of ego as well, as we have not fully left this false world as is evidenced by returning to the false-world in a seemingly different ego-form. For whom could this “ancient ego” be, if we have truly left this realm to return to God’s Loving Oneness? Evidence of reincarnation, is therefor evidence that we have again chosen to be be recycled into yet another false ego form. I say, stop choosing to return to the world of illusion, and we may finally be truly free of ego. For when we truly die, the false ego die as well— and whom exactly, would return to speak again of their body or an “ancient ego?” It seems to me that only when we are truly ready to be free of a separate body, will we find “ancient love” and finally return to peace, as Jesus finally showed us. Therefore, desiring reincarnation is a choice for ego and the continued experience of separated existence from God. Choosing to be free of body-separateness, worldly experiences, and ego seems the only way to return to the full love of God.

[markwilliams-vj]

Another perspective of the ego can be found on p. 60 & 61 of a book called The Handbook to Higher Consciousness, by Ken Keyes, Jr.

[checkingitoutthere]

We are to make no decisions for ourselves. To disengage from the ego IS to follow only the Holy Spirit's Voice. In this way, we automatically withdraw from the ego. Doesn't the Course also say something about the impossibility of understanding the ego and the importance of not focusing on it? Choose once again means to listen only to the Voice of God.

[jacquelinerwin]

I use that line ALL the time to ego and world caca ... "be gone! You have no power here!"