Putting Down the Ego's Dark Glasses

Our evolutionary biologist tells us that happiness is just a chemical released in our brain to induce us to behave in a way that benefits the replication of our genes. This perspective implies that we are driven like robots who are programmed to acquire as much as we can, to get all the status that we can get, to mate the most attractive and strongest partners and above all, spread our genes. Unfortunately there is little we can do about this programming, millions of years of gene competition sit pretty deep in our bones. What we can do though is to be mindful of where we came from and we can discover our Soul in the process. That is what our spiritual path is all about.

Take status as just one example. Have you ever observed how you talk to your boss and how you talk to a waitress in a cheap restaurant instead? What do you experience when you are all dressed up and sense admiring looks on you? Or how do you feel when you go out with an attractive partner? The point is that we perceive our social environment like a giant pyramid with some people above us and many others below. We do what we can to advance higher and higher on it. Sometimes it is conscious but often our actions and desires are subconscious. Yet we claim that with practice you very much can bring these tendencies out on the surface. More than that, we tell you that this pyramid is nothing but hot air. In the real world we are all on one playing field and together we are so much more powerful that you can imagine right now.

So how exactly do we get to this world? We say " I must not be competitive" and spend additional time with the waitress just to look caring; we try dressing down or deliberately don't go out with the prom queen or high school quarterback and try not to hang out with the in- crowd. Well, how special is that! Not only could we hang out with the in-crowd, but we deliberately decide against it to revolt against the regime. We hope you realize that there is just nothing you can do to step outside of this trap. All you can do is to observe. We can even write spiritual books with the intention to change the world for the better only to realize that deep down inside we want to be special like everyone else. So do what you feel like doing. Be as passionate as you like but be mindful. Let life - the Tao - show you who you really are while you run after your passions.

The ego is the psychological force that wants to exploit our biological wiring and wants to prove that we are different from everybody else. It claims that if we sit at the top of the pyramid and look down on everyone else we will be happy. Well, this is a fallacy. It is the acquiring, the getting somewhere that releases these happiness chemicals. Like Jesus said many thousand years ago, "What use is it if you gain the whole world and lose your Soul in the processs?" When you are finally at the top of your pyramid you will be sad and lonely indeed!

In the ego's world we can only gain when others lose. We can only be beautiful when others are less attractive. The ego doesn’t want to stand on the same ground with others. The ego always wants to be better. The ego craves competition. Looking through the ego's dark glasses, the entire world is nothing but a battleground for me and more me. Observe for yourself that we subconsciously use other people as a stepping stone to get a better image of ourselves.

But please don’t blame yourself or others when you discover this hidden agenda. Just observe! As we always say, leading a mindful life liberates us from the dark psychological force inside. You don’t really need to do anything about it. When you see so clearly that what you are doing is killing yourself and others, you will naturally drop your weapons. More than that. If you really look, your life is nothing but an invite to put down the ego's dark glasses and look again. The Tao will teach you that being is in fact having and that giving is getting. She will also show you patiently that the unimpressive waitress who just served you is an angel in disguise. You do not need to do anything. Live your life and discover that the pyramid you saw before isn't real at all. It only existed in your mind. Follow the cues of the Tao and observe how the fata morgana collapses. Suddenly all that you ever can perceive is an equal playing field of the Children of God. Go out and play, it is really a lot of fun!

By Christian and Su Zhen