The ego-to-soul journey of a human being is essential to a fulfilled life, just as similar developmental journeys are found in the natural world around us. To ascend from the ego is to enter the spiritual (soul), where we are so much more than our thoughts, desires, and fears.
I’m coming up on 60, and I can honestly say that almost everything ego-driven in my life led to a painful but necessary life lesson. A recent quote from Ram Dass best summarizes it. “Egos can’t love. Only souls can love.”
I love Michael Singer and thanks for explaining this so well. If everyone quit confusing their thoughts with their self, we would live in a very different world. This realization can change everything we know about our lives.
Another great piece Jen! I would like to add that I think there is nuance to the idea of 'you are not your thoughts'. My personal experience, and those of others with OCD I'd say, is disengaging from our thoughts is incredibly difficult because of how strongly our nervous systems react to them. When I shifted my practice from trying to ignore the thoughts by saying 'thoughts are just thoughts' to instead seeing them as an indicator of what my core fears were, it enabled me rationally break down those fears. My obsessive thoughts signal when there is a core beliefs I need to think deeply about and possibly challenge. But I agree with you that distance is needed from the thought in the moment to move away from impulsive action, which ultimately keeps the obsessive cycle going.
This! "So, if the mind is a tool and not the essence of who we are, then what are you using your mind for?" Spirituality, neuroscience, psychology shows us that the mind can be developed, changed, cleaned up. Why do we let it run rampant, like a petulant child, demanding everyone and everything change for us? Why do we allow it to be filled up with pettiness, with bitching, moaning, complaining, gossip? Why don't we mind the gap - between love and hate, between compassion and judgment? Between joy and wanting? Between gratitude and lacking? We could have so much more and yet we're settling - for these worn out beliefs, these false narratives, this fake new about how we and others are not good enough, not beautiful enough, not strong enough, not worthy of this inherent love. We don't see it as a choice we're making. We see ourselves as victims. When in actuality we hold the power to choose kindness, to choose forgiveness, to choose goodness, to choose friendship, to choose to see everyone as god, as children, as family. This love is our greatest treasure, our best defense, the one we're wanting, the thing we're seeking. Waiting for everyone around us to choose it, to apologize first, to let it go, to let it be, to see us good and worthy. Why not mind your own business? Why not mind your own heart, your own feelings, your own body? Why not begin at home? Why not begin again? with love? with honest? with authenticity? See how good it can get. See how beautiful it all is. See how everyone around you is just like you, not an enemy, not your savior, not your judge, your jury, your jailer. See how simple it can get when you prioritize love.
A mid-June family retreat & reunion deferred my digesting “5 Big Ideas”
Results of a “NeuroScape Navigation” experiment w/ OpenAI-ChatGPT40
### Synopsis of Actionable Insights
**Core Insight:**
The mind, though capable of development and change, often runs unchecked with negative thoughts and false narratives. Spirituality, neuroscience, and psychology emphasize the power to choose positivity and kindness.
**Actionable Insights:**
1. **Mind the Gap:** Actively bridge the gap between negative and positive states—love vs. hate, compassion vs. judgment.
2. **Choose Positivity:** Consciously choose kindness, forgiveness, and gratitude over pettiness and negativity.
3. **Self-Reflection:** Focus on improving your own heart, feelings, and actions, starting with self-love and authenticity.
### Impacts and Implications
**Possible Impact:** Shift from victimhood to empowerment through conscious choices.
**Probable Impact:** Enhanced personal relationships and overall well-being.
**Preferable Impact:** A more compassionate, loving, and harmonious life experience.
### Analogies and Rationale
**Analogy:**
- **Mind as a Garden:** Just as a garden requires tending to remove weeds and promote growth, the mind needs mindful cultivation to foster positivity.
**Rationale:**
- **Intentional Living:** By intentionally choosing love and kindness, individuals can transform their mental landscape, leading to a more fulfilling and connected life.
Devdutt Patnaik, an Indian writer and thinker writes about the idea of being a 'darshak' or spectator in the drama of life. Very similar to the untethering that you write about.
It's fascinating how we immerse ourselves in our own beliefs and forget it may not make sense to others. When you wrote that questioning our thoughts may be an alternative perspective I had the abrupt jolt of, "well, doesn't everyone know that?" Of course not, silly! However, I think there might be a paradigm shift happening with more and more people recognizing the freedom in putting some space between their thoughts and reactions which allows for a wider perspective.
The base of my stories is in mindfulness and connection but I too avoid the word spiritual (or mindful). For me it’s because I don’t want to scare certain people away (my original substack base are many people from my professional network). I’d rather attempt to communicate my messages in a way that allows them to stay and read.
I spent the first 26 years of my life denying the label of spiritual, despite that always being my core. Thus, I can relate to the potential aversion first hand.
It's not an easy subject to assess, but very important. I like that you gave a warning to those without spiritual thoughts an opportunity to opt out. But are they not the ones who should entertain your essay?
Ty! Intriguing reflections. It’s somewhat interesting to note how any discussion on Spirit is from the mind and yet that’s what we’re trying to give up when connecting deeper. Also… just a nudge to diversify the quotes. These were all men and I believe white men. I’m personally a little tired of always hearing from them 😆 they’re great no doubt just suggestion throwing in various perspectives
Jen, thx for your writing. This is another of your posts that I will read multiple times, in order to take it all in. My 'go to' reading currently is The Untethered Soul...it keeps me focused on the most important parts of my life. I loved your conclusion of how humans can waste their intelligence trying to tell the Universe how things should be!! Thx again, and I wish you a great day...
Thank you for exploring this topic and painting such a clear picture of it. There’s something so beautiful about this kind of awakening. It’s such a joy to know that many others are walking this path. The future is bright!
The ego-to-soul journey of a human being is essential to a fulfilled life, just as similar developmental journeys are found in the natural world around us. To ascend from the ego is to enter the spiritual (soul), where we are so much more than our thoughts, desires, and fears.
I’m coming up on 60, and I can honestly say that almost everything ego-driven in my life led to a painful but necessary life lesson. A recent quote from Ram Dass best summarizes it. “Egos can’t love. Only souls can love.”
I love Michael Singer and thanks for explaining this so well. If everyone quit confusing their thoughts with their self, we would live in a very different world. This realization can change everything we know about our lives.
Another great piece Jen! I would like to add that I think there is nuance to the idea of 'you are not your thoughts'. My personal experience, and those of others with OCD I'd say, is disengaging from our thoughts is incredibly difficult because of how strongly our nervous systems react to them. When I shifted my practice from trying to ignore the thoughts by saying 'thoughts are just thoughts' to instead seeing them as an indicator of what my core fears were, it enabled me rationally break down those fears. My obsessive thoughts signal when there is a core beliefs I need to think deeply about and possibly challenge. But I agree with you that distance is needed from the thought in the moment to move away from impulsive action, which ultimately keeps the obsessive cycle going.
This! "So, if the mind is a tool and not the essence of who we are, then what are you using your mind for?" Spirituality, neuroscience, psychology shows us that the mind can be developed, changed, cleaned up. Why do we let it run rampant, like a petulant child, demanding everyone and everything change for us? Why do we allow it to be filled up with pettiness, with bitching, moaning, complaining, gossip? Why don't we mind the gap - between love and hate, between compassion and judgment? Between joy and wanting? Between gratitude and lacking? We could have so much more and yet we're settling - for these worn out beliefs, these false narratives, this fake new about how we and others are not good enough, not beautiful enough, not strong enough, not worthy of this inherent love. We don't see it as a choice we're making. We see ourselves as victims. When in actuality we hold the power to choose kindness, to choose forgiveness, to choose goodness, to choose friendship, to choose to see everyone as god, as children, as family. This love is our greatest treasure, our best defense, the one we're wanting, the thing we're seeking. Waiting for everyone around us to choose it, to apologize first, to let it go, to let it be, to see us good and worthy. Why not mind your own business? Why not mind your own heart, your own feelings, your own body? Why not begin at home? Why not begin again? with love? with honest? with authenticity? See how good it can get. See how beautiful it all is. See how everyone around you is just like you, not an enemy, not your savior, not your judge, your jury, your jailer. See how simple it can get when you prioritize love.
Dear Jen/Julie,
A mid-June family retreat & reunion deferred my digesting “5 Big Ideas”
Results of a “NeuroScape Navigation” experiment w/ OpenAI-ChatGPT40
### Synopsis of Actionable Insights
**Core Insight:**
The mind, though capable of development and change, often runs unchecked with negative thoughts and false narratives. Spirituality, neuroscience, and psychology emphasize the power to choose positivity and kindness.
**Actionable Insights:**
1. **Mind the Gap:** Actively bridge the gap between negative and positive states—love vs. hate, compassion vs. judgment.
2. **Choose Positivity:** Consciously choose kindness, forgiveness, and gratitude over pettiness and negativity.
3. **Self-Reflection:** Focus on improving your own heart, feelings, and actions, starting with self-love and authenticity.
### Impacts and Implications
**Possible Impact:** Shift from victimhood to empowerment through conscious choices.
**Probable Impact:** Enhanced personal relationships and overall well-being.
**Preferable Impact:** A more compassionate, loving, and harmonious life experience.
### Analogies and Rationale
**Analogy:**
- **Mind as a Garden:** Just as a garden requires tending to remove weeds and promote growth, the mind needs mindful cultivation to foster positivity.
**Rationale:**
- **Intentional Living:** By intentionally choosing love and kindness, individuals can transform their mental landscape, leading to a more fulfilling and connected life.
###
Not sure what a “NeuroScape Navigation” experiment w/ OpenAI-ChatGPT40” means but I love the synopsis!
Devdutt Patnaik, an Indian writer and thinker writes about the idea of being a 'darshak' or spectator in the drama of life. Very similar to the untethering that you write about.
It's fascinating how we immerse ourselves in our own beliefs and forget it may not make sense to others. When you wrote that questioning our thoughts may be an alternative perspective I had the abrupt jolt of, "well, doesn't everyone know that?" Of course not, silly! However, I think there might be a paradigm shift happening with more and more people recognizing the freedom in putting some space between their thoughts and reactions which allows for a wider perspective.
I loved the Untethered Soul. I will reread it and his other book I have. Thanks for providing us a new outlook.
The base of my stories is in mindfulness and connection but I too avoid the word spiritual (or mindful). For me it’s because I don’t want to scare certain people away (my original substack base are many people from my professional network). I’d rather attempt to communicate my messages in a way that allows them to stay and read.
I spent the first 26 years of my life denying the label of spiritual, despite that always being my core. Thus, I can relate to the potential aversion first hand.
I love Michael Singer. He makes all of these concepts relatable and understandable.
Beautiful reflections, thank you for sharing this and shining your light ✨️ 💜
It's not an easy subject to assess, but very important. I like that you gave a warning to those without spiritual thoughts an opportunity to opt out. But are they not the ones who should entertain your essay?
BTW, Bruno Bettleheim wrote a terrific book, Freud and Man's Soul, about how Freud was mistranslated and how that translation falsified his ideas. https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Mans-Soul-Important-Re-Interpretation/dp/0394710363
Ty! Intriguing reflections. It’s somewhat interesting to note how any discussion on Spirit is from the mind and yet that’s what we’re trying to give up when connecting deeper. Also… just a nudge to diversify the quotes. These were all men and I believe white men. I’m personally a little tired of always hearing from them 😆 they’re great no doubt just suggestion throwing in various perspectives
Love it Jen! What if we were a body in a soul. That lens sets me free somehow. 🙏❤️
Jen, thx for your writing. This is another of your posts that I will read multiple times, in order to take it all in. My 'go to' reading currently is The Untethered Soul...it keeps me focused on the most important parts of my life. I loved your conclusion of how humans can waste their intelligence trying to tell the Universe how things should be!! Thx again, and I wish you a great day...
Thank you for exploring this topic and painting such a clear picture of it. There’s something so beautiful about this kind of awakening. It’s such a joy to know that many others are walking this path. The future is bright!