Even when the conscious mind wants to grow and improve one’s life, the ego is a storehouse of subconscious resistance and lack of understanding. The ego usually has many beliefs, mostly unnoticed and unquestioned, about the Path, and about Freedom. As long as you don’t notice or question these beliefs, then the tendency is for the ego to sabotage you, and to prevent you from rapid growth, even if you consciously want that. It is common for a person to be exposed to the Path, and even to have experienced profound changes in their life as a result, and still their ego resists further growth. This is normal. If you see through the ego’s game, then being temporarily stuck becomes just another part of the journey of awakening.
The page entitled 'False Beliefs' (see the tab entitled Obstacles, above) contains some simple but common positions that the ego gets stuck in. They can be very subtle within you. These tend to take a person off the Path, or prevent them taking up opportunities to release more karma (such as being in retreat). This is, of course, not an exhaustive list of ego positions or places to get stuck along the Path. It is just a handful of the most common ways in which a person may subconsciously resist their own growth, healing and Freedom. Just by seeing any one of these in yourself, you will be free to no longer act from this place. Awareness gives you options that are not available to you when you are unconscious. If any of these DO apply to you, then remember to be gentle and loving with yourself. The way to bring yourself back on track is to:
- Let go of disapproving of yourself.
- Give yourself approval.
- Reconnect to your inner courage.
- Reaffirm your sincere intent for growth, and allow yourself to be inspired by this journey, and guided by the new insights that come to you.
- Set the intention, if you can, to offer your life to be a perfect instrument of Love and Grace, to be used for the upliftment, healing, wellbeing and inspiration of all your fellow beings. To go through whatever you have to go through to purify your energy, clear your blocks, and realize the Truth within.
- Allow yourself to be inspired, and to engage your heartfelt sincerity.
These writings are intended as food for contemplation, for those who are serious about Freedom in this lifetime. It is not to be used to judge or condemn any person. Each person is making the best choices they know how to make. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna speaks of the power of higher Knowledge, as the capacity to discriminate between the choices that lead to bondage, and the choices that set the soul free. In the same spirit, this is intended to help you make the choices that lead to growth and Freedom, which the deepest part of every human being ultimately longs for.