Buddhism - Eliminating the ego.

Cherry Blossom · 16-01-2017 01:07AM #1

I started a mindfulness class maybe 6 months ago and as an extension of that bought buddhism for dummies just as I became interested. There is a lot to it but one thing the book talks about and some websites is eliminating the ego. A health practitioner recently told me that if you had no ego at all you would be schizophrenic. It got me wondering about advanced buddhism practitioners that claim to remember past lives and I'm wondering if they are delusional due to having succeeded in eliminating the ego. This is a genuine query but I didn't want to ask in world religions in case it may cause offence.

What does AH think?

me_irl · 16-01-2017 01:09AM

Cherry Blossom wrote: »

What does AH think?

OMMMMMMM WHYDIDYOUASKTHISIN AH ANDNOTSPIRITUALITY OMMMMMMM.

Earthhorse · 16-01-2017 01:13AM

Cherry Blossom wrote: »

What does AH think?

I think the health practitioner is talking absolute bollocks. Eliminating the ego has nothing to do with schizophrenia or else schizophrenia would be described as that.

16-01-2017 01:16AM

If only my laptop was working so I could bore you all to tears with my take on the concept of the ego.

Tomorrow

bodice ripper · 16-01-2017 01:16AM

I experienced ego death once. I wouldn't recommend it.

Clampdown · 16-01-2017 01:18AM

I think your health practitioner clearly doesn't understand either schizophrenia or Buddhist practice.

Schizophrenia is not really like you see in the movies where people have a bunch of different personalities.

Cherry Blossom · 16-01-2017 01:18AM

Deleted User wrote: »

If only my laptop was working so I could bore you all to tears with my take on the concept of the ego.

Tomorrow

I look forward to it.

16-01-2017 01:19AM

Cherry Blossom wrote: »

I look forward to it.

There will be mention of Freud and mindfulness

Fr_Dougal · 16-01-2017 01:20AM

It's far from Buddha you were reared.

Ferrari3600 · 16-01-2017 01:21AM

My personal view, I don't think it is either practical or desirable to eliminate the ego. It is good to keep checks on it though.

Stonedpilot · 16-01-2017 01:49AM

Cherry Blossom wrote: »

I started a mindfulness class maybe 6 months ago and as an extension of that bought buddhism for dummies just as I became interested. There is a lot to it but one thing the book talks about and some websites is eliminating the ego. A health practitioner recently told me that if you had no ego at all you would be schizophrenic. It got me wondering about advanced buddhism practitioners that claim to remember past lives and I'm wondering if they are delusional due to having succeeded in eliminating the ego. This is a genuine query but I didn't want to ask in world religions in case it may cause offence.

What does AH think?

Asking on this forum wont get you far its a hotbed of narcissism here! In my experience Buddist teachers have egos the size of Russia. Recovered drug addicts sober years or decades usually have great insight into relenquisling the ego.

wotzgoingon · 16-01-2017 01:50AM

There really is some daft religions out there one cult springs to mind mormonism.

Arghus · 16-01-2017 01:54AM

I've tried meditation on and off through the years and it's definitely something that has a lot going for it. Though I find it hard to come across someone who offers to teach mindfulness/meditation et al and who doesn't have at least some religious or a vaguely new-agey approach.

They may not push it at the start, but after a while it starts to sneak in - always. Understandable, I suppose, given the history of the whole mindfulness thing, but frustrating none the less. If I go back to try to learn again or at least practice regularly I'm going to try to be honest:

"Please no Spiritualist stuff, chanting to GAIA or talking about Chakras; I don't believe in any of that bullshit. Just get me to that transcending the ego stuff, so I can be really class at things and live for ages."

learn_more · 16-01-2017 02:06AM

I think if you eliminated the ego we'd all be still living in caves but totally happy with our lot.

Hammer89 · 16-01-2017 02:18AM

I eliminated my ego about a year ago. It was tough and most people can't fully do it, but I'm not most people thankfully. Not many people have my inner strength, so ridding myself of ego was simple enough. I didn't think it'd work on me at first because apparently people with huge knobs and great jawlines can't eliminate their ego, but I guess I'm the exception. So yeah, I've been ego free for about a year and I can honestly say it's changed my life. It actually didn't because my life always has been and always will be class, but I dunno.

Vincent Vega · 16-01-2017 02:18AM

This is something that's troubled me in my reading of psychology and eastern philosophies.

I feel pretty convinced that a number of experiences that western psychology pathologises would be seen as mystical and/or transcendental, or something of an achievement in the east.

Ego dissolution would certainly be one. Loss of motivation, lack of direction, aimlessness, complete detachment, no serious 'goals' in life.
You'd just be fine to live easy and flow with the current. Which is really frowned upon in our culture.

Stonedpilot · 16-01-2017 02:22AM

Hammer89 wrote: »

I eliminated my ego about a year ago. It was tough and most people can't fully do it, but I'm not most people thankfully. Not many people have my inner strength, so ridding myself of ego was simple enough. I didn't think it'd work on me at first because apparently people with huge knobs and great jawlines can't eliminate their ego, but I guess I'm the exception. So yeah, I've been ego free for about a year and I can honestly say it's changed my life. It actually didn't because my life always has been and always will be class, but I dunno.

Most people can't fully do it!?! Height of judgement and arrogance. How do you know what total strangers are capable of?

Seems you ego is alive and thriving!

retro:electro · 16-01-2017 02:23AM

Stonedpilot wrote: »

Most people can't fully do it!?! Height of judgement and arrogance. How do you know what total strangers are capable of?

Seems you ego is alive and thriving!

Ya he was clearly joking.

AgileMyth · 16-01-2017 02:24AM

Buddhism is so different from all the other religions. Its totally non commercial, not like the rest that just want your money.

How much did you pay for the Buddhism for dummies book?

Yourself isit · 16-01-2017 02:25AM

Stonedpilot wrote: »

Most people can't fully do it!?! Height of judgement and arrogance. How do you know what total strangers are capable of?

Seems you ego is alive and thriving!

Whooosh

Arghus · 16-01-2017 02:27AM

Stonedpilot wrote: »

Most people can't fully do it!?! Height of judgement and arrogance. How do you know what total strangers are capable of?

Seems you ego is alive and thriving!

He was havin' a laugh.

Vincent Vega · 16-01-2017 02:28AM

"Ego is a social institution with no physical reality. The ego is simply your symbol of yourself. Just as the word "water" is a noise that symbolizes a certain liquid without being it, so too the idea of ego symbolizes the role you play, who you are, but it is not the same as your living organism."

Alan Watts

Hammer89 · 16-01-2017 02:29AM

Arghus wrote: »

He was havin' a laugh.

In his defence I think he only read the first line.

Ferrari3600 · 16-01-2017 02:31AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewRjZoRtu0Y

Arghus · 16-01-2017 02:34AM

Hammer89 wrote: »

In his defence I think he only read the first line.

In the interest of fairness I read through your post again. Okay first sentence - could be taken at face value. Big knob statement - okay sounds plausible, sounds plausible....

learn_more · 16-01-2017 04:12AM

Hammer89 wrote: »

I eliminated my ego about a year ago. It was tough and most people can't fully do it, but I'm not most people thankfully. Not many people have my inner strength, so ridding myself of ego was simple enough. I didn't think it'd work on me at first because apparently people with huge knobs and great jawlines can't eliminate their ego, but I guess I'm the exception. So yeah, I've been ego free for about a year and I can honestly say it's changed my life. It actually didn't because my life always has been and always will be class, but I dunno.

This post stinks of an ego so strong I can almost smell it emanating from my computer screen.

take everything · 16-01-2017 05:19AM

Earthhorse wrote: »

I think the health practitioner is talking absolute bollocks. Eliminating the ego has nothing to do with schizophrenia or else schizophrenia would be described as that.

In fairness Earthhorse, schizophrenia in terms of ego involves breakdown of the boundary between your inner and outer worlds. Passivity/thought alienation (insertion/withdrawal and broadcasting) are related to this concept.

But maybe loss of ego in terms of what the OP is asking might be more like ego dissolution in some drug states (LSD etc)

IvyTheTerrible · 16-01-2017 06:08AM

learn_more wrote: »

This post stinks of an ego so strong I can almost smell it emanating from my computer screen.

That's the joke.

Clampdown · 16-01-2017 06:12AM

learn_more wrote: »

This post stinks of an ego so strong I can almost smell it emanating from my computer screen.

Too bad you failed to pick up even a whiff of the fact that THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THE POST, IT'S A FREAKIN JOKE. MY GOD THIS IS THE SECOND PERSON WHAT HAS AH COME TO?!

Subcomandante Marcos · 16-01-2017 06:40AM

The Buddhist thing of eliminating the ego is no different than the christian concept of "dying to oneself" and is a constant throughout pretty much every major religion and stoic philosophical tradition imaginable.

It could be seen as a way of promoting selflessness in devotion to a school of thought or mindless obedience to religious teaching as a way of achieving enlightenment of godliness or whatever you want to call that nonsense.

In short it's a tool for controlling the flock.

darkpagandeath · 16-01-2017 06:57AM

Removing Ego would be like Removing ID it's part of the human condition and what makes us human.

Buddhism - Eliminating the ego.

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