“Just finished reading your latest substack and wondered if you would consider addressing the left and right hemispheres of the brain as a subject. I noticed in one of your comment replies to someone a few weeks ago you said that one needed to read and understand poetry with the right side of the brain.
Wow! I was expecting the usual disembodied spiritual woo-woo discussion, but I am awed by your depth and insights. Your explanations of the various stages of ego development and their existential survival purposes provide a basic foundation for a vast array of spiritual discussions.
I am particularly impressed with the pragmatic summary of the goal of integrating all the different “selves” into a dynamic whole. And yes, it is this disintegration of the selves and the concentration of energies in the ego self that is the source of much modern anxiety and suffering. Your discussion on how various religions can exacerbate this ego-centrism into a superego is spot-on.
I was having a discussion with a friend about how society is ‘cruising for a bruising’ and yet we refuse to change. Your definition of the ego, both private and communal, as being a social survival mechanism is very helpful for me to understand the reluctance for change. Your description of your personal experience of disruption is only magnified by broad social changes. “Pain is mandatory but suffering is optional. Without a full array of selves, we desperately cling to the rigid sanctuary of our ego and the suffering and despair continue. Where does, one go when the ego needs to die? Your roadmap gives us a clue about developing a broader sense of self so we are not so brittle and vulnerable. 🙏
As I’ve said many times (boring now), I think I went straight to “AM” on 2 Feb 2018, in response to some intense suffering, and it was utterly wonderful, but the ego came back 6 weeks later 😓
Truth is not a competition. Competition is for egos. Truth has nothing to do with ego. I don't care where truth comes from, whether it's from me, Shiv or someone else. ;-)
Wow! I was expecting the usual disembodied spiritual woo-woo discussion, but I am awed by your depth and insights. Your explanations of the various stages of ego development and their existential survival purposes provide a basic foundation for a vast array of spiritual discussions.
I am particularly impressed with the pragmatic summary of the goal of integrating all the different “selves” into a dynamic whole. And yes, it is this disintegration of the selves and the concentration of energies in the ego self that is the source of much modern anxiety and suffering. Your discussion on how various religions can exacerbate this ego-centrism into a superego is spot-on.
I was having a discussion with a friend about how society is ‘cruising for a bruising’ and yet we refuse to change. Your definition of the ego, both private and communal, as being a social survival mechanism is very helpful for me to understand the reluctance for change. Your description of your personal experience of disruption is only magnified by broad social changes. “Pain is mandatory but suffering is optional. Without a full array of selves, we desperately cling to the rigid sanctuary of our ego and the suffering and despair continue. Where does, one go when the ego needs to die? Your roadmap gives us a clue about developing a broader sense of self so we are not so brittle and vulnerable. 🙏
As I’ve said many times (boring now), I think I went straight to “AM” on 2 Feb 2018, in response to some intense suffering, and it was utterly wonderful, but the ego came back 6 weeks later 😓
Brilliant !
Picture's credits : "Three Faces" painting by Ibrahim Unal. Turkey. 2019.
Quite a lot of speculations and approximations for my taste in this article. But that's just my opinion. :-)
This is some good shit. Start charging $10/ month subscription for these articles bro.
You want him to have even less readers ?? :-)
Cedric, when are you going to start your own bloody substack? Give Shiv some competition, he will love it 😅
Truth is not a competition. Competition is for egos. Truth has nothing to do with ego. I don't care where truth comes from, whether it's from me, Shiv or someone else. ;-)