What exactly is the "ego"?

Now we’re drifting into deep philosophical territory 😉... and honestly, philosophy has already proven that nothingness is actually SOMETHING

jademarlin26, when you say: Hey, smart guy...
Are you actually aware of how condescending you're being?

Can anything truly be perceived without an observer present? Who exactly is there to perceive the void?

brisktiger56 said:Now we’re drifting into deep philosophical territory 😉... and honestly, philosophy has already proven that nothingness is actually SOMETHING

jademarlin26, when you say: Hey, smart guy...
Are you actually aware of how condescending you're being?

Hey counselor, do you even know what "sapienti sat" means?

mistygull16 said:I’m just a "reflection" of God.
On some lower level, I guess I’m like a little gateway to those "higher" dimensions of reality, but honestly, it all boils down to being a mere "image" of God—or just these "independent" little fragments of consciousness that don't even realize where they came from... something like that, anyway...

Amen!

The self is simply a microcosm of the entire grand design.

If you want to truly understand the universe and the cosmos, start by getting to know yourself.

neonscout5 said:Can anything truly be perceived without an observer present? Who exactly is there to perceive the void?

Look, if the observer and the thing being observed—whether we're talking about the void, consciousness, or raw energy—are actually one and the same... if the observer simply "is" all of it... then there's no separation. It’s just pure existence. There is no "this" versus "that." Everything is tucked inside everything else. Of course, our little world of duality makes it nearly impossible to wrap our heads around that, let alone actually experience it. Personally? I think the realm of the absolute is beautiful, sure, but it’s pretty boring for people like us who live in duality. In this relative reality, we go through the motions of separating ourselves from what we see, and that’s where the work happens. We learn, we compare, we struggle, and yeah, we suffer. We do all that just until we finally wake up and realize the truth. That’s basically what life is.😍

Edward Flores4 said:Spot on!

Unfortunately, we don't have one perfect American English word that captures that specific type of attentiveness... that state where you're genuinely "present." It’s when your mind isn't cluttered with projections or distractions, but instead, you're pouring all your focus into the current moment—reacting spontaneously to what's happening right now, rather than just reacting based on your own preconceived notions or biases.

It's about being a conscious participant in life, instead of just sitting on the sidelines acting like a detached "observer" of your own existence. It's about being fully integrated with everything around you—staying focused and taking responsibility, but not in some isolated way, like sitting on a mountaintop or hiding in a cave... places where "responsibility" is just an abstract concept and all your attention is sucked inward toward yourself.

Yeah... you hit the nail on the head there. 🙂

That’s it... it's about being truly present, being exactly where you're needed, and being a real participant.

Living in this world, instead of just pretending we aren't part of it.

Isn't a person's core essence essentially one and the same as God? Or do you all think what I'm talking about is just nothing more than the ego?

Hey, I stumbled upon another sharp little quote today.

"Nothing truly comes from human knowledge alone; everything flows from the knowledge of God." 🙂

Here’s a slightly more substantial excerpt for you:

"But in America, along with a handful of other thinkers, Kuzanski refused to fall for that cheap democratic mantra of 'knowing oneself.' He knew exactly where one had to begin. *Deus est Yahweh*—or rather, *gnothi ton kyrion*: know the Lord. You have to start by knowing God. After all, man is already within God. It's an instantaneous wholeness where everything is gathered and everything is one. Nothing of substance comes from merely trying to understand oneself; everything flows from the knowledge of God."

Bela Hamvas

🙏

Edward Flores4 said:Sorry, but man... I clearly missed the point of your post entirely, so I'm honestly not sure how to even respond. 🤷

Through the lens of one's own "self," we can observe all sorts of different scenes. How others perceived your "self," versus how I perceive my own. Within the realm of linear time, you see the history of your "self" laid out in a straight line. But what if you fast-forward those scenes?

You start seeing things that current life models simply don't permit—you see your "self" through forbidden perceptions. Or, if we dive into the warehouse of the implicit, we search for the records of the past, the future... Perhaps in this very moment, it's easier to know your "self" simply as "you."

If you didn't "catch" me, then you're giving me the chance to hunt through space-time for the non-linearity of the temporal "self."

Yes, Sean Kelly65, you hit the nail on the head! That's exactly it: I am

Jerry King11 said:Hey, I stumbled upon another sharp little quote today.

"Nothing truly comes from human knowledge alone; everything flows from the knowledge of God." 🙂

😕 😕 😕

ironcyclist752 said:😕 😕 😕

Everything actually stems from the individual's realization of themselves,
whereas I suppose an understanding of God is merely an illusion or a misconception.

You can fall into an illusion regardless of your approach if you’re busy manufacturing your own dogmas and biases. Whether you claim to be "understanding" humanity or God, you're missing the scale; man is smaller than God because God encompasses man. Besides, what does "knowing oneself" even mean anymore? To me, it sounds like little more than pop philosophy—that modern obsession with "self-care" and ego-driven "personal growth." It's all just people trying to find their reflection in God. 🤷

Jerry King11 said:You can fall into an illusion regardless of your approach if you’re busy manufacturing your own dogmas and biases. Whether you claim to be "understanding" humanity or God, you're missing the scale; man is smaller than God because God encompasses man. Besides, what does "knowing oneself" even mean anymore? To me, it sounds like little more than pop philosophy—that modern obsession with "self-care" and ego-driven "personal growth." It's all just people trying to find their reflection in God. 🤷

😕

ironcyclist752 said:😕

But I wonder, what if God is merely a projection of the human mind?

And just me and humanity being the only reality? I wouldn't go that far.

When a person’s intention is absolute, nothing is off the table—not even grappling with those deep, mystical koans like: Who am I? Or rather, what am I?

Once that realization hits, all the theories, dogmas, and the heavy baggage of civilization just... evaporate. They don't matter anymore. All that’s left is a raw kind of knowledge, something you feel with your entire being.
There’s really no point in talking about it, or heaven forbid, trying to debate or convince someone else once you've seen it for yourself. The best part? This kind of insight is available to anyone willing to pursue it with true purpose.

neonscout5 said:When a person’s intention is absolute, nothing is off the table—not even grappling with those deep, mystical koans like: Who am I? Or rather, what am I?

Once that realization hits, all the theories, dogmas, and the heavy baggage of civilization just... evaporate. They don't matter anymore. All that’s left is a raw kind of knowledge, something you feel with your entire being.
There’s really no point in talking about it, or heaven forbid, trying to debate or convince someone else once you've seen it for yourself. The best part? This kind of insight is available to anyone willing to pursue it with true purpose.

True. We can philosophize all we want, but it’s just empty intellectualizing if we don't apply it to real life—and to how we treat the people around us. In fact, "insight" itself can be just another form of mental greed. Didn't even Faust sell his soul to the devil just for the sake of knowledge (or maybe I'm remembering that wrong... it was a long time ago)?

I agree that wisdom only arrives once you've had that firsthand experience (and put it into practice), because raw information isn't enough; that's when the "constructs" finally fall away. Whether it's possible for everyone, I couldn't say. But I'll stand by the idea that it requires honest intention—a genuine hunger for truth and right action—combined with an open mind and a large heart.

Harold Barrett7 said:Through the lens of one's own "self," we can observe all sorts of different scenes. How others perceived your "self," versus how I perceive my own. Within the realm of linear time, you see the history of your "self" laid out in a straight line. But what if you fast-forward those scenes?

You start seeing things that current life models simply don't permit—you see your "self" through forbidden perceptions. Or, if we dive into the warehouse of the implicit, we search for the records of the past, the future... Perhaps in this very moment, it's easier to know your "self" simply as "you."

If you didn't "catch" me, then you're giving me the chance to hunt through space-time for the non-linearity of the temporal "self."

Going back to what we were discussing... even if we take that extrapolated "self"—the one that just sits there observing itself from whatever specific vantage point it happens to occupy—there's hardly any "me" left in that equation.

The "self" is really just the entire world viewed from one specific coordinate at one specific moment. But when you look at the actual substance making up that "self," it’s really just everyone and everything else, except for me. 🤷

Jerry King11 said:And just me and humanity being the only reality? I wouldn't go that far.

👎