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The Difference Between Giving Up On the Ego,
and Ordinary Giving Up
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The ego and the spirit have very different ways of giving up. For example, exactly when ego gives up on love and loving, spirit gives up on being insufficiently loving for love to succeed.
Ordinary giving up is something the ego does; but only the spirit can give up on ego. Let us clearly describe what we mean by giving up on ego (or giving up on personal effort). But first, here's what we DON'T mean:
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1.
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We don't mean GIVE UP HOPE. When the ego gives up, it gives up on everything constructive -- particularly the higher processes and potentials of living. It gives up on beauty, faith, hope, and constructiveness. And that is a very foolish thing to do. That kind of giving up depresses the spirit, and effectively prevents the ego's Undoing -- so naturally, the ego heartily recommends it.
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We don't mean CULTIVATE FALSE HOPE. The ego has another way of dealing with the soul's affinity for beauty, faith, hope, etc. It holds them as "new," "spiritual" goals -- but in the old, selfish way. By selfishly clinging to spiritual-sounding aspirations, the ego fools you into believing that it is being ousted, when it is still very much in charge.
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3.
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We don't mean BECOME PASSIVE. Liberation is no mere "head trip;" it requires plenty of participation. We certainly have things we can and should do in the name of spiritual diligence. A true spiritual life is dynamic, active. At the same time, personal effort should not be isolated. Higher guidance is needed ALONG WITH personal initiative.
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What we DO MEAN by giving up on ego is:
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Give up on rugged individualism -- going it alone, without the benefit of surrender to Divine guidance. Face the limitations of all personal efforts made under the spell of ego. God has a big part to play, too -- and we can't possibly do His part.
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2.
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Give up on selfish living. You must see, conclusively, that the real problem with creature power and personal effort is the selfishness at the root. And of course, you must see how that observation applies to you, personally.
Deeply acknowledge the cosmic error of being self-centered and self-directed. Selfishness is destructive, hurtful, hopeless, fruitless. It creates endless trouble and frustration. By presuming separation, difference, and conflict, selfishness CAUSES most of our problems.
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Give up struggling SELFISHLY for personal liberation. You need to be very clear about this point. Undoing DEPENDS on self-forgetfulness. Self-centered effort precludes Undoing, since it reinforces the ego-ME that needs to be left behind.
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