Friday, September 30, 2005
Searching the Toolbox
It’s funny how when an issue pops up it seems to pop up for many at the same time. Something to do with those wretched 100 monkeys I expect*. Anyway the issue of the Ego keeps raising its head at the moment. The Ego of course being that weird thing we carry around with us that we think is us. Back to the Hindu definition of the Real and the Unreal again I suppose. The Ego is definitely not the Real but it is what we tend to assume is Real.
So the next time you have that dialogue in your head along the lines of “There’s nothing special about me.” “I mustn’t be egocentric, I mustn’t show off.” “Who do I think I am that I could achieve that? I can’t do that.” Etc.etc. you know the territory. Perhaps try a trick I’m working on to help myself in these situations:
I try and visualise my ego as a toolbox. I have chosen to be here in this human form and in order to function I need to keep my body working well and take care of my various essential needs. I will need some tools for this. I also have a job to do while I’m here and in order to do that job I will need a few tools as well. My ego allows me to interface with this world we have created and to do what I need to do. I need to learn and develop so I can remember my unique role and then go about fulfilling it. So I take a look in my toolbox to see what I have. My toolbox will of course be different to yours and the tools I have will be specific to what I need in order to do my special job. So if I take myself as an example: so far I have remembered that I am here to heal and to lead others into the light to make it easier for them to connect with their higher selves. I am here to bring peace everywhere and where necessary to use words. Some of the tools I have been given to do this include the ability to teach, natural leadership skills, heightened kinaesthetic sensitivity, a kind of centeredness that makes others feel safe and the ability to write creatively and clearly (don’t laugh!).
Now take a look in your toolbox and ask yourself what tools can you see there (sometimes they are concealed from view) and what are they best used for? Are you making use of your tools or are they going rusty? Oh this analogy has a lot of legs! It can run and run! Fill in the rest yourself before I labour it to death!
So I see it as being that simple.
A mistake we all make is to think that we are the toolbox. That leads us into all sorts of trouble. That’s how we can start berating ourselves for our natural abilities. That’s how we can start prancing about like the sage on the stage. That’s how can get drawn into the illusion of separation (see my earlier ramblings on this if you’re interested).
One more thing … then that’s it for the toolbox thing for now. Who has the best tools, you or me? The answer of course is that we both do. You have the best tools for your job and I have the best tools for mine. You might as well ask who has the best tools between a plumber and electrician. So yes we are all connected to the same source and behind our masks there is pure light. Also we are all unique and special. No two of us have exactly the same job or exactly the same box of tools.
Phew.
Now for a joke:
Joke Time
Charlie dies and goes to heaven. St. Peter meets him at the pearly gates and takes him on the guided tour, like he does for all the new arrivals. Finally he asks Charlie if he’s had lunch. “No” says Charlie “I died before lunch actually”. “Well” says St. Peter “you’re in luck mate because the canteen is serving lunch right now.”
So St. Peter takes Charlie to the canteen. There he sees all the heavenly throng holding trays and queuing up for food. St. Peter proceeds to point out the various celebrities. “There’s St. Michael the Archangel, there’s Mother Teresa, there’s St. Francis of Assisi…” Just then a guy in a white coat bursts in, pushing Charlie and St. Peter out of the way. He grabs a tray, rudely pushes to the front of the queue, grabs some food and rushes off to a table where he sits down on his own. Charlie asks: “Who ever is that?” St. Peter says, “Oh take no notice of him. That’s God. But sometimes he thinks he’s a doctor.”
*I can’t be bothered to explain about 100 monkeys. If you don’t know what I’m talking about you’ll have to Google it.
So the next time you have that dialogue in your head along the lines of “There’s nothing special about me.” “I mustn’t be egocentric, I mustn’t show off.” “Who do I think I am that I could achieve that? I can’t do that.” Etc.etc. you know the territory. Perhaps try a trick I’m working on to help myself in these situations:
I try and visualise my ego as a toolbox. I have chosen to be here in this human form and in order to function I need to keep my body working well and take care of my various essential needs. I will need some tools for this. I also have a job to do while I’m here and in order to do that job I will need a few tools as well. My ego allows me to interface with this world we have created and to do what I need to do. I need to learn and develop so I can remember my unique role and then go about fulfilling it. So I take a look in my toolbox to see what I have. My toolbox will of course be different to yours and the tools I have will be specific to what I need in order to do my special job. So if I take myself as an example: so far I have remembered that I am here to heal and to lead others into the light to make it easier for them to connect with their higher selves. I am here to bring peace everywhere and where necessary to use words. Some of the tools I have been given to do this include the ability to teach, natural leadership skills, heightened kinaesthetic sensitivity, a kind of centeredness that makes others feel safe and the ability to write creatively and clearly (don’t laugh!).
Now take a look in your toolbox and ask yourself what tools can you see there (sometimes they are concealed from view) and what are they best used for? Are you making use of your tools or are they going rusty? Oh this analogy has a lot of legs! It can run and run! Fill in the rest yourself before I labour it to death!
So I see it as being that simple.
A mistake we all make is to think that we are the toolbox. That leads us into all sorts of trouble. That’s how we can start berating ourselves for our natural abilities. That’s how we can start prancing about like the sage on the stage. That’s how can get drawn into the illusion of separation (see my earlier ramblings on this if you’re interested).
One more thing … then that’s it for the toolbox thing for now. Who has the best tools, you or me? The answer of course is that we both do. You have the best tools for your job and I have the best tools for mine. You might as well ask who has the best tools between a plumber and electrician. So yes we are all connected to the same source and behind our masks there is pure light. Also we are all unique and special. No two of us have exactly the same job or exactly the same box of tools.
Phew.
Now for a joke:
Joke Time
Charlie dies and goes to heaven. St. Peter meets him at the pearly gates and takes him on the guided tour, like he does for all the new arrivals. Finally he asks Charlie if he’s had lunch. “No” says Charlie “I died before lunch actually”. “Well” says St. Peter “you’re in luck mate because the canteen is serving lunch right now.”
So St. Peter takes Charlie to the canteen. There he sees all the heavenly throng holding trays and queuing up for food. St. Peter proceeds to point out the various celebrities. “There’s St. Michael the Archangel, there’s Mother Teresa, there’s St. Francis of Assisi…” Just then a guy in a white coat bursts in, pushing Charlie and St. Peter out of the way. He grabs a tray, rudely pushes to the front of the queue, grabs some food and rushes off to a table where he sits down on his own. Charlie asks: “Who ever is that?” St. Peter says, “Oh take no notice of him. That’s God. But sometimes he thinks he’s a doctor.”
*I can’t be bothered to explain about 100 monkeys. If you don’t know what I’m talking about you’ll have to Google it.
