How to Recognize Experiences that Nurture Egolessness || Acharya Prashant (2023)
Video Information: 08.06.2023, Gita Samagam English, Goa
📋 Video Chapters
0:00 - Introduction to Ego and Reinvention
2:30 - The Principle of "Neti-Neti"
4:01 - Changing Objects vs. Inner Change
6:31 - The Importance of Intention in Change
7:31 - When to Decide on Change
8:15 - Conclusion and Moving On
Description:
In this insightful video, we explore the transformative concepts of ego, equality, and personal growth. Join us as we discuss how ego-centered experiences hinder equanimity and why achieving egolessness is essential for true immortality.
Acharya ji shares valuable insights on the importance of identifying and rejecting old experiences that simply recycle previous patterns, employing the principle of "neti-neti" (not this, not that) for effective self-discovery and growth.
Reinvention is crucial; letting go of outdated associations paves the way for genuine transformation. While changing external circumstances is important, true inner change is driven by intention. We emphasize the need for individuals to evaluate whether their experiences add value to their lives; when they stop doing so, it’s time to move on.
🎧 Listen to Acharya Prashant on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2QmVEAA...
Video Information: 08.06.2023, Gita Samagam English, Goa
📋 Video Chapters
0:00 - Introduction to Ego and Reinvention
2:30 - The Principle of "Neti-Neti"
4:01 - Changing Objects vs. Inner Change
6:31 - The Importance of Intention in Change
7:31 - When to Decide on Change
8:15 - Conclusion and Moving On
Description:
In this insightful video, we explore the transformative concepts of ego, equality, and personal growth. Join us as we discuss how ego-centered experiences hinder equanimity and why achieving egolessness is essential for true immortality.
Acharya ji shares valuable insights on the importance of identifying and rejecting old experiences that simply recycle previous patterns, employing the principle of "neti-neti" (not this, not that) for effective self-discovery and growth.
Reinvention is crucial; letting go of outdated associations paves the way for genuine transformation. While changing external circumstances is important, true inner change is driven by intention. We emphasize the need for individuals to evaluate whether their experiences add value to their lives; when they stop doing so, it’s time to move on.
🎧 Listen to Acharya Prashant on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2QmVEAA...
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00The one to be reinvented is the Ego and the Ego is its own object.
00:05What is the Ego?
00:06Something that exists only in relationship with its object, mental objects, memories,
00:11physical objects, relationships, real change happens, depends just on the intention.
00:17Pranam Acharya ji, Equanimity, Equality, Morality and we are trying to resolve that equation
00:25that Sri Krishna has given.
00:27And in the process, we have understood that anything that is Ego centred cannot be equanimous
00:36because it will add meanings to all the things that it experiences in the world.
00:42And we have told immortality is possible only if you are centred with Egolessness.
00:48Now, as the discussion goes forward, what I have understood is, one who is starting
00:54his journey from Ego centredness will start using the world to frame all the meaning
01:04to all the experiences that he has.
01:05Now he is supposed to do a journey to go to Egolessness.
01:08That is when this equanimity, immorality is possible.
01:11Now this journey is to be a journey in which he goes to higher experiences, experiences
01:21that will help him drop himself.
01:23I am not sure if I am interpreting it rightly, because when we were discussing with Sanjit
01:29ji, we were telling from point A to B, you have come from B to C, you need to try new
01:36things in such a way that it helps you to move forward in the Egolessness.
01:41So does this mean a person who is at one level of experiencing, if he has to move forward,
01:52he should choose the experiences that will help him to drop himself?
01:55Now this quality, how will he identify?
01:59Will he be able to, I mean, what are the few parameters that he should look at while choosing
02:04next level of experiences?
02:07All that he can see is whether the next choice that he is being naturally drawn to is just
02:16an extension of the previous ones.
02:20The way has to be of the classical old rejection, neti neti.
02:33If look at the basket of the new, so-called new options and see which of these new options
02:41are nothing but recycling of the previous ones, reject them.
02:49You can never identify the new.
02:51Is that not obvious?
02:54The new is never available to be identified.
02:59Only the old can be identified.
03:01So identify the old and with gratitude send it away.
03:18So only when he keeps sending the old, he can reinvent himself.
03:23That is reinvention.
03:24That is reinvention because the one to be reinvented is the ego, right?
03:31And the ego is its own object.
03:36The ego has no existence of its own.
03:40What is the ego?
03:41Something that exists only in relationship with its object, right?
03:45So if you can do away with the old object, you have done away with the old ego.
03:59It's not so straightforward.
04:01It's not as if the ego is identified with the shirt.
04:04So if I remove my shirt, the ego will be gone.
04:07It's not that straightforward but I'm pointing at something.
04:21Changing the objects that you have been habitually associated with is a necessary but not sufficient
04:28condition.
04:33It is quite possible that you change all the stuff around you but the stuff inside
04:38you still remains the same.
04:39That is possible.
04:42But if you refuse to change even the stuff around you, then it is almost guaranteed that
04:46the stuff inside will never change.
04:54The ego takes security in its objects, mental objects, memories, physical objects, relationships.
05:05It wants them to be repeated again and again.
05:14So one who is changing, validating whether it's actually changing him, right?
05:21Obviously, because the ego is no mug.
05:29It's quite cunning.
05:32It can very coolly play this game of changing all the exteriors and yet not changing the
05:37interiors.
05:41And it's a very spiritual game that the householders, the worldly people do not play this game so
05:49much.
05:50Spiritual people play this game a lot.
05:53So they will change their clothes, wear clothes of a certain color, they will start living
05:58a certain way and it will appear as if everything has changed.
06:01Even their language will change.
06:05They will shave their head and do all these things but inside not much changes.
06:13So we are aware of that trap.
06:15We know that there is a threat of that kind.
06:19But still what we are saying is that try changing.
06:23Ultimately, whether or not real change happens depends just on the intention.
06:32The intention is the final thing and we must also concede that if the intention is right,
06:48inner change can happen even without outer change, though the probability is quite thin.
07:00We know of people who have continued to live in the same place in the same way and yet
07:06have internally grown into a very blossoming kind of state.
07:18All that is possible but there are no formulas.
07:27And also just wanted to get clarity a bit more on when does one decide this change should
07:33be made?
07:36What will make one person to make that decision?
07:38See you do not get into experiences for the sake of nothing.
07:46One gets into anything because that thing provides meaning.
07:53Because that thing is supposed to lead to improvement.
07:57So you have to keep seeing that you are the final measure of the worth of anything in
08:07the world.
08:08Please note it down.
08:10You are the final measure of the worth of anything in the world.
08:19Everything exists to you and for your sake.
08:24So the moment you find that the thing is not adding value to you anymore, it's time to
08:33move on.
08:38Because that thing might be magnificent in itself but the measure of that thing is the
08:44value that it provides to you.
08:48When you move on, it is not as if you are insulting that thing.
08:52You are just saying that it's my time to move on.
08:57The thing might still be very magnificent for several others but it's your time to move