"Me, We"

Those are the words to the world's shortest poem, spoken by boxing champion Muhammad Ali to a Harvard graduating class back in the late Sixties.

They are recalled today as the following is contemplated.

Man is an ingenious lump of flesh infused with Spirit. When Spirit takes residence, the flesh moves, "thinks" and appears to act intelligently (or not, as the case may be). When Spirit withdraws, the flesh lays abandoned, as lifeless as a rag doll. So, where was the true "life"? Was it in the flesh, which could only "live" while Spirit desired it to? Or is it in the Spirit, which continues to persist after its withdrawal from the physical realm?

Spirit, of course.

This serves to illuminate the idea that "Man has a body. Man is not his body". The body is a temporary tool that Spirit uses as an aid to experiencing and expressing itself in the physical. The same way that a deep-sea diver must don a heavy suit and air tanks in order to explore the ocean depths. When the diver returns to his surface "realm", he drops the heavy diving equipment to move and breathe freely once more.

In addition to the body, the physical apparatus that Man needs to explore this world, there is also a more subtle vehicle, which is just as significant. That vehicle is the "Ego", "the Personality". That "thing" that one thinks of when one says "I" and "Me". The majority of Humanity live their Earth lives believing that, just as they are their body, their ego/personality is "who they are" inside.

Attachment to the ego/personality enforces the false belief that we are "separate" from each other and "separate" from The Infinite Creator. One of our most difficult and daunting tasks while incarnate is to exercise control over and ultimately dissolve our ego/personality. Due to The Veil, this is extremely difficult for many to contemplate, much less act upon, while submerged in The Great Illusion. The separative Ego is literally its own entity, with a strong desire to continue on, to persist. It will fight all of our attempts to subjugate it and/or eliminate it. Its greatest weapon will be the Fear it can engender in a human being.

The Fear of "ego annihilation" is effective only as long as Man insists on identifying himself as being "the body" and "the personality". As long as we maintain that "this is who I am" or "I like being me", we will continue to feed the false, separative ego/personality that helps to chain us to The Wheel of Rebirth in this Fallen World.

A New Call Q & A entry on "Personality" relates the following:

[QUOTE]

There is nothing whatsoever worth knowing about the world of the personality other than that it is an illusion that begets pain and suffering. If we look to the personality, we can never know an individual's heart, and such a horizontal focus will contribute toward the delay of the manifestation of Light in you. We should ever be vigilant with regard to 'you' and 'me' (ego) attitudes. If we are truly aware of the need of the hour and what is at stake, we will not wish to waste time and create glamour by complimenting or even regarding one another as personalities, for there is no spiritual value in it (since there is no Truth in it); but there is a very real occult danger.

Rather we shall wish to forge ahead free from the multifarious distractions and delusions created by personality identification, in intelligent collaboration for universal Good. As long as we think in terms of 'you' and 'I' (even in the so-called 'master and disciple' attitude), unity-consciousness will evade us. To think of ourselves as separate lives perpetuates the fallen condition and feeds ignorance as well as the world evil. Our thoughts affect our consciousness. We may only invoke the Christ-Consciousness when we begin to think in terms of 'we', that is, impersonally and inclusively, and thus think as God thinks. This is how we may transmute our vehicles to vibrate in resonance with the light-ethers of the cosmic sphere of Christ-Love. Such a vertical focus leads to transfiguration.

It is wise to begin to nurture this good habit immediately. Very few are able to fulfil the requirements of the Path, for it terrifies the ego, which the mass of men choose to identify with as themselves, and this is why so few can be a part of any real and liberating spiritual work. It is also how so many will see themselves in the mirror of Truth should they approach a genuine divine Work. Most flee from their own true reflection, or attack the mirror! Sincere aspirants and servants of Christ should live and work together for as long as is necessary in order to realize a divine solidarity. Once a true group consciousness has been established, then - and only then - it shall be possible for members of the group to be on opposite sides of the universe, even walking in opposite directions, yet remain side by side for the One Universal Cause.

http://thenewcall.org/q_a/p1.htm#personality

[END QUOTE]

Or in the words of Muhammad Ali...

"Me, We".

All Love,

~~ G