THE EGO ~ What it is and Why you don't Need It

THE EGO ~ what it is and why you don't need it.
Never mind what 'they' say: you can be perfectly functional -- and much happier -- without an ego, at least in the Yogic sense of that word. The video offers a full explanation.
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[@kikicarter788]

My father always said "Perception creates reality" When I was throwing a tantrum as a small child, I remember him saying (paraphrasing) "Im sad that you are seeing it that way, from the way I am seeing it, it's not causing me such sorrow and duress." That helped me a lot, more and more as I got older.

[@kikicarter788]

I've really enjoyed listening to this playlist. I looked up tantra because I was dancing the other night (by myself at home) and was particularly feeling it, "in the zone" or "flow state" one might say,... and I heard a man's voice say tantra. I was looking for a lecture on tantric dance.

[@MaithiliKulkarni]

Your father's a very very wise man! What a privilege to be 'seen', respected, and have your feelings acknowledged in such a beautiful manner, even when you were just a child (having a meltdown)! Your anecdote warmed my heart! ​@@kikicarter788

[@stSiren]

Listening to your description of ego, I can't help but keep hearing you speak about society. Or Nationalism as well. Our society has an "ego" of mass acceptance. An idea of what we are supposed to look like... or what "normal" is.

[@kyleganse4978]

Every since I have discovered your books and works it has been a huge benefit. The way this tantrik tradition relates to experience and you explain it has really opened myself lately. Thank you for doing the work for us all to gain access to this material 🙏🏼

[@jenniferh.7219]

Does the tantrik book have focus on 'sex' bc I've often seen the word 'tantra' associated with sex here in the west. Also does the book focus on chakras, reiki, regular physical yoga etc, or does it also share discussion about mind & consciousness much like the video above? I ask bc I am interested in ego / mind and not as interested in a book with main focus on other topics (sex, chakras, physical yoga etc) at this time. I appreciate your opinion

[@kyleganse4978]

@@jenniferh.7219 hey Jennifer. The books do not focus on sex but a type of metaphysical insight about consciousness and embodiment. In Tantra illuminated Christopher clears up the misconception around the association with “sex” in the west. Labeling this as NEO-tantric teaching. The teaching in Wallis’s books are from a different period with less emphasis on sex Atleast in this material. Hope this helps :)

[@jenniferh.7219]

@@kyleganse4978 ok thank you! Ive only heard of tantra used for sensual purposes, so I mistakenly assumed that's what the book is about perusing amazon. What a relief the book should be as enlightening as his videos!

[@TyroneCLove]

I love that you mentioned “from experience” that after an awakening experience the ego is likely to creep back in in a subtler form. Not at that stage yet but being more and more mindful as to the workings of my mind I can totally see how this might happen. And I absolutely loved the part you developed about the ego as an atavism. Fascinating idea, which seems to make a lot of sense.

[@SilenceInTheBliss]

Thank you. This is profoundly helpful.

[@daveweil6767]

Relistening to this again. First remark, is that not feeling good enough can be more than a mental construct and indeed an energy body state. I can embody that feeling in my physical being and I can embody the opposite. Āsana as mudra is a great example of physically putting the body into a shape to evoke a deeper feeling connected to essence. Secondly, caring about what other people think may be an evolutionary psychological vestige for many, specifically the privileged, but I argue for some, especially those with karmas on the disability spectrum, it is still a psychological trait necessary for survival. We are still creatures of tribalism and community.

[@FaYT02]

Thanks a lot for this precious teaching and this clarification. I agree with all the principles stated in the first 15 minutes (I come from soto zen). Nevertherless, at the end (16:00), answering a remark often made, you conclude asking how the disappearance of the ego could pose a problem from an ethical point of view, since it allows our true nature, which is fundamentally good, to express itself fully. However, it seems there are very dense layers of suffering and problematic stuffs between our ego and our true nature. As the work of Stan Grof has well shown it. Of course, it was known long before that ! But the immense advantage of Grof's work is to toroughly and clearly give to know the "thickness" and the nature of some problematic contents of these layers (FPM II, FPM III). Do you know Stan Grof's model of the psyche ? (BTW, Grof had a strong connexion with S. Muktananda ;-) ) So, couldn't we think that as far as we don't have really gone through these problematic contents, deconstructing the ego can indeed lead to inethical behaviours ? Fortunately, we always have awareness.

[@lillierose5304]

Is there "awareness" though? As in, awareness that is separate to our thoughts, emotions and sensations? Or are our thoughts, emotions and senses all that awareness is?

[@MichelleIndianer]

Thanks Hareesh. Very clear and yet provocative.Actually pretty useful for a subset of my patients were doing psychological work with me.

[@Ercinable]

amazing! thank you so much for these videos :) tantra illuminated is one of the most helpful books i've ever read. thanks!

[@EsotericHighway]

This was a wonderful talk. Thank You.

[@yogithashetty2587]

Brilliant topic 👏🏻thankyou for bringing this to us.

[@theyoungindians9027]

Good explanation. This guy is good. Thank you.

[@annalane13]

Thanks so much❤

[@audreyichida5809]

this is helpful. other contexts definitely use ego differently

[@reachin2reachout]

This was a great teaching session

[@JEffigy]

Great video, makes me think of Ramana Maharshi Nan Yar.

[@inbaryogev1722]

this is insanely clear. thank you

[@kevinmai2947]

Very clear and great explanations!

[@christopherwallis751]

Glad you think so!

[@blackboysominc1288]

Always appreciate your videos. Where can your necklace be found?

[@christopherwallis751]

nowhere, sadly . . . they don't make 'em anymore, and I lost that one in Kerala :/

[@Lunasagrian]

32m38 beautifully spoken 🙏 thank you for your videos 🪷🙏

[@maryterhune7447]

My experience of the Ego is as a case of mistaken identity. We identify as a separate self when we are truly the pristine awareness as Brahman.

[@DavidKolbSantosh]

Yoga Philosophy (AKA Yoga Sutras) does not use the word Ahamkara! Yoga uses the word asmitA (asmi=I-am ta=ness)This word is used not in Classical Samkhya. There, in the Classical Samkhya (and I think we could apply this to the tattvic unfoldment in Tantra as well, if indeed it is a hierarchal unfoldment from one tattva to the next) it is much more than just an aspect of chitta that generates self images". Ahamkara is the prakriti (evolvent) to the manas (mind), the five jnanendriyas (instruments of knowledge), the five karmendriyas (the instruments of action) and the five tanmatras (the subtle sense data), which are it's vikritis (evolutes)! So here, in the Classical Samkhya, ahamkara is the source of all the tattvas except Mahat/buddhi. Ahamkara is literally the substantial cause (Upādānakāraṇa) of our whole world of experience! Our whole world evolves from Ahamkara!!! So what you have given is at best a very very limited one sided perspective of all that ahamkara is. I will also add that according to Patanjali, in his yoga sutras, the asmitA (I-am-ness, often translated as ego) IS the "interface" point that Purusha interacts with the outer world with. He calls it in it's interface context as samyoga! Ego, whether we use the term ahamkara or asmitA, is qualified as per the three gunas, rajas tamas and sattva. Sattvic ego does not get in the way of our interpersonal relationships, but help has a very positive effect on our relationships! Ego is more than just self-imaging...it is the identifying priciple...it identifies our self as this or that and it also identifies the world and the things in it as this and that!

[@AStateofMindPodcast]

Great video! Thank you

[@christopherwallis751]

Glad you liked it!

[@shahulhameed-vr7gx]

Amazing explanations ,,, though i m not really convinced of how society would get better without self image consciousness.

[@Amanda-i3x2t]

It's your ego saying that 🤪

[@Iofhoracemaat]

🎉are you really talking adapting the ego or completely eradicating it?

[@ShivashaktiSe]

Hello Christopher! You talk about that other mammals can care for their children without identifying themselves as mothers and you say that humans could do the same. That the identification is not needed to act as a mother. But these other mammals only act on instinct and we believe that what makes humans so unique is our ability to use words and symbols to control our behavior and not be slaves to our instincts. You will see other mammals care for a short time for their offspring but the enormous amount of time the human child has to be protected and guided is really unique for humans. The need for guidance during such a long time is because humans need to learn from experience to create a huge information bank from which to orient themselves in life. This is because we are not mainly controlled by instinct. The way we understand what is uniquely human is actually very similar to the idea of the four levels of the word in Trika. We actually meet people in therapy that hasn’t been able to identify as mother or father. They are the ones who have left the child behind. Sometimes even leaving the baby at the hospital. For humans parenting is a role that has to be accepted and a responsibility that needs to be taken on, not a set of instinctual behavior patterns.

[@christopherwallis751]

You make some good points.

[@ShivashaktiSe]

Thank you for acknowledging that.

[@shahulhameed-vr7gx]

Would you please elaborate on your personal experience of deconstruction of self image and resurrection of subtler self consciousness???

[@crinamurgulescu3470]

Amazing !!

[@nimim.markomikkila1673]

Yes, Metzinger dovetails nicely with contemplative practices when he talks about ego (or self), but his theory can also be confusing in this awareness cultivation context, because for him consciousness itself is also just a virtual reality constructed by the material brain.

[@christopherwallis751]

yes, disappointing when such a brilliant thinker embraces the materialist view. so bizarre when people imagine that consciousness is an epiphenomenon of matter without ANY explanation as to how or why that should be the case.

[@samleemingful]

Thanks for the clarifications on the Ego......I was wondering though why its not considered as organic to use a prior when doing things. Surely whether one is acting on vikulpas or our conceptual predictions its no less natural than if we felt really in the moment. So my concern is that we are setting ourselves up to dislike conceptual predictions when most of the time we are using these in our daily lives to save energy because creating the world from scratch every moment could become more energy intensive and not to mention confusing.

[@christopherwallis751]

I think that's an important rejoinder and good discussion point.

[@samleemingful]

@@christopherwallis751 Sure.... I guess maybe what i'm missing is that regular concepts we use to make predictions of the world neednt involve a self image as you say. Very limiting self images when believed do cause a reduction in our quality of life for example depression.

[@christopherwallis751]

but the vast majority of conceptual predictions are underinformed. and the more complex society and culture and psychology become, the more useless these underinformed conceptual predictions become. that's why we need a radically different paradigm.

[@WestCliffSkater]

Funny reference to multitasking towards the end. I had watched another vid here where the distracted viewer hadn't muted and we kept seeing his quaf popping in while we heard his keystrokes. Multitasking is impossible! Just listen...please

[@nina.niehues]

Wonderful!

[@blackboysominc1288]

Revisiting this again. It's been rocking my world. Im trying to find what a Viculpa (sp?) is

[@christopherwallis751]

vikalpa, mental construct. This talk has been adapted into a chapter in my forthcoming book, btw!

[@blackboysominc1288]

Thats phenomenal! My name is Danny and I was just awarded a three-month access to your online platform and found it through Tantra Illuminated. I started with Recognition Sutras and still digesting both. My intent is to find a living teacher still and I am utilizing your suggestions at the end of Tantra Illuminated. @@christopherwallis751

[@blackboysominc1288]

living teacher to be in the physical presence of *

[@Nafers]

"everything that appears is what you are appearing as that".... the word 'appear' is carious cause it could mean: come to light, materialize or it could mean: seem, looks as though, give the impression... In other words - everything that (appears) come to light is what you are (appearing) giving the impression as that... or am I over thinking this? why is this making so much sense and yet somehow I can't fully make sense of it in words?

[@christopherwallis751]

because the truth is ineffable and nonconceptual. so it always escapes words. here both senses of 'appear' are relevant, yet still the words are insufficient. they point towards direct experience, that's their only utility.

[@danielcsorba6686]

My teacher told me, that without Ego your body couldn't distinguish between inner cells (part of your body) and outer cells (viruses, etc.) and therefore you need the ego to have an immune system, to survive. So if the Ahamkara completely seize to exist, your physical body seize too. Makes sense to me. What are your thoughts on that?

[@christopherwallis751]

I think your teacher's statement is absurd. not only people who are liberated from ego but also people who are in a persistent vegetative state and therefore don't have an ego (or even a mind) still have immune systems that successfully fight off viruses. did you watch the video all the way through? everything hinges on how we're defining 'ego'.

[@Ma-gx1ql]

I am that I am. thank you for your channel

[@christopherwallis751]

You are so welcome.

[@rosedragon108]

findiing one's own 'tribe' isn't that easy :( most folks aren't interested in topics such as Nobel Science - entanglement and understanding how we're in a non-newtonian universe... or how to apply it to personal growth ?

[@jamesoneal6636]

How can I learn from you or speak with you outside of reading your books or watching your vids?

[@christopherwallis751]

James, where are you based? Maybe you can come to a retreat?

[@jamesoneal6636]

Christopher Wallis I’m currently living in Florida

[@jamesoneal6636]

I’d be interested in the details of a retreat. How can we continue the convo In a less public domain?

[@Neti-Netti]

Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.

[@nameless-yd6ko]

Ego = thought = duality! The ego and why it is an absolute necessity!! We pretty much know that our Reality is 'non-dual', meaning "A Singularity"!! Being a Singularity, time, as we perceive it, cannot possibly exist, thus, neither can dimension/space! One way to see it is as follows; the 'tiniest bit of time' possible is called a Planck Moment. (Look it up!) It doesn't last long enough to have sufficient temporal qualities for any motion to be possible. No, not the tiniest sub-sub-sub atomic particle or wave function. So, what is our concept of time, one after the other moment, like a string of popcorn! But what do we really have; 0+0+0+0+0+... (every moment of Universal existence, ever) = '0'! The entire 'time-span' of the Universe is all moments perceived occurring simultaneously! NOW! "The Laws of Nature are not rules controlling the metamorphosis of what is, into what will be (ie; Karma). They are descriptions of patterns that exist, all at once... " - Genius; the Life and Science of Richard Feynman All 'eternity' at once; Here! Now!! Now look up Planck Volume and learn how the Universe can have no dimensional existence, either. One can go on re; Consciousness/Mind, but this is enough to put the silly notion of mortality, time away as the only perspective. It isn't, it's just another perspective from Hell. Hint; Duality is absolutely to perceive the Singularity, non-duality! We are how God knows Ourself! Imagine, if all that is perceived by everyone being One Consciousness, ever, is one giant flash of Divine Self Knowledge, in a single 'moment', I think that calling it all a 'Big Bang' is a bit ... understated? ;)

[@johnjones8850]

I almost want to take your video and make some changes for the sake of communication, pedagogy, and attention. So, as for communication, I want to take at least the first 10min for example and say everything you say in the first 10 minutes with less words. Maybe I could keep all of the messages you give in the first 10min but do it in 2min. I am sure the whole video could be condensed in the same way. Secondly, I want to introduce pedagogy. So, one of the simplest pedagogies that teachers use is the learn, try, apply method. In the learn stage of this pedagogical structure, you might ask questions like, "What exactly do you know about samskaras? [pause]" Even in a video format or even in book formats, good listening/reading for comprehension nudges the listener/reader to imagine a two-way conversation between the listener/reader and the speaker/writer. Furthermore, asking questions and giving pause for thought is inductive presentation and modeling, which is superior to just telling people the answer for comprehension and understanding. Inductive modeling is where you ask the student if they can guess the answer before telling them the answer. Then in the try stage, the teacher gives a kind of guided practice of the theory. In a video format, you might consider asking a question of a situation like, "If I think of myself as a teacher, and someone compliments me on my teaching and I feel good, what is the samskara, the ahamkara, the images, and the emotion in this situation?" Then you could ask the listener to pause the video, try to answer, and you would give the answer and why your answer is correct after a short pause. For the apply stage, you might ask them to reflect on a koan, riddle, or story problem. Or maybe you could show them a meditation meant to reduce ego or whatever and just let the students execute it in their own time after the video. It's a free practice activity usually. This would be one of the simplest pedagogical structures to do. For attention, this video could employ sound effects, jokes, be gamified and all the other tricks you see on tik tok, instagram, and youtube. I know it's kind of counter to what you are doing. On one hand, yogism I take it is trying to get people from chasing dopamine highs. On the other hand using attention-grabbing techniques fuels the chase and creates desire. However, your reach could be greater if you use attention-grabbing techniques. Idk, it's a trade-off and maybe food for thought. Maybe there is an answer to the koan of, "how do you eliminate desire on a social media platform that creates desire?" Maybe the answer is to grab their attention the first minute, then do an introductory meditation to settle the mind. Then, while they are meditating you can do a kind of guided contemplation similar to a guided meditation video. So, yeah I am too lazy to write a conclusion. However, those where my observations as a teacher. What you are doing is good and appreciated for sure. I get a lot of value out of your videos. I think you could do even better than what you are doing. So, I hope I at least gave some food for thought as a fellow teacher.

[@lillierose5304]

It's a bit fascinating that psychologists in western cultures view having 'no sense of self' as a mental illness or personality disorder. Really makes me question what psychologists are taught.

[@nameless-yd6ko]

Re; putting too much credibility in 'feelings' (thought/ego!); "The heart is deceitful above all things!"

[@emindeboer5280]

there is no ego its an illusion - why train and meditate for year for nothing?

[@holyvoid]

🙏

[@hipkiss100]

Hi is there a Sanskrit name for someone who is free of ego identification loops.

[@christopherwallis751]

mukta.

[@janearisage]

what site was this video shown live?

[@christopherwallis751]

my Facebook group, Tantrik Yoga NOW

[@SuperMasterfatman]

If this guy would just read some history of philosophy, instead of basing is worldview on Sam Harris (of all people), then he would also know that the concept he is proposing at 38:54 (as an answer to the question if marketing is a problem for the ego), corresponds to Friedrich Schiller's idea of aesthetic freedom. This freedom, where everyone is simulating and feigning and no one ever adhering to their facticity, is absolutely compatible with the "liberal-democratic", and the development of hyper-individualism and narcissism i.e. the reign of illusions I wonder when he will wake up?

[@christopherwallis751]

a) i read the comments on these videos; b) in NO SENSE is it true that my worldview is based on Sam Harris (the very idea is laughable); it is based on Abhinavagupta + my own experience.

[@SuperMasterfatman]

@@christopherwallis751 Good, then receive this teaching. There is two ways to come the truth. One can cultivate the witness, or one can just see bare power, which is always anarchical. Let me put it like this. Our current system of power can be described as an economy of glory. It is a movement that individualise through seperation. It separates, and then reunites what has been separated but externally, as separated. This is what aesthetic freedom means. The neutral sphere of aesthetic beauty covers the fear, the whippings and the screams. The beautiful is the supplement which is the condition of possibility for one to think glory beyond sovereignty. Where aesthetics claims to reunite what it has essentially separated, the messianic gesture consists in assuming the union that is there. Now Meditate on the word 'Representative democracy".

[@christopherwallis751]

@@SuperMasterfatman sorry, I must have missed the part where I asked you to school me LOL

[@SuperMasterfatman]

@@christopherwallis751 Please, do not let your ego get in the way of the truth!

[@holyvoid]

😇🙏🕉

[@jenniferflower9265]

😘