The 10 Illusions that Bind One to the Lower Self

From the forthcoming book, Waking and Remembering (A Journey Toward Self-Transcendence): In order to “wake up” from the dream within the dream and remember your underlying essence, it is imperative that you first remember who you are not, i.e. you are not your personality, experiences or conditioning. You are the observer. That part of you that is of immortal essence, your “higher self” ... you are a soul of unlimited potentiality. You are limited only by your own fears. All Limitations Are Self-Induced. When you begin to “remember” this (All learning is remembering: Socrates) you will begin the process of waking from your cultural trance(s) and begin living in the 8th day ... in the very presence of God. But first we must begin the process of stripping some of the illusions that keep one asleep and bound to the lower, carnal self -- the self of fear and limitations.

Here are the ten most prevalent illusions that bind one to the unawakened self:

1. Fear
Fear can come in numerous guises, most notably fear of the unknown and fear of change. Once either or both attack or are allowed to manifest in one’s life, the individual’s spiritual progression is nullified. They will not only stop growing but also stop trying. Petrified, they simply give up their quest for higher truths; unable or unwilling to move on. The interesting thing is that FEAR is merely an acronym for FANTASY EXPERIENCES APPEARING REAL. Fear has never had any authentic power inherent in it except that which the recipient, i.e. our imaginations, gives to it.

2. Doubt and Skepticism
These two saboteurs can absolutely stymie and quell their positive counterparts of Optimism and Faith. If left to fester, Doubt and Skepticism will successfully end one’s spiritual spark of enthusiasm and inspiration. 90% of one’s journey is in the mind … the battleground where faith and doubt confront one another. Be prepared to meet your Shadow; ... and please remember, it is ONLY a shadow with no substance other than what you, yourself, lend it.

3. Attachment to Rule or Ritual
When one chooses, either on a conscious or unconscious level, to succumb to the various cultural and consensus trances (we will be discussing these in detail later), to become an “automaton” merely acting out conditioned, habitualized responses, at that moment the person begins to separate from his true self, i.e. his underlying “essence”.

“To fall into habit is to begin to cease to be.” -Miguel De Unamuno

4. Lust
This is undoubtedly the most pervasive illusion of this present age. It has been postulated that the average male has some sort of sexual thoughts going on almost continually; predominantly this one desire fuels most of his waking hours. Thoughts of “getting it,” how he’s going to “get it,” what he’s going to do once he “gets it,” go up and down like a frenzied elevator from his reptilian brain to his gonads, back to his brain again.

Until he can successfully overcome these urges - in large part supplied to him as post-hypnotic suggestions by a manipulative media (sex sales) - until he can grow beyond his base instincts, his own carnality will be his preeminent directive, further removing him from his essence.

5. Ill Will
If one really looks at one’s anger toward another, whether that anger is thought to be justified or not, e.g. a retaliatory response to a slight or wrong, actual or perceived, one must ultimately conclude that at the moment of retaliation one has denigrated oneself to the exact same level of the initial attacker. Anger and malfeasance have no place in the Soul’s continuing evolution. Period.

“To be angry is to revenge the faults of others upon ourselves.” -Alexander Pope

6. Cravings no.1 (for a rich, material existence)
The Christos spoke of the simple fact that one could not serve two masters at that same time (Mt. 6:24). When an individual chooses ego over essence - which is what all ten illusions deal with - he or she is likely to be possessed by their possessions; desiring more, always more, of the temporal.

7. Cravings no. 2 (for supernormal experience)
This is one of the cleverest of the ten illusions. In this one, the individual recognizes something lacking in their inner being and, while wise enough not to fill the void with superfluity or dross, will tend to mask real essence with varying ego-disguises poorly emulating essence e.g. self-righteousness, religious pomposity and “virtuous” condemnation of others. They usually cloak themselves in religious affectation.

“Having a form of Godliness but denying the power.” (1st Timothy 3:15)

8. Pride
This is one of the more overt characteristics of the ego-persona. Closely tied to vanity. Said always to precede a fall.

9. Impatience
In my book I discuss the various “child-like” characteristics of our essence; among them, curiosity, creativity, spontaneity and love. Characteristics of the ego-persona are always “childish.” Impatience is another affectation of the ego’s selfishness, a part of its need for instant gratification.

10. Ignorance
Although this illusion attempts to cloak itself in a benign persona, it is not. From the heart of ignorance spring the vast majority of life’s ills, i.e. anger hatred, vindictiveness, et al.

“Ignorant people do not seek after wisdom. For herein lies the evil of ignorance: that those who are neither good nor wise are nonetheless satisfied with themselves; they have no desire for that which they feel no want.” -Plato