March 15, 2024

What is the origin of the ego? Psychological conditioning. Conditioned mind. Psychological memory.

It seems to me that we need to approach life from a perspective of Totality. What do I mean by this? I am saying that, in general, our way of approaching what happens – notice: what happens is life happening – this way we approach what happens is always partial, it is a fragmented view, a particular vision, because it is a view centered on thought. So, we have a way of approaching life from a particularity, which is the particularity of this model that is the process of psychological conditioning in which we find ourselves. In it, we are moving based on thoughts.

Thus, we want to understand life, this totality, this mysterious thing called life, from the perspective of thought, and we never investigate the truth of thought. We are simply moving through life based on this thought: translating, evaluating, judging, comparing things, having a view of what happens... always from the perspective of thought without understanding what thought is.

So, let's explore the question of thought and how it works in us in the next few minutes. Let's start by saying that our model of thinking is already programmed, organized by culture, society, and the world's patterns. Notice that thought does not contain the Truth. It contains ideas, conclusions, concepts, beliefs, and opinions, which are not the Truth. Why is this essential for each of us? I refer to the understanding of this model of thought in us. Because without this understanding, we cannot live an intelligent life. An intelligent life is a life guided by Wisdom and Truth.

So, what is thought? We need to understand what thought is within us, how we function, how it processes within each of us, this which guides our lives. Thought is the foundation, it is the structure on which our life and existence have been built since childhood, since the moment we were born. Then, without understanding thought, we remain in this internal confusion and face various problems – observe that human beings live burdened by problems and ask themselves: “How can we solve human problems? How can we solve these problems? How can we provide a solution to these enormous human problems we face, to these enormous social, political, religious, relationship problems?” Notice that all of these problems are rooted in one thing: thought. Thought within us, this model of thought, which is an already-prescribed model, pre-established by conclusions and beliefs.

So, this pattern of mental conditioning, of conditioning of the mind, of psychological conditioning, keeps our lives in trouble. Will it be possible to end the problems of life, this life as we know? Will it be possible to live a life free of problems in our relationships? Notice that our relationships are not only with people, but also with situations that occur, with objects, and with our own bodies. Thus, our life consists of relationships. Based on thought, this so-called “life” we know is burdened with problems.

So, understanding the nature of thought within us and how we function opens a door to Truth, a door to the Reality of Life. What we perceive as the reality of life is just life as it is; life as it is to this thinker, who operates based on these thoughts within this conditioned mind. Therefore, understanding life as it is can open the door to understanding the Reality of Life. Notice: we are saying that we have life as it is, which is how it appears to each of us, which is this life we know, overloaded with problems, situations, and difficulties. This represents suffering for each of us, enormous suffering, different forms of suffering that we are living with due to the problems present. However, these problems that underpin this suffering are based on this model of thought. This is life as it is for the person.

What is this person? This person is this “I,” this person is this center, the center that is the origin of this model of thought we know. Thus, this center is the thinker. So, we don't know how to deal with it, we don't know how to deal with this thinker, we don't know its origin. And we want to investigate this with you; what is the origin of this center, which is the “I,” “me,” the ego, the person! It is the one who is living this particular life as it is, naturally confused, disoriented, full of problems. When we look at the world, we can see this. We live in psychological disorder, mental confusion, and complete disorientation. We can achieve a certain order in some areas of life, from the viewpoint of aesthetics, science, and health ... We can achieve a certain order and organization in some areas of life, but we do not have this order in the Totality of life, because we are living life from the standpoint of this center.

So, life as it is for this “me,” for this ego, is a life that – despite being organized in some aspects: the technological aspect, the scientific aspect, a certain order for dealing with health issues, good hospitals, the discovery of new medicine, new medications, new forms of treatment, all of this we have – but despite that, this life as it is for this center is an envious, ambitious, scared life, full of fears… we have the different conflicts between these desires, within each of us that oppose each other... Then, psychologically there is suffering. We know this psychological suffering of the identity of the “I,” the ego, which is the thinker.

How does this thinker originate? That's why we need to investigate this matter of what thinking is within us. So, let's put this here very simply for you: what is basically this “me,” this “I,” this ego, this person, this thinker who, based on this model of thought, is producing confusion. And that has been the confusion of our lives. How does this originate? Note that we need thought at a certain level. At the technological level, at the scientific level, at the organizational level, in different aspects of life we need the thought: to work, to recognize experiences, all of this is part of thinking.

Notice that experience and thought go hand in hand! We have experience and we have thought. We need experience in life, we need thought in life. For example, the experience of recognizing someone. When we have contact with a person, we recognize that person or the image we have of him. The name, the face, all of this is part of an experience. This experience is the memory of the contact we had with that person; we know his name, we recognize his face. So, it's a very simple example, and we can only recognize it based on thought.

So, we have thought, which is experience, which is memory. At this level, thought is needed, to recognize a face and know that person's name. Then, at this level, cerebral, we need this experience, we need this recognition, this contact. To practice a profession, to work in a certain professional field, we need this experience, which is memory, the recognition of that role, that skill. This is thought. Thus, we have the presence of thought when needed in this aspect, in this area.

Now, apart from this model, which is the model of functional thinking – which I have called “simple memory,” this functional memory – we also have a more complex thought, which is the one that gives rise to this thinker, this “I,” this ego. It is this model of thinking that is creating confusion, suffering, and disorder. See, it's this model of thinking that we need to investigate here. I want to invite you to investigate the nature, the structure, the basis of this psychological memory, this complex psychological memory, of which the “I,” the ego, is constituted. This is the basis for this thinker.

So, the person you “are,” with whom you mistake yourself for, is this thinker! Then, at this level, your contact, for example, with someone, is not just contact with the face, the name, or what that person represents, but from a psychological viewpoint, we are creating an image. This image is based on this thinker. Thus, the contact with the other person is the contact of someone, of this someone that I am, in this model of thinker that I believe to be – which is an image – in this contact with that other person, which is also constituted of an image. “I might like this person, I might not like this person. She treated me badly yesterday, and I kept these memories of this bad treatment that I received.” This “I” is the thinker.

This thinker is constituted by an image that I have constructed, that I have established here, as being this “me.” So, if that person praised me, I like him, if they criticized me, I don't like them, if they spoke harsh words to me, I don't like them, if they spoke sweet words, I like them. Then, this “me,” this “I,” this person, who is this thinker, carries a memory in the relationship with the other, in the relationship with life, in the relationship with existence, a complex memory, a memory that gives existence to this identity, which is the “I,” the ego.

Notice how fascinating it is to understand this. Is it possible to live free from this psychological memory, this complex memory? Free from this “I,” this thinker, this center, making use only of this simple and objective, functional memory? Dealing with others having just a simple memory – see – not a psychological memory in this idea “I like,” “I don’t like,” “I accept,” “I reject,” “my opinions,” “my conclusions,” “my concepts,” “my prejudices,” “my evaluations,” “my way of feeling and acting in a relationship with her,” centered on this thinker, this ego, is a relationship of conflict. Where there is conflict, there is also suffering, and this conflict is present because there is this separation.

Notice that when there is this separation “the other and I,” in this separation there are choices, opinions, evaluations, conclusions, beliefs, accepting, or rejecting. Thus, what we have in our relationship with others based on this thought – within this thought that is psychological memory – what we have is a relationship of conflict since there is separation. We don’t know the beauty of Truth in the relationship with others because of this division. Then, the wife in the relationship with her husband, what she has is a set of psychological memories about who he is, what he represents to her and vice versa. Then, this is how our lives in this ego prove to be, seems to be. This is what it is. Understanding this, perceiving this movement, which is the movement of the thinker – and now it is clear what this thinker is, this thinker is the set of images, remembrances, conclusions, and opinions I have of her and she has of me.

So, this thinker is living in the world within conditioning. Our parents lived or are still living this way, our grandparents, great-grandparents… everyone who arrived here before us was living a life within this model, this programming of egoic identity. From this thinker, this is the movement of the “I,” the ego, a free life becomes possible when there is no longer this “I,” this ego, this thinker. Thus, we come closer for the first time to what thinking is, free from this thinker.

So, this is the subject we cover here with you, on this channel. Working towards the end of the illusion of this thinker, towards the Truth of this Real thinking, free from this center, this is what we have in the Realization of the Truth about who we are. Then, this is our work here with you. For this purpose, we have online meetings on weekends. In the video description you have our WhatsApp link for you to participate in these meetings. In addition, we have in-person meetings and also retreats. If this is something that makes sense to you, go ahead and write in the comments: “Yes, it makes sense.” Give your “like” and subscribe to the channel, ok? See you! Thanks for the meeting and see you next time.

March, 2024
Gravatá-PE, Brazil
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