“Enlightenment is ego’s ultimate disappointment.” ― Chögyam Trungpa
To think that in a moment of self-recollection, we’d all wake up to true self, and forthwith negate our self-destructive ways. And the planet would, over time, be healed — blessings and deep bows.
But of course, few, if any of us, are willing to inquire within. Rather than examining the unexamined life, instead, we live out our egoic, hedonistic fantasies. Even the threat of annihilation or ruination of the planet doesn’t wake us up.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that (at last) people are kicking back and speaking their truth — not in the workplace, mind you — but it’s not enough. No, if we’re going to get on top of the Anthropocene, we need to understand that the vast majority of people still see themselves as separate from the world. If it were otherwise, then like so many indigenous peoples have historically demonstrated, they wouldn’t carry on killing everything at the behest of the capitalist demon.
When I started my own inner journey, I realise now it was in large part driven by my ego; namely, it was just something else to own — i.e. spiritual awakening.
Now: the deep transcendent self is unity with life, nature and spirit; and that means when I’m in conversation with anyone over climate change et al. I’m inclined to look beyond the science and latest headline and start with the seminal question:
“Yes, that’s all great — no seriously — but who are you?
Likewise, before you spend more of your life working yourself into a frenzy about the latest interest or passion to arise, perhaps it’s time to invite a more beautiful question into your heart.
Photo by JR Korpa on Unsplash