Ego and Spirit, the Head and Heart of Compassion

Michael Washburn

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Title/Titulo:

馃嚞馃嚙: Ego and Spirit, the Head and Heart of Compassion

馃嚜馃嚫: Ego y Esp铆ritu, la Cabeza y el Coraz贸n de la Compasi贸n

Author/Autor: Michael Washburn
Language/Idioma: English
Abstract/Resumen:

Abstract

This essay examines reasons why the ego has often been blamed for standing in the way of compassion and discusses spiritual practices that can help the ego participate more fully in the life of compassion. Attention is given to two illusions that predispose the ego to be resistant to compassion, the illusion of self-proximity and the illusion of self-sovereignty. The illusion of selfproximity leads the ego to overvalue itself in relation to others, and the illusion of self-sovereignty causes the ego to be resistant to the fully awakened presence of spirit, the (assumed but unspecified) source of compassionate feelings. In focusing on the illusions of self-proximity and selfsovereignty, the essay discusses two spiritual practices the purposes of which are to eliminate these illusions, the practice of loving kindness (which works to eliminate the illusion of self-proximity) and the practice of beckoning a higher power (which works to eliminate the illusion of selfsovereignty). The primary thesis of the essay is that it is only by eliminating the illusions of selfproximity and self-sovereignty that the ego is able to enter into full partnership with spirit in the life of compassion. This partnership is a two-in-one union of the ego and spirit in which the ego is the 鈥昲ead," the rational mind and disciplining will, and spirit the 鈥昲eart," the outreaching love, of compassion.

Resumen

Este ensayo examina algunas razones por las que el ego ha sido a menudo culpado de interponerse en el camino de la compasi贸n, y analiza las pr谩cticas espirituales que pueden ayudar a que el ego participe m谩s plenamente en la vida de la compasi贸n. Se presta atenci贸n a dos ilusiones que predisponen al ego para ser resistente a la compasi贸n: la ilusi贸n de la auto-proximidad y la ilusi贸n de la auto-soberan铆a. La ilusi贸n de la auto-proximidad conduce el ego a sobrevalorarse a s铆 mismo en relaci贸n a los dem谩s, y la ilusi贸n de la auto-soberan铆a hace que el ego sea resistente a la presencia totalmente despierta del esp铆ritu, la (supuesta, pero no especificada) fuente de los sentimientos de compasi贸n. Al centrarse en las ilusiones de auto-proximidad y la auto-soberan铆a, el ensayo analiza dos pr谩cticas espirituales cuyo objetivo es eliminar estas ilusiones, la pr谩ctica de la bondad amorosa (ejercida para eliminar la ilusi贸n de auto-proximidad) y la pr谩ctica de convertirse en un poder superior (ejercida para eliminar la ilusi贸n de la auto-soberan铆a). La tesis principal de este ensayo afirma que s贸lo mediante la eliminaci贸n de las ilusiones de auto-proximidad y la autosoberan铆a el ego es capaz de entrar en plena colaboraci贸n con el esp铆ritu en la vida de la compasi贸n. Esta asociaci贸n es una uni贸n de dos-en-uno del ego y el esp铆ritu, en el que el ego es la "cabeza", la mente racional y la voluntad disciplinada, y el esp铆ritu es el "coraz贸n", el amor de contactos directos, de la compasi贸n.

Keywords/Palabras Clave:

馃嚞馃嚙: ego, compassion, spiritual development, meditation, prayer

馃嚜馃嚫: ego, compasi贸n, desarrollo espiritual, meditaci贸n, oraci贸n

Pages/Paginas: 72-78
Date of Publication/Fecha de Publicacion: December 30th, 2014
Citation/Referencia:

Washburn, M. (2014). Ego and spirit, the head and heart of compassion. Journal of Transpersonal Research, 6(2), 72-78