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INNER PEACE Suspending ego identification helps in living enlightenment Comment By James Hawes DailyTidings.com By James Hawes Posted Apr. 29, 2016 at 6:55 PM By James Hawes Posted Apr. 29, 2016 at 6:55 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Inner Peace: The real truth can set us free • Inner Peace: A brief history of consciousness • Let it go! » Social News I do not consider myself enlightened in the sense of having a one-time spontaneous awakening where all thinking suddenly stops. What I consider enlightenment to be is a gradual evolving process where one becomes more and more conscious. I call it living enlightenment or being conscious. The primary characteristic is reduction of one’s reactivity or identification with forms by 95 percent. What does this really mean? Simply put, most humans have developed a conditioned mind (ego) that results in them being almost totally controlled. They are in perpetual reaction to or identified with appearing negative physical, emotional and even spiritual forms. These forms can be diseases, recurring bodily aches and pains or long-standing emotional issues like depression, alienation or self-esteem issues. Even spiritual forms can cause angry reactions when one is viewed as righteous and dogmatic of some particular spiritual practice. The big question is, how does one live this evolving living enlightenment or consciousness? For example, two years ago I had a habit of instant and very intense reaction to my beloved's criticism of my occasional bodily noises. A burp at the table was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. She became livid and accused me of being crude, thoughtless and ill-mannered. Call it anger creating anger. Raising my voice, and slapping the table, I gave her my favorite metaphysical trump card, “We are reading daily all these spiritual books, and meditating, and you still do not understand about reacting and identifying with a simple and natural bodily function! I am going to call you 'R and I' (reactivity and identification)." Then she said, “Oh, I forgot, you are the master guru who pretends to be so loving, patient, and nonjudgmental. Two can play this game. I am going to call you R (righteous)." So, back to the original question of how does one instruct another person, especially a loved one, on how to be more conscious or enlightened, rather than getting sucked into these egoic ping-pong battles? The most important first step is that you must become intensely alert to your own thinking and your habitual tendency to react. You will feel the anger, the need to defend your position. Your ego demands that you react or respond. At this very moment, if you really are focused on this thinking of reacting, you catch yourself and become silent or still. No words, not even the thought that you are more enlightened than your loved one. There is a quiet loving acceptance. As you practice this not reacting watchfulness when a loved one, a friend or coworker smacks you with some caustic or critical remark, you find yourself making almost no reactive responses. Yes, you will slip and the ego will pull you in occasionally, but be patient and you are ready for the next step in the process. The second step is to gently, but openly, explain to your loved one, friend or coworker that you are working on being more awake or conscious and not reacting. If they agree and begin using this practice with you, there will be huge decrease in these ego reactions. When these reactions occur — and they will — he or she is gently reminded to become aware of them. Because there has been initial agreement to help each other being very alert or conscious, there are fewer negative reactions. This is living enlightenment or consciousness. With perseverance, patience, and helping each other resist the ego’s attempts to ensnare you — a peaceful, calm presence pervades these relationships. Peace now. Retired Medford school teacher Jim Hawes has published "Ageless Child" (Balboa Press, available through Amazon.com or Barnes and Nobles) and is working on his new book, "Ageless Living." By James Hawes DailyTidings.com By James Hawes Posted Apr. 29, 2016 at 6:55 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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