Our Primary Purpose

I need to say two absolutely essential things. When you can internalize these truths you will notice a real change in how you operate in the world. The first is that the primary purpose of life and the universe is to grind ego into dust, and birth wisdom in its place. The second is that karma is the primary way the universe achieves this end. There is no escaping the death of your ego. If you make it through this life without that death, don’t worry, there are many more lifetimes to be had.

To me, it is something like the universe is trying to rid itself of the troublesome system of ego. There must be a consciousness behind it, because this loss of ego is true freedom. I believe it is the liberation the Buddha spoke about. We have to accept those two truths to know the dire nature of our situation. We are falling apart, but somehow falling upward. The ego cannot sustain itself forever. Eventually we get to a truth so undeniable (about our lives or our situation) that we are forced into accepting our vulnerability, what we’ve always been. We are a crumbling ego. We can’t go on this way. We spend our whole lives protecting this small self like a precious jewel, when in fact it is garbage, imaginary, fictitious. We want to be superior, safe, in control, powerful, beautiful, and fully alive at the same time. We can’t have it all, but what if we did? Would we be happy then? No, because fulfilling the ego can only give us temporary satisfaction.

When we attach all manner of concepts to life, to ourselves and others, we risk identifying with these ideas instead of the whole. These ideas are imaginary, sure they can sometimes predict behaviors in people or the world, but they serve only to classify separation. The world is drowning in classification. What we need is a little ambiguity. Maybe someday we will have a theory or principle that encompasses all phenomena in the physical universe. What will we do then? Will we be able to predict, with terrible accuracy, every natural event till the end of time; no surprises, no  questions left to answer about nature or the physical universe? How tragic will that be, and will we still be trapped in our minds, that endless narrative in our heads? Will we still have to deal with people: neighbors, family, friends and judge all of them along the way? The myriad ways a person can choose to act is a conundrum that may never be understood. It’s the ultimate mystery, so why do we try to control what we cannot understand? Ego.

I have to say this, and it will seem offensive to some, Jesus didn’t come to preserve your ego-identity for all eternity.  We have to wake up, we have no other choice anyway. The awakening is not your enemy, and it is not a false light. It begins with love, and ends with great wisdom. These can only come from Heaven (If you like the term Tao, or Om, Yahweh, Krishna, Vishnu, I Am, The One…) There are many ways to approach this phenomenon, but only one way to achieve it. You must let go of your small self and stop ignoring your deepest self. What is this deep self? Awakening within you, spirit within you, the seed of compassion within you will become desperate to awaken. Practice...

There is one awakening. We will suffer until the day that all peoples are awake. All of the sincere spiritual systems are just trying to facilitate this awakening in the best way they know how. Some use morality, some use philosophy, some use the prophetic teaching of awakened people, but the end, it will undoubtedly be the combined effort of more and more enlightened souls. I’ll say it again, I am of no special order, I’m just following the breadcrumbs to a healthier life. Christianity often teaches the forgiveness of any sin for the repentant. The more direct truth is that allowing the ego that perpetrated the sin to die is the way to forgiveness. The One Awakening won’t be denied this end. You’re only postponing the inevitable to go to war for “Me.”  “Me” doesn’t exist anyway. There is only Heaven and Ego, the only conflict that exists, and it seems to rage everywhere. 

Your small self chooses separation, superiority, and victory over love, so much of the time. The deep self can only be discovered in humility. Unfortunately humility is gained by suffering defeat over and over again. Don’t worry, life will give you many opportunities for this. Just pay attention. Suffering will come eventually. Don't fight it. Sit with it. Be silent. Let it be.

Peace to you and yours.