On this episode of Wisdom Dialogues, Hope Johnson talks about how the ego controls our mind, choices, and beliefs. Once we allow ego to determine our actions, we get feelings of guilt, fear, and anxiety.
The ego tells us to choose which makes us fearful because it is normal, it is what other people do. However, the ego only gives us illusions, tricks, defenses which make us become vulnerable. Accepting these will only make us run away. We don’t get to the bottom of what is truth. Like in eating, when we overeat, it is the ego telling us that consuming a lot is safe for the body.
However, it can be a defense mechanism of something that makes us feel trapped. Rather than recognizing or accepting the situation that makes us feel trapped, we eat. It also goes without saying that when we believe in obesity, being skinny or healthy, it the ego telling us to be prejudiced – to see that body size matters. So, we push ourselves into a body that we think is healthy for us. However, when we truly listen to our body, it will tell us what it wants.
We need to accept truth, rather than depend on illusions. How long it takes to find truth doesn’t even matter as long as we lean to it. When making a choice, return to the feeling, see it. It is important to recognize that in our minds, we have a spirit guide. It is a guide that comforts and tells us we are beyond the world. The spirit makes us feel relieved. We need to choose what makes us feel less guilt and fear. To be open to the spirit, we become happy.
Q: Is free will not real?
Hope Johnson (HJ) explains that we don’t have a choice in a dream state. The mind projects illusions. Through these projections, choices are made. What we choose, gives truth to the illusion. But nothing happened before and in the present, it is just the mind playing out. Thoughts are worldly thoughts to uphold the illusion to make it true. It is up to the person to recognize that nothing happened. When we separate from reality, we become vulnerable. It is up to you to recognize that nothing happened. Agreeing with illusory thoughts makes someone feels upset. When you are afraid, we believe we deserve punishment that is death, or a certain death. When we recognize there is no free-will but freedom of choice, we are happier. One most dangerous thought in choosing ego is feeling taken advantage of. The choice is looking at the thought with a good guide.
Follow-up Q: Separation from love
Love = eternal life. The belief of separation is only death which is a punishment from God. But this is just a dream of separation. We are not willing to let go of the dream because of fear. Humanity has an apparent existence because of the belief in separation. Willing to make a choice shortens the illusion.
Q: What if we can feel other’s feelings and why?
There is no other. Feeling other people's feelings are our interpretations of energy. Dancing with others is dancing with ourselves. The perception of feeling other people is our projection, interpreting thru our mistaken self-belief. It is feeling our own reaction.
HJ shares an example from a friend a week ago. The friend asked about the feeling of prosecuted. HJ answers that we feel prosecuted because of the projected thoughts of prosecution. What we can do about it is to feel compassion. When we have compassion for ourselves, we show or demonstrate compassion. Compassion is a gift that is received. Let’s not look to the illusion for any proof because it doesn’t have. Bob H. (BH) reacts to this by saying that laughter is a creative tension, also crying.
When we laugh or cry, we release energy which keeps ultimate sanity otherwise we go crazy. HJ answers that there is no wrong nor mistake. It is noticing what choice to make that is the truth. When we have self-guilt, it is important to allow forgiveness. Forgiveness is accepting that nothing happened. When this happens, we become uplifted because we can’t be guilty or accountable.
Q: Wisdom on Contentment
HJ reassures that we are always being guided so don’t worry about being trapped. There are two guides in the mind, the ego, and the spirit. The ego is protective. It automatically creates a defense. On the other hand, the spirit is a comforting, tiny voice, telling us we are beyond the world. It is a kind of comfort that offers us the choice that we are beyond the world. So, we need to choose to lean toward the spirit guide. However, the ego makes us feel guilty and fearful. It tells us we are making a mistake. However, everything is a benefit, nothing is wrong.
When we listen to the ego guide, it can lead to a dangerous thought that is – we feel taken advantaged or we are taking advantage of something. It is dangerous because it feels worse and worse and worse as it prolongs. Remember, we are not something that can’t be trapped like that. We need to make the choice - which thought feels better? We don’t have to go to the fearful one. When we choose fear, we choose the ego thought. Making a choice is agreeing with the thought or feeling relieved following a thought. The ego will say, “You’re going crazy if everything is okay”. When others oppose, say, “Okay, thank you”.
Then, Lorry (L) shares a family reunion she attended where her son reacted to a picture of his daughter wearing a bikini. The picture was only shared exclusively to the group chat but her son thinks her daughter is almost wearing nothing. It is dangerous with all the crazy-minded people out there who victimize children. L says she blew up on her son’s reaction. It was an automatic defense. It was listening to the ego.
HJ answers that the ego makes everything a big deal. It projects that everything is a big deal. When we recognize that we follow our ego’s projections, it is just learning rather than something really happening. So, don’t guilt yourself.
BH adds that when we feel upset, discouraged or fearful, we need to dismiss it and go on. Else, we get embroiled and tangled into this trap for a long time. We need to move on and let the negativity pass. Rather than dwelling, we just have to let go.
HJ replies back and says we need to follow the guidance of spirit or ego. What we think is happening is just an illusion. We are just making a choice. When we separate from the illusion, we are stepping back from it. We are not trying to let go but we are choosing between the spirit or the ego. The question is when are you willing to take it?
Q: Being conscious about this, made fear come up
HJ says that recognizing the fear, recognize is ok. It is a breakthrough.
Q: How long does it take to find truth from illusion?
Time itself is an illusion. There is no time. The illusion of time is it’s long or short. It doesn’t matter how long it lasts. As long as we are willing to choose the truth, it doesn’t matter how long we find it. Heal the guilty – self. In reality, there is no beginning and end of time. It is just a projection.
Q: Does food not have an effect on the body?
Ego will tell us to eat anything because food doesn’t affect the body. Then, it gives us a sense of guilt which makes the illusion look true. Ego will use this information to serve us as a body. The ego’s job is to use this thought as a mind trick to seem that food has an effect.
We need to keep denying the evidence. Watch it play out. The choice is who am I in this? When you overeat, you need to ask yourself, “Who am I in this?” It is all projected from the mind. Look at what is least fearful. Choose which guide you need to follow.
BH responds that you are the master of the body.
HJ explains that there two levels – play on the surface and letting things play out. The projections and illusions are play on the surface. What is deeper is allowing things to play out.
Q: Beginner tips on dream state…
Start to notice any kind of clenching and constriction in your body. Be watchful on what you’re body does because it means you are nervous. When your body tenses, it is you choosing the voice of the ego, listening to the negative thoughts of the ego. Use essential oils too because the aroma will lift the thoughts.
Q: Giving the feeling effect. Is there a "done?"
Be patient but don’t wait. Thinking if it ever changes is projected from a feeling. Get the feeling –affect from that. There’s a lot of defenses in the mind. Every thought is projected from feelings. Go back to the feeling. “It’s occurring because I want it to happen” – step back from that. You are before a projection. Step back from it because you are not it.
Q: Wisdom On Eating
Eating is a distraction. It is always just being alert. Noticing that you are eating, eating, eating, the ego makes it a guilty action. Watching it play out will make you see what you are covering up. Overeating is not coming out of joy. It is a tricky joy. You know you are tricking yourself when you get a shitty feeling afterward.
We become a food-victim when we cover up a feeling of being trapped. Running away from that trapped feeling, we consume food to fill the void. Recognize what traps you. Acknowledge what is going on.
Don’t wait. Time is now.
The ego is using your dominion to make yourself the victim. The illusion isn’t true. Denying is laughing about it. I am not doing anything.
Q: Wisdom on obesity
The size of the body doesn’t matter. How do you feel about it? That’s what it comes to. Names are projection. What is more important is, “How do you feel?” That just makes prejudice arise when seeing the size. The body isn’t real. Let’s other deal with their own salvation as you deal with your own salvation. Obesity is symbolic of guilt so is a healthy body. The ego will tell us that we are obese.
It makes us feel guilty about it so, we work to have a skinnier body. It is also the same in keeping a healthy body. We pressure ourselves in having a healthy body because we feel guilty when it fattens. These are meaningless thoughts. Your mind knows what body you want.
As you release tension, you will have an easier time to be that. Let it flow freely. It is the journey, not the destination that is important. There’s really no destination in the illusion. Undo the guilt in the illusion.