Have you felt this? You are deep into doing your soul work and there comes a moment when the neurons go off in your brains, a few thoughts spark, take the form of words and create magic. The very moment its out of your system, you know it wasn’t you. It definitely came from a higher power; something above the physical form - call it universe if you will - that has been instrumental in creating the magic. Some sciences, call it the ‘flow state’.
I was deep into my soul stirred writing on a Saturday morning. It continued into the afternoon. I did take breaks for meals, but wasn’t really conscious of what was being consumed. I was so deep into the process – editing a few articles, trying to create posts for Instagram so I could share what’s on my mind and heart with all of you. As I was in the flow state, these neurons when off and here is what got created.
EGO vs NURTURE
Nurture is our first nature
Ego is about the other person
Nurture is most alive in ‘self’
Ego creates an illusion of power
Nurture is the real power
Ego is when you feel threatened
Nurture is an expression of safety
Ego is a build up to prove a point
Nurture IS the whole point of existence
Ego is a state of lower consciousness
Nurture is a state of higher consciousness
I felt the need to deconstruct these lines because once they got written it felt like I could relate to what they mean to me and maybe many of you too. So here it is…
Ego in always in response
Nurture is our first nature
If we notice each time the egoistic side of us taking over, it is always in response to someone. Left to ourselves, without any trigger, we will not really feel ego at all. However, when someone overtakes us while driving, when our boss tells us off in front of our colleagues, when a parent reprimands us is when we feel an egoistic response, testimony to the fact that ‘Ego is only and always in response’. Then what is in our nature? The answer is Nurture. We are born with a sense of love. Not the love that wants to be loved back, or the one with a truck load of expectations, or the one that has a list that the loved one has to fulfil. I am talking about us being born with a sense of ‘unconditional love’ also referred to as ‘nurture’. The sense of love we feel when we are in the midst of nature, watching the sun rise or when we see a child smile, or a pet cuddle up to his family and so on; that is Nurture – our first nature.
Ego is about the other person
Nurture is most alive in ‘self’
It is already established that because Ego is in response, it is induced when we react to another person. So, it is really a result of the other, not our core self. Whereas Nurture is not born out of interaction with another person. It is born and is most alive in the ‘self’. Because it is born within us, it has a lasting nature when ‘nurtured’. Once it is created within us, it can be radiated to others as well.
Ego creates an illusion of power
Nurture is the real power
We spend a moment being aware of our ego and we all know it is induced to stay in a position of power. Even if it as simple as arguing to make our point or taking over a vehicle that has overtaken us, it is a show of power. But the question to ponder over here is, ‘Is this true power?’ or ‘an illusion of power?’. Alternately, what about nurture? Is realization of nurture the real power?
We grow up watching everyone around us pander to their ego and we have therefore been prey to the ‘illusion of power’ that it creates, and become like that ourselves. If we begin to unlearn this illusionary theory, we will realise that the power of nurture is unparalleled. Let’s test it out ourselves. The next time someone triggers our ego, let’s be aware of the way it springs up, be silent till it subsides (just like when we turn off a pot of boiling milk – there is no option for it to subside if we turn it down), offer our nurture and check for a sense of power within us.
Ego is when you feel threatened
Nurture is an expression of safety
It is indeed a reaction to when we feel unsafe, threatened, a need to turn on our survival instinct. Because we feel attacked. But is there a ‘real’ reason to feel unsafe? is a question that we may consider asking ourselves. Yes, if we encounter a man-eating tiger and react, then it isn’t ego, because we are in threat but most of the other tiny things we face daily may not be as life threatening in all probability. We are able to exhibit nurture when we feel safe. Safety is again what we feel inside, we cannot depend on it to be induced by the same source that is triggering the ego. If we find a way of feeling and being safe, we will express only nurture, there may be no space for ego.
Ego is a build up to prove a point
Nurture IS the whole point of existence
It is always about our point, isn’t it? I find myself in the midst of so many arguments, trying to go as far as I can to make the other understand my point of view, to get my perspective across but I eventually realise it boils down to me ‘wanting to prove a point’ in my quest for having access to the ‘illusionary power’ that we spoke of earlier. Nurture on the other hand proves nothing. Nurture helps everything grow and grow well – whether it is plants, children, relationships, our career, personal or professional goals. Growth is importance for existing in the world we live in. Nurture is really the point of existence.
Ego is a state of lower consciousness
Nurture is a state of higher consciousness
We are all familiar with the concept of the chakras. Traveling through the chakras – from the lowest to the highest enables us to access altered states of consciousness as we may have heard. The first 3 lower chakras are reflections of the ego – they consist of the Root Chakra, the Sacral Chakra and the Power Center. These three chakras look after our physical and emotional identity, as well as our self-image and our relationship to the physical world. The heart, throat and third eye chakras are the higher chakras. Nurture begins with the heart and is the gateway to moving to the higher chakras. It is beyond being connected to the ego world; it is about feeling nurture irrespective of the physical world thereby giving us access to altered states of consciousness.
Conclusion
As I was writing this article, I got into an argument with two of the closest people in my life - one over whatsapp and the other in person. It is ironic that I was writing an article about ‘letting go of the EGO and accessing NURTURE, and I was boiling with EGO at that very moment. This is testimony to the fact that there may be a process of realisation and awareness which is the first step towards the decision of wanting to access higher consciousness but it takes a lot of practice to really get there. All we need to do is be aware every moment the EGO creeps in, and remind ourselves of the knowledge that NURTURE brings with it… Daily practice and who knows, we may just stumble upon the moment when the portal to higher consciousness opens up for us.
To more awareness of the EGO… to more realization of NURTURE….
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