So if we are not listening to our own mind’s decisions – whose decisions are we listening to?
By zevi770 · August 30, 2014
We are obviously the decisions we make – as the Baal Shem Tov says, we are where our choice is.
Yet we all are quite aware that through our mind may be one place, our actual thoughts, speech and actions, in another.
A simple example is, many, literally tens of millions of people wish they weren’t taking drugs or gambling, overeating, the list is probably endless, yet they do.
So the question is, who exactly is this other force, dictating our lives?
The answer is quite simple – well almost simple – well simple, once you understand its simplicity.
We are, as is obvious, a composite of three dimensions, the first in fact is not our mind – an animal has no mind yet it lives a life based on its instincts, as we are born like animals – for example, a little baby has no functioning mind, yet it can cry when in need, smile when tickled, it basically can function, can survive.
A human and animal start to differentiate around the age of two; whereas, even a smart chimpanzee is severely retarded by human standards, a child begins to really start to understand “myself” and “others” develop an identity and then learn about who I = my identity – my role models are/am.
Yet this identity, in truth was not a conscious choice; as we see everyone develops identities which are simple mirror images of their identified role model.
It is only about six that a child’s learning capacity begins to function, having both attained an identity and been humbled (for the identity is humbled when the two year old throwing tantrums is not given what they want) hence the capacity for rational objective thinking develops.
However lurking in the shadow is the ego.
And this is where we have a choice in life.
And the choice is to completely annihilate the childhood identity.
In fact, the first message of God to a spiritual seeker – Abraham – which is a message to you for perpetuity – “if you seek truth leave your identity, your self-image (your father’s role modelship, your cultures norms, and your very instinctual desires) for tied into who you think you are, is who you cannot become.”