| In spiritual circles, there is a great deal of negative talk | | | | Travel and off-ice team activities were also |
| about the ego. "We must not over identify with the | | | | considerable. Most important, however, was the mental |
| ego. We must do more to identify as spirit and as | | | | emotional commitment. The depth of this commitment |
| individualized souls." Often, when listening to others | | | | reached powerfully into my sense of self. |
| speak in this way, I hear words that ring true but | | | | Identifying as a hockey player was an important part |
| energy that does not. My experience is that many | | | | of growing-up. It enabled me to throw myself |
| people go too far in their expression of this concept | | | | completely into a role and to see both its beauty and |
| and are not at peace with what the words actually | | | | limitations. I experienced great success as well as |
| mean. | | | | great failure. But when my skill level did not hold the |
| My suggestion is to think instead, not of destroying the | | | | attention of coaches and scouts at the professional |
| ego, but of spiritualizing the ego. Make the personality a | | | | level, it was time to begin letting go of that role and of |
| friend. Work with Self. Create an identity that loves | | | | that part of my identity. |
| and that is as much human as it is divine. To me, this is | | | | This example is important because it demonstrates |
| the highest path. Just because you're a yogi doesn't | | | | that no matter how wrapped up (over-identified with |
| mean you shouldn't have fun loving Joe Smith at | | | | ego) we are, a time will come for that part of our |
| Dunkin' Donuts. A true saint would never judge an | | | | identities to melt away or to be redefined. This is true |
| interaction in this way, but would instead create a way | | | | for even the most basic roles, such as when parents |
| to lovingly affirm and engage. | | | | and children eventually become friends. |
| I'm not suggesting that one should neglect the practice | | | | The key is to learn to remember to be aware of this |
| of deep meditation and the practice of identifying as | | | | impermanence in "real time". Can you watch and |
| spirit and soul. Indeed, such practice is a vital ingredient | | | | participate in your life at the same time. Can you |
| in the creation of a loving identity. Only by anchoring | | | | remember to perform the temporary roles in your life |
| our Selves in something far more vast than the human | | | | effectively, but never forget that you are also Spirit |
| experience, in something beyond body and beyond | | | | and Soul? Our bodies and minds and emotions may go |
| mind, are we then enabled to really live. | | | | through profound experience and change, but we can |
| One way to more fully participate in spiritualizing the | | | | keep ourselves anchored in something deeper. We |
| ego is to look into your history and to identify roles that | | | | can anchor ourselves in something permanent. |
| you have formerly played. Once you have done this | | | | The ego enables us to get on in the world. Embrace it. |
| you will see even more clearly that you are not (and | | | | Spiritualize it. Hug the guy at Dunkin' Donuts. Simply |
| never were) those roles, even if at the time it really felt | | | | identify with God first, so that whether you are skating |
| that way. | | | | on ice or acting as a businessman or loving as a son, |
| Allow me an example. | | | | the whole time you are also aware that you are first |
| Through most of college I believed I was an ice | | | | and foremost God's child and connected to |
| hockey player. I put at least 5 hours of disciplined focus | | | | SometThing that is lasting and joyous and safe. This |
| and activity into ice hockey each and every day. | | | | takes practice. Meditate. Forget the physical body, rest |
| Weight training, on-ice drills, and even equipment | | | | thought and emotion, connect to what's real, and come |
| preparation were substantial investments of time. | | | | alive. |