This is a topic which has been brought up by the students of Dr. Hawkins and others I’ve spoken to along the way. I’m aware of this because of my involvement in the past with many spiritual groups. There usually comes a point in the path of the “seeker” when they get the feeling they may just have a handle on this work. The particular subjective work they’re doing becomes the only way. They feel special, especially if they’ve been chosen or qualified to teach a certain doctrine or way, by the teacher.
Another occurrence while on the path can be very “renowned” teachers, lecturers and famous authors who lose sight of the spiritual path and wind up in the ego’s path. There are many teachers throughout history and even now who allowed ego to get in front of them and fell drastically in their calibrated level of consciousness. Stories abound of spiritual leaders who led their flock into destruction.* All of it is the spiritual ego rearing its head.
It has all the qualities of the larger ego, because egoism is still egoism. The aspirant who chooses a certain way to walk their path does not want to feel their way isn’t the true way. Most of the early work of the spiritual student has nothing whatsoever to do with becoming enlightened. It may however, make one feel lighter or different. Many times it becomes all about the teacher and the work becomes secondary. Other times the path leads to the non-integrous circus of what is called “the fringe” aspect of the spiritual. It encompasses the paranormal, channelers, fortune tellers, ghost hunters, mystery schools and all the paths which have nothing at all to do with seeking enlightenment.
Anything that brings forth the ego has nothing to do with enlightenment. Feeling special is not being spiritual, it’s merely feeling special. It’s not spirituality in it’s highest form. To paraphrase my own teacher Dr. Hawkins, _There are many pretenders and few true teachers. If there were true teachers, enlightenment would be common and it isn’t.
Although it is a rarity, there is nothing special about the path or being on the path. It is a way of being. There are many paths to becoming enlightened along with the practices which encompass those paths. When those paths do not lead to transcending the levels of consciousness, they have little to do with enlightenment and that’s the subject here. If ones’ spiritual ego is rearing its head, enlightenment is only an idea, rather than a goal. In order to avoid having ones’ spiritual ego become an obstacle to enlightenment, surrender the ego and whatever comes up to Divinity.
* read Dr. David Hawkins and Spiritual Traps under Devotional Nonduality Topic
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