Our Self Image Is a Ghost

We think of a ghost as a piece of us that continues to hang around after we die, and haunt the places where we lived. What if there are already ghosts of yourself ? What if you are actually a ghost, or at least your self-image is a ghost?

Most people think ghosts are insubstantial shapes or visions that come and go. They aren't very solid or real, and a lot of people can't even see them. And yet how real or solid are your images of yourself-your ideas about who you are? If one day you have an image of yourself as an very attractive person and the next day you see yourself as unattractive, how substantial was either image? And who else can see your self image? What could it mean if you see yourself as unattractive and someone becomes attracted to you anyway? It could mean that they can't actually see your self image. Maybe the way you see yourself is a kind of ghost.

We don't usually see that our image of ourselves is a kind of ghost because we really believe that it is a true representation of what we are. We may be left wondering, Who am I if what I believe I am is unreal and does not exist? What else am I besides the ghost like images of myself?

There is a strong sense that we do exist, that we are real. But does this sense of existence and reality come from our image of ourselves? Or does the sense of being real and of existing come from somewhere deeper within our being? It's difficult to know for sure since the image and the sense of realness can both be present at the same time, and our egoic idea of ourselves can co-opt that deeper sense of realness we naturally have.

One accurate way to measure how real something is to ask how long does it last. The more reality something has, the longer it tends to last. Your ideas about yourself come and go (like a ghost) and don't last that long at all. A thought is over so fast that often we can't even remember what we were just thinking.

A new image or thought about ourselves is constantly arising to replace the last thought or image. And sometimes we aren't thinking about ourselves at all. So all our self-images images and identifications are not very real. They are like ghosts in our minds.

What about the pure sense that you exist right now? Does that come and go? How often do you have the opposite sense-that you don't exist at all? The sense that you exist is more real than your ideas about yourself because it doesn't come and go. You exist, but your ideas about yourself are just ghosts. What you are is not contained in your ideas or identifications. What you really are is still here even when your ideas about yourself fade away, like ghostly images in a movie.

What if it is this real you that matters most? Wh not become more curious about the real you than about the false ghosts of identification. What is are you made of? What is this real you like? What does it want to do? These are deep and valuable questions to explore, but remember that the answers are never found in your thoughts about yourself. The true answers can only be found in the simple sense of existing.

Article Source: http://www.myaddirectory.com

Well known spiritual teacher, Nirmala has been offering satsang and one-to-one spiritual mentoring for ten years. He provides free spiritual books and many more ways to explore his teachings on endless-satsang.com.

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