Various pseudo-esoteric schools emphasize the absurd idea of a dual “Self”: the first they call the “Higher Self,” and the second the “Inferior Self.” We say that the higher and lower are two parts of the same thing.
Much has been said about the Alter-Ego, and it is even praised and deified, considered divine. In the name of Truth, it is essential to state that the higher and lower “Self” are two aspects of the same Ego, and that therefore, praising the former and undervaluing the latter is, without a doubt, incongruous.
We make a correct distinction between what is the “I” and what is the Being.
It might be objected to that such differentiation is nothing more than another concept issued by the intellect. We base our arguments on our own direct experiences. We are very familiar with the various forms of intellectualization that exist, and we know you have your escape routes; the desire to highlight everything that has a taste of Ego.
It’s clear that the Ego doesn’t want to die and wants to continue in some form; exquisitely subtle, yes, but not in dense and crude ways. No one likes to see their beloved Ego, “I,” reduced to cosmic dust just like that, because some random guy said so in a conference room. It’s only natural that the Ego doesn’t want to die and seeks comforting philosophies that promise it a little piece of heaven, a place on the altars, or an afterlife filled with infinite happiness.
We need to understand that everything in this world we live in passes away; ideas, people, and things pass away. The only constant and permanent thing is Being.
Q and A
– Student. Master, what substance are psychic aggregates made of?
– Master. The intellectual animal mistakenly called Man does not yet possess an individual mind; he has not created it, he has not formed it. The mind (the Manas, the mental substance) is devoid of individuality; it possesses diverse forms, it is constituted in the form of psychic aggregates, which are not unknown to esoteric Buddhism. All those multiple quarrelsome and shouting “I’s” that together form the self are constituted by mental substance in a more or less condensed form. This is why we continually change our minds. The “I” that swears eternal love to a woman is tomorrow replaced by another that has nothing to do with the oath, and then the subject withdraws, leaving the woman disappointed.
You see what the infinite forms of the mind are and how they control the brain’s main centers and how they manipulate the human machine.
– Student. Master, on this planet the “I’s” make life bearable; if we dissolve them, wouldn’t our lives be very boring?
– Master. True happiness lies in the revaluation of the Being. It is undeniable that every time the self undergoes an inner revaluation, it experiences true happiness. Unfortunately, we confuse pleasure with happiness and indulge in unrestrained pleasure through alcohol, drugs, adultery, gambling, and so on. The limit of pleasure is pain, and every form of enjoyment transforms into pain. Obviously, the elimination of the Ego revalues the Self, resulting in true happiness.
– Student. Master, is the formation of a Mental Body essential to avoid having many minds?
– Master. Certainly, the intellectual animal (rational mammal) does not possess an individual mind; instead of one mind, it has many minds. Creating the Mental Body and dissolving the Ego is urgent when one desires the authentic revaluation of Being.
– Student. Master, is it possible that a person who donates money to the church, who reads the Bible, who does charity work and other virtues, has “I’s”?
– Master. The “I” disguises itself as a saint, a martyr, a penitent, a good husband, etc. Many virtuous people possess psychic aggregates. Remember that there is much virtue in the wicked and much wickedness in the virtuous. Crime hides amidst the rhythm and perfumes of the Temple; the most abject criminals assume pietistic poses, the appearance of martyrs, etc. In the Abyss there are many mystics and anchorites who believe they are doing very well.
– Student. Master, where is the spiritual value of the good intentions of a sincere person who is mistaken?
– Master. Remember that the road that leads to the Abyss is paved with good intentions.
Many are called, but few are chosen.
The wicked of all eras have had the best of intentions:
Hitler, full of noble intentions, trampled upon many nations, and millions died because of him.
The executioner who carries out an unjust order, full of noble intentions, murders his fellow human beings.
We must not forget the Holy Inquisition; then, inquisitors with noble intentions condemned many unfortunate souls to the stake, the rack, and so on.
Good deeds, not good intentions, are what matter. Results speak for themselves; good intentions are useless if the outcome is disastrous.
Joan of Arc by AI
– Student. What is the procedure for getting rid of defects?
– Master. It is urgent and cannot be postponed to analyze and annihilate the Ego voluntarily and consciously.
In relation to people, hidden defects surface spontaneously, and if we are in a state of alert perception, alert to novelty, then we see them as they truly are.
A discovered I defect must be subjected to analysis and meditation in order to be comprehended. It is not enough to comprehend the defect, it is necessary to grasp its profound meaning; Any spark of Consciousness can illuminate us and in milliseconds grasp the profound meaning of the defect.
Elimination is different; someone could have comprehended a defect and even penetrated in its deep significance and not eliminate it. Elimination is indispensable to be free of defects.
The personal ego is a sum of “I’s.” The intellectual animal is a machine controlled by “I’s”; these are the “Red Devils” mentioned in the “Book of the Dead” of ancient Egypt.
The red-faced ones who live in the fiery lake. See Book of the Dead – Spell 17
It is essential to know that the only thing of worth we carry within us is our Essence; unfortunately, this Essence itself is scattered here, there, and everywhere, trapped among each of the various “I’s.”
To truly comprehend any psychological flaw, we must be honest with ourselves; unfortunately, the mind always seeks excuses to justify our mistakes. Self-exploration is necessary for deep self-knowledge.
Any mistake is multifaceted and is processed in all 49 regions of the mind. Psychological training is indispensable, and this training is life itself; in human interaction, in living with our fellow human beings, there are infinite possibilities for self-discovery, yet it is obvious that self-observation must always be practiced moment by moment.
The dissolution of the ego is hastened if we know how to make the most of even the worst circumstances, for they offer us the best opportunities. Controlling our intimate defetcs is superficial and doomed to failure. Eliminating our defects is necessary; by doing so, we establish in our consciousness a proper foundation for righteous action. Comprehension comes first; elimination comes second.
What makes every child beautiful and adorable is their Essence; this constitutes their true reality. The normal growth of the Essence takes place up to the first five years; for it to continue growing, something very special must happen: self-work. The development of the Essence is only possible through conscious effort and voluntary suffering.
We must understand that we possess within ourselves what is called the Ego, the “I,” etc., and that the Essence is trapped within it, which is unfortunate. Dissolving the “I” is essential; this is the true meaning of working on oneself, for we could never liberate the Essence without first disintegrating the psychological “I.” As the psychic aggregates disintegrate, the Essence is emancipated and grows harmoniously. It is undeniable that when the psychological “I” dies, the Essence shines forth, bestowing upon us beauty, true happiness, and the powers it possesses.
The intellectual mammal does not possess a defined individuality; this lack of individuality is the cause of so much bitterness. Our physical body is a complete unit and functions as an organic whole, unless it is ill; but the inner life of the humanoid is by no means a psychological unity; we lack psychological organization in the most intimate depths of each of us.
The humanoid does not have a permanent “Self,” but rather a multitude of different, subhuman, and absurd “Selves.” The poor intellectual animal is like a house in disarray, where instead of one master there are many servants who always want to be in charge and do whatever they please.
The biggest mistake of pseudo-esotericism is assuming that one possesses an immutable and permanent “Self” without beginning or end. If those who think this way were to awaken their consciousness for even a moment, they would witness their own multiplicity. To think that if a person is named Luis, they are always the same is absurd; no person is always the same, for they constantly fall into contradictions and changes.
When the “I” wants to continue here and in the hereafter, it deceives itself with the false concept of a divine and immortal “Self.” None of us has a permanent “I” nor do we even possess legitimate individuality. If we think of each “I” as a different person, we can emphatically state the following: “Within each person who lives in the world, there are many people.” Each of these people struggles for supremacy, wants to be exclusive, and believes itself to be the whole, even though it is only a small part.
We can never know ourselves without Self-Observation. As long as a subject continues to consider itself a single entity, it is clear that any inner change is more than impossible.
Reflecting on the various circumstances of life, it’s well worth seriously understanding the foundations upon which we rest. One person rests on a position, another on money, and so on. The most curious thing, whether we are rich or beggars, is that we need everyone and live off everyone, even though we may be puffed up with pride. Within all this, we believe ourselves to be very strong, yet we are appallingly weak. It is urgent to observe ourselves, moment by moment, in order to clearly understand the foundations upon which we rest; when one discovers what offends them most at any given instant, then one discovers the foundations upon which they psychologically rest.
One is astonished by the sight of a fire; then desperate people seize the most improbable things; they are people attached to things that have no importance whatsoever; this amounts to being in a state of absolute unconsciousness. The most serious aspect of our tragedy is that we think we are thinking, we feel we are feeling, when in reality it is another I, at any given moment, is thinking with our tormented brain and feeling with our aching heart.
How many times we believe we are loving, when what is really happening is that another “I” within, filled with lust, is using the center of our heart.
As one works on oneself, one comes to understand more and more the need to radically eliminate from one’s inner nature all that makes us so abominable. It is the worst circumstances of life, the most critical situations, the most difficult events, that are most conducive to intimate self-discovery. If, instead of losing one’s mind, identifying with, or becoming fascinated by the things of life, one were to remember oneself, one would discover with astonishment certain “I’s” or “selves” of which one never had the slightest idea or suspicion.
The sense of intimate self-observation is atrophied in every human being; by observing oneself from moment to moment, this sense will develop progressively; as the sense of self-observation continues its development through continuous use, we will become increasingly capable of directly perceiving those “selves” about which we never had any data related to their existence, and we discover that each of them has unmistakable psychological characteristics, through which we intuitively grasp and capture their intimate nature.
Initially, the esotericist doesn’t know where to begin. They feel the need to work on themselves, but they are completely disoriented. By taking advantage of the most difficult moments, the most adverse times, we discover our most prominent defects, which we must urgently eliminate.
Before going to bed, it’s advisable to examine the events of the day. Let’s remember that in esotericism, good is everything that is in its place, bad is everything that is out of place. What would you say of a meek and tolerant man blessing a gang of assailants who were trying to rape his wife and daughters? What would you think of a helpful man who, at a given moment, lent a dagger to a murderer? Crime disguises itself as a saint, uses the finest virtues, presents itself as a martyr. Even within the fragrance of prayer, crime is hidden.
Even within the fragrance of prayer, crime is hidden.
Seeing such creations, observing those monstrosities of hell within which our very Consciousness is bottled up, becomes possible with the progressive development of self-awareness. As long as we harbor these aberrations within, we remain an abomination, even if we believe ourselves to be beautiful or righteous, and even if we complain about the ingratitude of others and cry out that they don’t understand us. Self-awareness allows us to clearly see the “Self” we are dissolving and the pathetic and definite results of this inner work.
It is interesting to observe how such beasts gradually diminish in size and eventually disintegrate, releasing the essence that was trapped within that flaw. All of this naturally involves successive, ongoing processes, since no “self” can ever be disintegrated instantaneously.
Until the psychological disintegration of all those abominations, ambitions, envy, etc., has occurred, even if we believe ourselves to be honest, honorable, sincere, charitable, and beautiful on the inside, we will obviously remain nothing more than whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside, but inside filled with disgusting rot. Many people assume that good intentions alone can lead to sanctification. Obviously, as long as these psychological aggregates exist within us, beneath a pious gaze and a venerable countenance, there can be no sanctification.
In revolutionary psychology, the need for radical transformation becomes evident, and this is only possible by declaring upon ourselves a ruthless and cruel war to the death.
Without true individuality within us, continuity of purpose is impossible.
What a particular “I” asserts at any given moment cannot be taken seriously due to the concrete fact that any “I” can assert the exact opposite at any time; what is most serious is that there are people who emphatically claim to always be the same.
The subject itself is nothing more than a machine that serves as a vehicle for one “I” as for another.
Obviously, if one doesn’t fight against life, it devours them, and true aspirants who don’t let themselves be swallowed up by life are rare; if we don’t work on ourselves, we regress and degenerate, for it is not possible for true Man to emerge through the Mechanical Law of Evolution, since this Law has its counterpart, which is Involution. Evolution occurs up to a perfectly defined point, and then comes the Involutionary process; every rise is followed by a fall, and vice versa.
Within the intellectual animal there are germs or seeds that, when properly developed, turn us into true Men; for this, a suitable environment is necessary, because it is well known that the seed in a sterile environment does not germinate, it is lost.
If we truly desire union with the Divine, we urgently need a genuine revolution of consciousness. This revolution has three fundamental components: Dying, Being Born, and Sacrifice for Humanity. We will explore what must die within us, what must be born, and why we must sacrifice ourselves for humanity, for others.
It is urgent to know that the “Self” is a set of entities that enjoys a certain self-independence.
These “I’s” clash with each other, and the mind is the battleground. Each one projects itself onto different levels of the mind, trying to satisfy its animal instincts, feeding on our vital principles. The “I” that swears eternal love to a woman today will hate her tomorrow. Contradictions constantly arise within man; this is why “man” is not yet truly Man, but merely an intellectual animal. The intellectual animal has no Soul; its Soul is fragmented.
When the “I” dies, the Soul is liberated, and it is then that man can have true continuity of purpose, a true, permanent center of Consciousness.
Only in a Man with a Soul do internal contradictions not exist. Only where internal contradictions do not exist there is true inner peace.
The psychological “I” clumsily squanders psychic energy in outbursts of anger, greed, envy, lust, and so on. Eliminating the “I” is a difficult task. The “I” dissolves through rigorous comprehending. Living with others, interacting with people, is the mirror in which we can see ourselves in our entirety. In dealing with others, our defects surface, and if we are vigilant, we see them. Every defect must first be analyzed and then comprehended with the heart. When a defect is comprehended at all levels of the mind, its corresponding elemental disintegrates; that is, a small “I” dies. Each time a defect dies, something new is born in its place: a virtue, a power of the Soul, a Truth, and so on.
It is urgent to undergo mystical death; it is necessary to crystallize soul; it is essential to sacrifice ourselves for humanity; we must give our lives for our fellow human beings. The perfect marriage had a beginning, and therefore it also has an end. Pain is the result of our own mistakes; when one makes a mistake, the fruit is pain. We make mistakes because we are imperfect; we are imperfect because we have the “I” within us. When the “I” disappears, true and authentic happiness comes to us.
