Gerry,

I know that you concur with my ideas on this subject as we have posted about these ideas often on this forum  The reason I repeat these sorts of ideas here is that Rawatism has grown out of this kind of philosophy and I think it should be strongly argued against.

Someone reading my post just above might think I am totally naive about the potential of mental states, and especially naive about ego-less mental states. But I'm not.  I have taken drugs to the point that my personality disappeared for a few hours.  I considered these experiences valuable and I still do.  I would not exactly recommend taking LSD to everybody, but I think it can be a helpful, learning, life experience.

We can't really help but be "explorers" of our own minds - that exploration is a good thing, surely.  I don't object to that exploration, but what I object to is the philosophy that normal human consciousness and "ego"  is less than desirable, the cause of many problems individually and collectively, and the teaching that this consciousness/ego should be replaced with a different and supposedly higher viewpoint.  That higher viewpoint is often talked about as beyond time and space, being God awareness, or sometimes this higher viewpoint is spoken of in less glorious terms, but still in some idealistic sort of terms, always very vague.

The reason I say that ego is a false concept is that people talk as though you can have too much ego and sometimes even that it is best to have none at all!  The word ego is unnecessary and problematic, having connotations that don't really relate to any actuality.  It would be far better to just use a different terminology, such as personality, or self.  There is no connotative sense of danger of having too much self or too much personality.  On the contrary, what is to be nourished is our sense of self and personhood and the respect for ourselves and other selves.

Of course some people are indeed what is called "egotistical," and some people are too extroverted, and some people are way too wrapped up in their own problems.  But the solution to these types of jerks, worry-warts, and other annoying people is to adjust their attitude through life experiences (and maybe medication), but certainly not the spiritual surrender of their personhood into the Infinite.

Sure, explore away!  And enjoy all that is potential.  But don't denounce and insult the consciousness that is our natural state.   And be careful!   I personally do not take LSD any longer in an attempt to go beyond my personality.  That is scary and not conducive to my health, mental and physical.

Rawat himself has evolved away from enlightenment and the transcendence of ego.  I applaud that evolution.  Unforunately, Rawat has substituted a vague and idiotic philosophy about breath and peace that makes no sense.  His philosophy is obviously designed to perpetuate his status as Master.  It has no basis in the reality of human life.