Tuesday Text: Chapter 4: The Ego's Struggle to Preserve Itself, S 2: The Devoted Teacher

Class notes 9/22/26 Tuesday Text Class

Chapter 4: The Ego’s Struggle to Preserve Itself

Section 2: The Devoted Teacher

          The actual root of all evil, meaning ego is the authority problem. There are many different human symptoms like greed or illness problems that have to do with the condition of being human, but they all have the same cause. Money is a reflection of the human condition and is a good example because it represents the kind of thinking that it stems from. The thought of buying or selling is alien to the spirit. The spirit’s demands are always met and the supply is always abundant. 

          A symptom is an indication of something else like a disease or a problem. So every problem the ego makes involves a contradiction in terms. This is because the mind is split between ego and spirit. And everything that the ego makes is incomplete and contradictory. For example, a speechless professor. It literally means a nonprofessing professor or a speechless speaker. Intolerable positions like this are the result of the authority problem- where an inconceivable premise, I can create myself, leads to inconceivable ideas like a speechless professor. 

          The word profess is used in the bible but the context is different. Here to profess is to identify with an idea and then to offer the idea to others to be their own. By giving the idea to others, you don’t have less of it, it goes stronger. The TOG clarifies his own ideas and strengthens them by teaching them. Teacher/student, therapist/patient are all alike in the learning process. They are in the same order of learning and lessons lack conviction unless you share them. Sales people need to believe in their product, a teacher needs to believe in the ideas he teaches. He also needs to believe in his students. 

          You couldn’t be afraid to teach unless you thought that it meant loss and separation. You stand guard over your own ideas because you want to protect your thought system the way that it is and learning means change. Change is fearful to the separated because they always see it as a change towards further separation because the separation was the first experience of change. Your fear of teaching is an example of your own intense separation anxiety. Here Jesus refers to your fear of separation from God and the kingdom. You have handled your separation anxiety with the usual series of mixed defenses and a defense of error combined with an attack on truth which is characteristic of ego thinking. 

          You insist that if you allow no change to your ego, your spirit will find peace. This profound confusion is possible if you think that the same thought system can lay on two foundations (ego and spirit). Nothing can reach the spirit from the ego. And nothing from the spirit can strengthen the ego or reduce conflicts with it. The ego is a contradiction. Your self and God’s self are in opposition. They are opposed in origin, will, and outcome. These two selves are irreconcilable because the spirit can not perceive and the ego can’t know. They aren’t in communication and won’t be. But the ego can learn because its maker can be misguided but can’t make the totally lifeless out of the life given. The spirit doesn’t need to be taught but the ego does. The real reason why learning or teaching is seen as frightening is because true learning leads to the relinquishment of the ego to the light of the spirit. The ego fears this change. Fear is the natural response of the ego at the thought of being uprooted. Teaching and learning are your greatest strengths now because you must change your mind and help other people change theirs. 

          You have dreamed of a separated ego and you believe in the world that rests on this. The illusion is very real to you. You can’t undo it by not changing. Ignoring the problem, denying the problem, refusing to change, none of these things fix the separation. You have to let Jesus correct you gently and lead you home. The real goal of the teacher, therapist or parent is that one day you will no longer be needed. You can’t be worried that you will lose your child or student if you succeed. It is impossible to tell this to the ego because it goes against all of its laws. The ego’s laws are set up to preserve itself once you have made it. It is not natural for you to follow the ego’s laws unless you believe them. The ego can’t make this choice because of the nature of it’s origin but you can because of your origin. 

          The goal of a good teacher is to put themselves out of business as opposed to the goals of the ego oriented teacher. Who sees the interaction with students as a means of ego preservation. This is true whether you are afraid to teach or out to dominate. They are both symptoms of separation anxiety. All separation anxiety is a symptom of the continued will to remain separated. You have not learned this so it needs to be repeated.

          If you are exalted it blows up your ego. If you are disapproved of you will be depressed. The ego says you can’t win. This is all part of the remaining will to remain separated. Your worth is not established by your teaching, it is established by God. As long as you dispute your authorship everything you do will be fearful, especially one which lends itself to the superiority/inferiority error. Teachers must be patient and repeat their lessons until they are learned. Jesus is willing to do this and won’t put learning limits on you. 

          Nothing you think or do or will or make is needed to establish your worth.  This point is only debatable in delusion your ego is never at stake because God did not create it. Your spirit is never at stake because he did. Any confusion about this is delusional and devotion is not possible while it lasts. If you will be a devoted teacher and not an egocentric one, you will not be afraid. The teaching situation is fearful if used as an ego trip. If you become afraid it is because you are using it this way. The devoted teacher sees things as they are, not as he wishes them to be. He does not see teaching as dangerous because he doesn’t exploit it. 

          The ego tries to exploit all situations into praise of itself to overcome its doubts. It will be doubtful forever or as long as you believe in it. You made it, so you can’t trust it, you know it’s not real. The sane solution is not to try to change reality which is unchanged and beyond the ego’s grasp but within easy reach of spirit. 

          You can’t be at peace unless you are fulfilling your function. God gave you a lofty job which you aren’t doing. You know it and you are afraid. But you are choosing fear instead of the task at hand. When you awaken you won’t believe this because it’s incredible. It’s incredible now. Fulfilling your function from God is inevitable. This is fearful to the ego but joyous to the spirit. God is inevitable, you can’t avoid him and he can’t avoid you. The ego has built a shabby and unsheltering home for you because that’s all it builds. Don’t try to make this starving house of ego stand. Its weakness is your strength. Only God can make a home worthy of his creations. You are choosing to leave your place in the kingdom empty. God’s home stands forever and is ready for you when you are. Be sure of this, God creates the eternal just as the ego makes the perishable. 

          Of your ego you can do nothing to save yourself or others, of your spirit you can do everything for the salvation of both. Humility is for the ego not the spirit. The spirit recognizes its radiance and happily shines it everywhere. The meek, gentle and patient are secure that God is the author shall inherit the earth. Their egos are humble so they have better perception. The kingdom of Heaven is the right of the spirit whose beauty and dignity are beyond doubt and perception. God’s creations are worthy of him and only him. Don’t serve an idol, nothing but love is a worthy gift of a creation of God himself. 

          Jesus can offer a substitute for your ego but not your spirit. He is a bridge. He understands the ego trip. Let’s learn this lesson together and be free. The goal is to heal the mind. You need not have duress because Jesus has overcome the world and you can too by following his advice. This is why you should be happy.