How to Get Rid of the Ego?

Q: How long it will take to get rid of the story of the individual ego? I don’t know how to act properly.

A: Do not try to get rid of anything. Watch—be the watcher of the story. Watch it now.

Nisargadatta from I AM THAT…

“Identity, individuality, uniqueness—they are the most valuable aspects of the mind; yet of the mind only. "I am all there is" is an experience equally valid. The particular and the universal are inseparable. They are the two aspects of the nameless as seen from without and from within. The person is merely the result of a misunderstanding. In reality, there is no such thing.

“Feelings, thoughts and actions race before the watcher in endless succession leaving traces in the brain and creating an illusion of continuity. A reflection of the watcher in the mind creates the sense of "I" and the person acquires an apparently independent existence. In reality there is no person, only the watcher identifying himself with the "I" and the "mine."

“The teacher tells the watcher, "You are not this; there is nothing of yours in this except the little point of "I am" which is the bridge between the watcher and his dream." "I am this, I am that" is dream, while pure "I am" has the stamp of reality on it. You have tasted so many things—all came to naught. Only the sense "I am" persisted—unchanged. Stay with the changeless among the changeful.”

—Nisargadatta

I am watching the story now. I am the watcher.

Q: Thank you. I will not try to change or get rid of the individual ego story. What is beyond or prior to "watching"? Is it the deep sleep state?

A: Are you watching now? Notice for yourself. Notice the watching/witnessing now. Do you find anything beyond or prior to watching/witnessing? It is for you to notice in your own direct experience, not a concept, then you can call it whatever you want. Do it yourself. What do you find?

Q: Yes. I watch, but is the watcher not there in deep sleep? What happens to this watcher?

A: "Watching" is a verb we can use to represent the noun "Awareness". Awareness is the nature of eternal life—your life, my life, the One Life. Awareness is eternal, and watching is eternal. Awareness eternally is; and watching is eternally happening as it is a function of awareness. Awareness is absolute. Consciousness is the relative, changing aspect of absolute awareness.

Consciousness is of the waking state, the dreaming state, and the deep sleep state. Awareness is eternally aware of all states of consciousness—waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. Awareness never sleeps—it is constant.

To make this practical and known in your own direct experience, watch what happens when you go to sleep at night, and when you wake up in the morning—so you know for yourself, and you can describe your experience using your own words. I know and experience this myself because I followed the suggestion above that was given by Nisargadatta.

That being said, I think it can be much more valuable to focus on the process of the creation of personal experience, which is a function of mind or relative consciousness. Mind/consciousness is where all of our problems and solutions exist, and where it is possible to improve the quality of life for ourselves and all beings.

In the context of a teaching of non-dual Self-Knowledge, it is important to know ourselves as Awareness, Eternal Life, the Absolute, the Self. Knowing ourselves as Eternal beings, we have a deep feeling of peace and well-being which is a solid foundation from which to use our mind to create an amazing and beautiful world from the source of love for the benefit of all.