| I listened to an online discussion on evolutionary | | | | you don't want to jump to conclusions when it |
| spirituality, evolving beyond the ego and spiritual | | | | comes to defining the larger spiritual context, the |
| evolution led by Craig Hamilton last month (April | | | | Divine Plan). |
| 2010). In a nutshell, Hamilton's message was that the | | | | What motivated me was being in a crisis for which I |
| ego (which he defined as the part of the self | | | | wanted real answers and higher guidance and I |
| susceptible to collective conditioning) would rather | | | | wanted the higher guidance because deep down I |
| stay comfortable than to take a chance on living a | | | | knew the collective conditioning was clueless. Getting |
| transformed life. The key to this problem, Hamilton | | | | myself out of deep trouble was motivation enough, |
| said, was to evolve beyond the ego. This article is | | | | and receiving input that I would help my family as |
| the third in a series of three and evaluates the four | | | | well as many, many others by sharing what I was |
| steps Hamilton formulated for evolving beyond the | | | | discovering took me the rest of the way. |
| ego. | | | | Another example: How many people practice |
| Before I go into Hamilton's four steps, I suggest we | | | | environmental restraint because they operate from |
| get accurate and call the process "reconnecting and | | | | the larger spiritual context of honoring and protecting |
| integrating with your higher self" instead of "evolving | | | | the earth? People stop buying SUVs because gas |
| beyond the ego." Naming the process accurately will | | | | prices are through the roof, not because the Earth's |
| help us access this realm much more easily, quickly | | | | health and sustainability are threatened. In other |
| and powerfully. | | | | words, people make changes when they are |
| Step 1. You need to clearly see the distinction | | | | affected personally, not because of some larger |
| between the ego and the evolutionary self, with how | | | | spiritual context (and even then it's not automatic). |
| it feels, how it expresses itself, and what its | | | | Step 4. You can't do this alone, you need others who |
| perspective is, said Hamilton. | | | | are doing this same level of work and you need to |
| I completely agree. You do need to be able to | | | | do it together, said Hamilton. |
| distinguish your higher self's expression and guidance | | | | I respectfully disagree with this step. You do not |
| from your mental conditionings and society's | | | | need to do this in conjunction with another and you |
| expectations. However, before you can even begin | | | | certainly aren't required to join a group or attend a |
| to do this, it would be helpful to become familiar with | | | | class of any sort. The process of reconnecting and |
| your "sacred space," to reconnect to it, to use a | | | | integrating with your higher self is between you and |
| meditation that helps you focus on that sacred area | | | | your higher self. (And because your higher self is |
| and begins to awaken it (because although it's innate, | | | | your bridge to the Divine Plan, you will receive |
| it has been dormant for a long, long time). | | | | feedback from the universe as to how you're doing.) |
| Step 2. Face the reality that you have a choice, that | | | | You do not need confirmation from others. In fact, if |
| you are not limited to the security and the familiarity | | | | you're going to be a true pioneer in your field you |
| of the ego, said Hamilton. | | | | may not get positive confirmation from others, at |
| I agree, particularly since by awakening your higher | | | | first--as was my experience. This is where |
| self, you will begin receiving wisdom and guidance | | | | confirmation from the universe (in the form of |
| that in many cases will go against the collective | | | | magical, awe-inspiring, spine-tingling, and/or |
| conditioning. You will then (naturally) be faced with a | | | | wonder-arousing favorable synchronicities and |
| choice. Will you be true to your higher self, or will you | | | | meaningful insights) will do wonders to keep you on |
| succumb to society's conditionings? | | | | your path. |
| Step 3. You need to awaken to a larger spiritual | | | | In conclusion, the steps given by Hamilton require a |
| context to your life, to discover a larger reason to | | | | bit more evolving; he has not yet optimized them. |
| do this rather than your own spiritual growth, said | | | | Other steps are required for reconnecting and |
| Hamilton. | | | | integrating with your higher self (the fast-track to |
| This is not technically a step that's required for you | | | | spiritual evolution), but I have detailed them in a |
| to do, but, more accurately, a part of the process | | | | couple publications already and will not summarize |
| that will naturally unfold when you reconnect and | | | | them here. Besides, you need more than a summary |
| integrate with your higher self. Furthermore, I am | | | | to be effective. For connecting and integrating with |
| convinced that you do not have to see the bigger | | | | your higher self (what some call "evolving beyond the |
| picture before you're motivated to reconnect. | | | | ego," and others "awakening to the master within"), |
| When I went through my integrating process, I did | | | | accurate details are extremely important. If they |
| not see the bigger picture until much later (and really, | | | | weren't, you'd see many more people doing it. |