andrew cohen
May 2008 
The Authentic Self emerges!
Arjan
Last night was a particularly successful class, when I came home I felt victorious, I felt we achieved something extraordinary with our efforts to make clear distinctions between the ego* (the spiritual ego, the extremely convincing illusion that we are separate and unique) and what Andrew Cohen calls the authentic self* (the ecstatic compulsion to become more conscious, to evolve). Why do I feel so thrilled about last night? Something happened between us; right from the start there was an intense urgency, wanting to find out, because it matters. Because our lives, and ultimately Life itself depends on it.
I have found many times that when a group of people come together to find out about the big Life questions in a context of unity and respect for the differences in experience and depth, that something emerges between them that is like a different dimension. This is what Andrew Cohen calls ‘Evolutionary Enlightenment' (see this two-minute video), it is in this inter-subjective field that the authentic self, the creative force, starts to recognize itself. And it did!
At some point, when one woman was talking about the clear difference between ego and authentic self that she is aware of in her own experience, and how she often feels locked up in thought patterns that seem so convincing, the whole atmosphere changed in an instant. It was like the collective mind realized: "AAAAHHH, I am not locked up" Suddenly we looked at the ego in us from a different place, the franticness and tension subsided, yet the interest and urgency stayed. In that vibrant atmosphere we spoke about the power we human beings have to choose; to put our attention on our desire to be free and to develop, rather than on the fears and desires of the personal, and everything we had been speaking about the whole evening made sense deeply.
When we stopped people seemed surprised; two hours passed? Already? It felt like we just got started...
It indeed feels like we are.....
* See Andrew Cohen's interactive teaching models
Access: Public
glad to see this all happening now, arjan …
and be a part(aker) in this all happening ;-)
i see our new language is emerging to the new grounds …
we are getting our new angles, (S)aint we?
from that new angles abundance glores potentials from our bodyconscience -
hmmm
or how do you experience those frictionals arising?
:-)
it reminds me to a movie, wasn't that one named:
“the neverending story”
lets narrate onwards evolving!
“one(dear)” - oops, doesnt that sound as wonder - full
Hi Arjan,
Thanks for keeping us posted on the latest developments in the teachings you are sharing. It is great to read and I hope we meet again soon.
Love from Alain
Arjan asked if we could add a comment as well, we meaning the participators in the course. All i want to say is that if you get a chance to follow the course do. We are so stuck in ego that we have to grab each and every opportunity to free ourselves from it (be it momentarily or slightly) and see what else is possible to make any real change in ourselves and the world.
Thank you Arjan, for being so clear and inspiring during our course and on your blog. As a participant I feel strongly drawn towards a fundamental choice. My ego is still reluctant to make that choice, but I feel my authentic self calling. The calling from the authentic self is strong and loud. Every day and every hour this process is on my mind and in my body. It is thrilling to feel that this is only depending on ME. I can not lean on anybody else. I have to make this shift. The way to do that becomes clearer and clearer and with that more and more difficult to avoid. And that's a good thing.
See you coming Thursday.
Warm regards,
Irene
Yes! It was indeed a great evening and that could only happen because we were willing to grapple with the subject and daring to ask questions. While all the time I could see that there was such a strong ground under our feet and this ground is consciousness. It is such a paradox that only because of consciousness are we able to question consciousness. I felt that on this evening we were really evolving because around 25 people contemplated about the fact that we can actually choose between ego and authentic self. Can you image seeing ego at the back of the room really having a hard time cause again more people have found out that they are free from it and have the power to choose for a world where people are simply and beautifully connected. Each time that the ego tries to find its way it sees this sign with red lights: UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
Hi Arjan,
Just by being in your class where I’m invited to be without knowing, I know I choose from the right perspective. Tenx