Being and knowing must be balanced to establish a blaze of comprehension within our psyche.
When knowing is greater than being, it causes all kinds of intellectual confusion.
If being is greater than knowing, it can produce cases as serious as that of a stupid saint.
In everyday life, it is advisable to observe oneself with the purpose of self-discovery.
It is precisely everyday life, the psychological gymnasium, through which we can discover our defects.
In a state of alert perception, watchful attention, we can directly verify that the hidden defects flare-up spontaneously.
Clearly, we must work on the discovered defect consciously with the purpose of separating it from our psyche.
Above all, we must not identify with any I-defect if we really want to eliminate it.
Imagine that we are standing on a board and we wish to raise it to a position of it leaning against a wall. It would be impossible to do so if we were still standing on it.
Obviously, we must begin by separating the board from ourselves, removing ourselves from it and then lifting the board with our hands to a reclining position against the wall.
Similarly, we must not identify with any psychic aggregate if we truly wish to separate it from our psyche.
When one identifies with this or that I, one really strengthens, rather than disintegrates it.
Let us suppose that some lustful self took possession of any stereotypical image in the intellectual center to project lascivious and sexually morbid scenes on the screen of the mind. Unquestionably, identifying with the passionate picture greatly strengthens that lustful ego.
If, however, instead of identifying with such an entity, we separate it from our psyche, considering it as an intrusive demon, then obviously creative comprehension will have emerged within us.
Subsequently, we could have the luxury of analytically judging the aggregate in question with the purpose of becoming fully conscious of it.
The seriousness of the problem lies precisely with people’s identification, and this is most regrettable.
If people were familiar with the Doctrine of the Many Selves, if they actually understood that not even their own lives belong to them, they would not make the mistake of identification.
Scenes of anger, pictures of jealousy, etc., in everyday life, are useful when we find ourselves in constant psychological self-observation.
Thus, we prove that neither our thoughts, nor our desires, nor our actions belong to us.
Unquestionably, multiple I’s intervene like bearers of an ill omen, putting thoughts in our minds, emotions in our hearts and actions of all kinds in our motor center.
It is deplorable that we are not masters of ourselves and that various psychological entities make of us whatever they will.
Unfortunately, we do not even remotely suspect what is happening to us and we act like simple puppets, controlled by invisible strings.
Worst of all, instead of fighting for independence from all these secret tyrants, we make the mistake of fortifying them, and this occurs when we become identified.
Any street scene, any family drama, any silly quarrel between spouses is undoubtedly due to this or that I, and is something of which we must always be aware.
Everyday life is the psychological mirror in which we can see ourselves just as we are.
First, we must understand the need to see ourselves and the need to change radically. Only in this way will we want to really observe ourselves.
Whosoever is content with the state in which he lives, the foolish one, the dawdler, the negligent one, will never feel the desire to see himself; he will love himself too much to ever be willing to review his conduct and way of being.
We will say clearly that in some comedies, dramas and tragedies of everyday life various “I’s” take part. These “I’s” must be understood.
What comes into play in any scene of passionate jealousy are the egos of lust, anger, pride, jealousy, etc. We must later analytically judge each one separately to fully understand them with the clear purpose of their total disintegration.
Comprehension is very elastic, which is why it is necessary to delve deeper each time. What we understand in one way today we will better understand tomorrow.
Considering things from this angle, we can verify for ourselves how useful the diverse circumstances of life are when indeed we use them as a mirror for self-discovery.
We would never in any way attempt to say that the dramas, comedies and tragedies of everyday life are always splendid and perfect. Such a statement would be ludicrous.
Nonetheless, however absurd the different situations of existence may appear, they are marvelous as a psychological gymnasium.
The work relating to the dissolution of the diverse elements that form the me, myself, is terribly difficult.
Within the cadences of verse, misdeeds are also hidden. In the delightful perfume of the temples, transgressions lurk.
At times, crime becomes so sophisticated that people confuse it with sanctity, and so cruel that it eventually seems like sweetness.
Crime clothes itself in the judge’s robe, the Master’s tunic, the beggar’s rags, the businessman’s suit, and even in the habit of the Christ.
Comprehension is fundamental, but that is not all in the work of dissolving the psychic aggregates, as we shall see in the next chapter.
It is urgent, unavoidable and non-excludable that we make ourselves conscious of each ego, to separate each one from our psyche. But this is not all, something else is missing. For this we must see Chapter 16.
Samael Aun Weor
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