On Becoming a Living Soul Part V | The I AM! verses The AM I?

The war between SOUL and the EGO is played out in the story of the war between GOD and the DEVIL; GOOD and EVIL. In fact, all religious stories depict this story in some way or another.

Here are the stages:

• Unity, interrupted by separation is expressed as duality.

• Distance (the poles of duality drift further apart) and time enter the equation.

• Forgetfulness (the two “forget” they were one)

• Guide or teacher appears (even though most people aren’t ready)

• Teacher teaches the way back to one (unity/ reconnection / resurrection)

In the case of The Greatest Love Story Ever Told, returning to unity is akin to reconnecting the heart and the soul, and realigning the heart mind and soul; both of which require a proper understanding and a proper placement of the ego.

The EGO (The AM I?)

The ego is the false self or the false soul that sincerely believes it is the real thing. Unlike the Soul, however, the ego is mortal, and can have a life span that is shorter than the life of the individual it occupies. The main character traits of the ego are identity definition and legacy establishment. Its primary concern is self-preservation. Its primary operating fuels are fear and pride.

Because the ego was created without a real purpose, it is constantly trying to understand its place on this plane. This is why I refer to the ego as The AM I?. It wants acknowledgement, attention, notoriety, praise and legacy, and is constantly seeking ways and is willing to go to extreme measures to get them.

You can tell The AM I? is governing if there is a sense of desperation and underlying fear present in the motivation behind your decision making. "Am I good enough? Am I pretty enough? Am I going to have enough? Am I prepared enough? Am I going to be laughed at? Am I going to be rejected? Am I going to be critiqued? Am I going to be accepted? Am I going to be acknowledged?" Some teach that these questions are natural to the human condition. However, there is a subtle, yet critical distinction that separates the questions natural to the human condition (separated from the soul) and the natural soul condition (fearing death and wanting immortality). The AM I? Constantly raises “am I” questions and chooses what it will focus on based on the answers… This is the way the mind gets pulled into the plan of The AM I?, because it strategically orchestrates wins and successes for the human it is occupying.

If not careful, these AM I questions can turn into negations (opposite of affirmations) that solidify insecurity. Statements like "I am not ready. I am ugly. I am unworthy" etc.

The Trinity (The I AM)

Contrasting the AM I? against the original alignment of the Soul, Heart and Mind, there are a lot of observable differences; most notably, the object of confidence and the location of fear. The Soul is very clear about its identity, its purpose and its power. And when the three are aligned, miracles are abundant, namely because they work harmoniously as one. Their confidence is located in their alignment… in themselves and fear does not exist. This is the kind of confidence that people are searching for in themselves. This is the kind of confidence that makes people unstoppable. This is the kind of confidence that makes gods out of men and women—empowering everything you speak after the phrase I AM. It is not a question. It is not founded on conditions. It is not looking for approval or acknowledgement or attention or notoriety or praise. It simply is.

Fear is an indicator that the ego is in operation. The Soul is afraid of nothing. "I’m not fearing any man. My eyes have seen the GLORY of the COMING of the LORD!" A coming Lord is a "returning” to the soul. Pride is an indication that the ego is in operation. The Soul doesn’t need pats on the back and other forms of external validation.

To get rid of fear and pride is to get disempower the ego. But the only way to get rid of it is to shift your allegiances. The absence of pride and fear doesn’t equate to the connection between the Soul, Heart, and Mind.

Read the next post: On Becoming a Living Soul (part VI) The next part of this series will discuss establishing that connection, and following parts--what the Christian Faith really means when it teaches Jesus as the only way to GOD.