The Sophisticated Ego

The Sophisticated Ego

“A sophisticated ego, far more dangerous than the ordinary raw quality of the uncultured ego, which can be easily traced to where it is.” 

“The sophisticated ego becomes more and more difficult to find.  It becomes so subtle that it goes on slipping from your hands.  And it becomes so clever at changing its faces.  If it can change its face to meekness, humbleness, surrender, then what else do you want it to do?  It is doing almost the impossible: it is pretending to be its opposite.”  - Osho “The Magic of Self-Respect” – pg. 225

America is filled with the common raw arrogant egos and it is also filled with the sophisticated ego.  The ego is so strong in America; it comes in so many different forms.  You would truly have to be a Zen Master in order to teach the Martial Arts to Americans the right way.  If you are not a Zen Master, there will be no way that you will succeed in properly teaching the Martial Arts.  Finding the right path on your own is hard enough.  Guiding somebody else towards the right path spiritually is even harder.  It is a challenge for all Martial Art teachers that is not easily accomplished.  Because of the difficulties, it is understandable why much of the spiritual training in the Martial Arts has been abandoned in America and the final result ends up becoming combat sport or basic self-defense instruction.