In this podcast Eckhart talks about the pitfalls of the ego and the need to feel superior. He explains we seek an identity through external distinction like wealth, fame, even our nationality, to dispel the anxiety that we’re not enough. He says the focus on image creates a false sense of self. He shares examples from his own life. Growing up Eckhart’s family struggled financially, which left him with low self-esteem. He asked why bad things always seemed to happen to him. To bolster his feelings of inadequacy, Eckhart says he pursued intellectual achievements which came easily. But his sense of superiority soon vanished in the wake of his negative thinking. Eckhart says for a time, he sought refuge in complaining and victimhood. But after he experienced an awakening, the old patterns gave way to something greater, and his self-hate evaporated. He explains he finally understood the meaning of Buddha’s teachings about suffering and the end of suffering and how liberation emerges when we release the ego’s grip.

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