I offer this quote not to imply that Mr. Cohen is involved in any such game, I don’t know him, have never met him, and am only recently becoming slightly familiar with his teachings via signing up to receive his emails, so I would not presume to know his “level” of enlightenment. I do mention that quote because the ‘ego” does seem to be construct phenomenon that expresses and reflects one’s identity, and that has held some fascination not only for ‘self-involved’ individuals, but also psychotherapists, and certainly spiritual seekers and spiritual teachers. [To Ego or not to Ego that is the question].

I do not consider myself awakened. Something in me likes the idea that I am actually in truth already awakened and just haven’t realized it yet or awakened to that reality [but that's a whole different theme]. I don’t know what Mr. Cohen awakened to in the experience he shared, but it certainly sounds like it was a beautiful, numinous, empowering experience. These rare moments [I've had my own version of a potent and numinous moment] are often challenging to find adequate words to describe. Many or most reading these comments can probably attest to such an experience for themselves. Yet it is the attempt at finding such adequate language that is important because the import of the experience itself, what it holds energetically, perhaps even its catalitic potential, necessitates the painstaking exploration in the utilization of language to convey that potential.

I mention this because some of what Mr. Cohen wrote left me with guess work as to what he meant, or a sense of wanting deeper clarification. What exactly is meant by ‘Big Self”, it seems to be a general classification referencing the territory beyond the individual ego [but perhaps capable of utilizing it?]. The ‘power’ phenomenon he referenced reminded me of what A. H. Almass in his book ‘The Pearl Beyond Price’ refers to as the latif of strength [one aspect of several divine aspects conveyed throughout and interpenetrating the body mind consciousness] when sufficient movement and shift has occured to allow for such a instreaming reception to occur. Different teachers [from different spiritual paths, lineages, countries] will emphasize different aspects of the so called awakening phenomenon. As we are increasingly becoming a world culture it seems imperative for our conceptual perspectives, and the language that houses them, to deepen and clarify themselves so that misunderstanding can be kept at a minimum. I paste two paragraphs from ‘The Pearl Beyond Price’ that I feel is relevent to a deep consideration of the ‘ego issue’ and it’s relation to the larger matrix of spiritual awakening.

“An identifiction with ego is incompatible with the complete experience of Being, and thus the apparent dichotomy between the reality of the man of spirit and the experience of the man of the world has a very real basis, it is also true that it is possible for human beings, even in the process of moving towards identification with ego as children, to be open to the realm of Essence. In fact, the arising of the different aspects of Essence is part and parcel of normal human development. Our understanding of how essence arises in children and then is put aside in favor of ego identifications is a new and rather surprising set of observations, which at first glance fits neither into the object relations understanding of human development nor into the world of impersonal being.

Human beings are born into the realm of Being, and from the beginning manifest the true differentiated aspects of Being. This Being is never totally lost, and actually manifests in the child in predictable and supportable ways. It is true that awareness of this Being is lost in the process of the structuring of and identification with ego, but by understanding in detail this structuring, and the patterns of identification, we can actually remember in detail the process of our “forgetting.” We can remember, understand and undo this forgetting, retrieving what has been suppressed and opening the way for growing into true maturity and realization.”

So it seems to me that the “Bigness” that wants to express itself in relationship to the world is not the bigness of the ego, but our essence, in all its various divine aspects, that can interface with the ego [or rather transmuted ego] for the purpose of enacting service and love of the highest intention and unfolding capacity.

Well if there is one sentence, one statement, from everything that’s been written in the comments as well as Andrew’s blog, that I would like to settle in my heart, it would be this.

Such a one can recognize himself or herself, by awakening “knowledge about knowledge,” which is to say they have been living previously in conformity to the divine dharma, but had not made themselves aware of it. In general such a one hides in the human population, by allowing their forceful conclusion that their personalities are superior to his own, to stand. Even so, they may be locking him down to five percent or less of his potential, which can only be released in a field devoid of hostility.

There is the Buddhist version, the advaita version, the new age version, the psychology version etc.

If Ego is the root of the intelectual mind, the sense of separation resulting from attachment to perceptions, from identification with a false self, would increasing the sense of separation result in realization of wholeness ? or would increasing the amount and diversity of things encompassed in the false self show us our true self ?

Thanks !