Is Identity an Obstacle to Enlightenment?
Identity: Is it better to have some or none at all? Is it always the obstacle to enlightenment or is it only a problem when there is craving and clinging to one?
Response:
The identity arithmetic you describe is besides the point. Our identities are important and limiting all at the same time.
My identity as a father is important. As a father, I make decisions for the benefit of my family, not just for myself. It’s one of the best identities I have.
I also play the part of an independent thinker; someone who doesn’t necessarily buy the status quo. This identity is often troublesome. It’s mouthy, contrarian, and self centered.
Being the father, I don’t always take care of myself. Sometimes being an independent thinker pays off.
Knowing the purpose and function of our identities is enabling. With them we can craft a happier life.
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Some of the time, when I feel the tug of suffering on my heartstrings, I’m able to wake up, notice an obsession with a particular identity, and let it go. Sometimes I double down and I amplifying the suffering. When I identify as a failure, I end up in a downward spiral.
Identity is natural to humanity, we cannot part with it in the same way we would not part with our hands. They are both tools. A skilled craftsman knows the purpose of a tool. They know how and when to use it. Knowing the purpose and function of our identities is enabling. With them we can craft a happier life.
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Dialectic Two-Step is an ongoing series of my thoughts on questions that come my way.
Wisdom lies neither in fixity nor in change, but in the dialectic between the two. - Octavio
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The post Is Identity an Obstacle to Enlightenment? written by Andrew Furst appeared on Andrew Furst.
