Why Losing Yourself is the Key to Finding Yourself

The Paradox of Self

Thomas A. Vik
NirvanaNuke

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Ever tried to lose your keys by looking for them harder?

No? Then why do we think we can find our true selves by clinging tighter to the one we’ve got? Welcome to the paradox of self — where losing it is the only way to find it, and finding it is the only way to lose it. But don’t worry, the only thing you stand to lose is everything you never really had. Confused? Perfect…

…that’s a great place to start.

The Ego is the Illusion that Won’t Let Go

The ego is like that annoying friend who keeps calling even after you’ve blocked their number.

You can try to lose it, but it’s not going anywhere because it doesn’t really exist. The ego is the self’s cheap knockoff — a poorly made replica that insists on being the real deal.

It’s a convincing illusion, though. So convincing that most of us spend our lives pampering it, protecting it, and defending it like it’s the last cookie in the jar. But here’s the catch: the ego can’t be lost because it was never found. It’s like trying to lose a shadow in a dark room. You can’t get rid of what isn’t there. The process of spiritual awakening is the realization that you’re not who you think you are — literally. The…

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