101-The inner critic - Buddhism in daily life

07/12/22 • 7 min

Buddhism in daily life - Mindfulness in every day tasks

The inner critic

Many people call the voice in their head a critic who makes their life difficult. For Buddhists, however, it is clear that this critic is the ego, which constantly nags at us.

All day long the ego nags away, it stirs up worries and fears, it criticizes us. In the Buddhist view, the ego is not a critic, but a cause of our sufferings.

It is important (not only for Buddhists, by the way) to silence the ego. Are you always comparing yourself with other people? Do you nag, do you find fault with everything?

Do you end up even suffering from the nag that causes a slaughter or two in your mind palace? Really every person loses an incredible amount of energy to this "critic", did I do this right, am I pretty enough, will I still have my livelihood tomorrow, can I do this, do I know this?

We are sometimes very hard on ourselves, the "inner critic" can be unfair. Do the challenges of life seem huge to you, is every day a struggle?

What if you made peace with yourself? Would anything change? Would it be noticed (except by those closest to you)?

I claim: NO

If you gain power over yourself, you can live in a much more relaxed way, you are no longer in the tension of emotions. For my part, I no longer care about this "inner critic", have turned off the perpetual dialogue with the ego, no longer let myself be thrown off track by self-doubt.

The voice in my head, what is that exactly? Is it an "inner critic", or my ego?

According to the teacher of all teachers, it is the ego that can create a lot of suffering in us. Evolution has given us thinking to evaluate the necessities of existence, to make plans.

However, without limitations, this thinking easily overshoots itself, starts to see dangers that do not exist. Then questions arise that are completely useless, simply because thinking is set up that way, always wanting to be busy.

This is where the teaching of Buddha comes in, who considered this kind of thinking to be unhelpful, since such emotions are based on impermanence, are not directed towards lasting things, and cannot be.

Those who constantly criticize themselves feel bad, inadequate, insufficient. Whoever starts to take the inner critic not so seriously anymore, can finally let go. The endless stories that the mind palace invents will for the most part never come true.

The way is the goal!

The forest is a special being, of unlimited goodness and affection, which makes no demands and generously passes on the products of its life's work; it offers protection to all creatures and provides shade even to the woodcutter who destroys it.

Buddha - "The Enlightened One" - honorific name of Siddharta Gautama - 560 to 480 B.c.

(Please also download my app "Buddha-Blog English" from the Apple and Android stores)

The inner critic

Many people call the voice in their head a critic who makes their life difficult. For Buddhists, however, it is clear that this critic is the ego, which constantly nags at us.

All day long the ego nags away, it stirs up worries and fears, it criticizes us. In the Buddhist view, the ego is not a critic, but a cause of our sufferings.

It is important (not only for Buddhists, by the way) to silence the ego. Are you always comparing yourself with other people? Do you nag, do you find fault with everything?

We are sometimes very hard on ourselves, the "inner critic" can be unfair. Do the challenges of life seem huge to you, is every day a struggle?

What if you made peace with yourself? Would anything change? Would it be noticed (except by those closest to you)?

I claim: NO

The voice in my head, what is that exactly? Is it an "inner critic", or my ego?

According to the teacher of all teachers, it is the ego that can create a lot of suffering in us. Evolution has given us thinking to evaluate the necessities of existence, to make plans.

The way is the goal!

Buddha - "The Enlightened One" - honorific name of Siddharta Gautama - 560 to 480 B.c.

(Please also download my app "Buddha-Blog English" from the Apple and Android stores)

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100-The universe and us - Buddhism in daily life

The universe and us

Our spiritual expectations are great, we like to talk about the universe, we occasionally see ourselves as part of it, but we are immensely afraid of the infinite vastness, of the areas that no human being has ever entered, at least that's what we think.

The pure being is already a mystery, we, our ego, the personality that represents us, the ego, nothing of it we understand even in the beginning, the universe not even in fragments.

But with the Buddhist teaching we can leave behind the human dimension, become one with the great emptiness, whoever recognizes his true Buddha nature can have a deep experience with being, live through all the dimensions of life in all its diversity, leave behind the relative life, turn towards the light that seems dark.

If we want to be unified beings, then we should find our way to the Buddha's path, explore the depth of existences, experience true meaning. But those who prefer to run after material things will probably miss the fork in the road, will not give the necessary meaning to the little things.

Because nothing really makes sense, who adheres to the philosophy of Buddha knows about the singularity, who has escaped the chaos, has left suffering behind. We humans do not have to suffer, if we want to, we simply stop doing so.

But the one who shies away from deep experience will not come to the right place, will not make the appropriate perception, because he/she only wants to satisfy the senses, goes after the transient cravings, is too busy to even begin to comprehend the truth of his/her own existence.

Too much the underlying clarity then makes fear, the fears are omnipresent, then nevertheless still fast with alcohol or drugs "the distance" look for, anesthetize themselves, only not think about everything.

But when life feels right, then the dominoes fall as if by themselves, the incarnation and the cosmos become one, the enlightened state can hardly be described now. In harmony with the environment, with being, with the personality, a tremendous feeling of happiness, which leaves everything material far behind, cannot be compared with the short intoxication.

The meaning of life, which everyone talks about, was clearly named by the teacher of all teachers many centuries ago in his philosophy, over the times many people listened to his explanations, followed him on the way to personal "enlightenment", no longer wanted to suffer, to leave human destiny behind.

Life receives meaning through knowledge, the way there is the goal!

Rarely only a great one appears and does not appear all the time

Buddha - "The Enlightened One" - honorary name of Siddharta Gautama - 560 to 480

(Please also download my app "Buddha-Blog English" from the Apple and Android stores)

Next Episode

102-Beginning - Buddhism in daily life

Beginning

It was a long way to this bench, which was placed under the trees in front of the buildings for the visitors of Shaolin Monastery. Just opposite the monumental entrance area, with a direct view to the temple door, an impressive view. This is where I wanted to go, now I was sitting right in front of it, the world famous martial arts monastery, the center of so many kung fu movies with flying monks, incredible technique and almost superhuman performance, free from pain, the Buddhist martial artists thus within reach.

Now, at the destination of my journey, the courage left me, the doubts returned, unmistakably my annoying ego announced itself, criticized my entire decision. Rainer, what are you doing here, how stupid are you, how did you get this completely stupid idea, you in the Shaolin temple, martial arts from the monks you want to learn, they tear me apart in the air, against such fighting machines you have no chance. So, or so similarly, my ego turned its capers, searched further for reasons, why I should better leave again. I pulled my head in further and further.

Around me, an infinite number of tourists, most of them Chinese, gathered under colored flags, huge groups of travelers, always following a guide, each blaring into a megaphone, incomprehensible sounds, unfamiliar smells, I suddenly wanted to cry, I was suddenly really scared. Probably also of my own courage. How did I get here, what was I doing there?

But if I am already once there, then I could look at least the monastery once, before I would drive in any case with pulled in tail then again home. The laborious journey would not have been worthwhile otherwise in the remotest, and a few pictures could make yes also, as said, if I am already once there, the moment of the disgrace then at least savor, so that I can always remember the disgrace.

With leaden limbs I got up and dragged myself to the entrance, where the crowds were, cultural tourists armed with tickets and umbrellas, the Shaolin Temple was and is an attraction even among the Chinese themselves, attracting millions of onlookers every year. I stood in line to purchase a ticket. As I stood there so quietly, this immense awe gripped me again, the Shaolin Temple China, located in the sacred mountain Song Shan, the cradle of Kung Fu.

This is where I wanted to go, now I was standing at the door, my pants full, my courage chilled, Rainer, how did you come up with this idea?

Today I know: This way was my karma!

To travel well is better than to arrive

Buddha - honorary name of Siddharta Gautama - 560 to 480

(Please also download my app "Buddha-Blog English" from the Apple and Android stores)