Just observing and not reacting

Having worked on just observing, and not reacting, prepares us for the next step. When we are out of balance with fear, anxiety, anger, jealousy, or excessive desire, we cling tight. We hold on for dear life. What do we cling to? Our ego! Although it is counter-productive, it is a deeply ingrained habit. We must recognize this pattern and work to loosen the tight grip. Take a few slow deep breaths. Remember the ego is not real. It is fabricated by our mind, just like a hallucination. As we begin the mantra, “our ego is not real,” slowly gaining familiarity, we begin to see through the tricky ego, and recognize it is nothing more than a hallucination!