Moving from ego-center to zero-center

Sparrows and plum blossoms, by Hishida Shunso, 1910

 On Insight Hour Podcast #167, "Self and Self Loss," Joseph Goldstein talks about 3 levels of "dualism."  The talk is structured around these 3 levels of dualism/ dualistic thinking.  He references Ken Wilbur's book: Spectrum of Consciousness.

The three levels are: our separation from ALL things (the universe), the separation between ego and body, and, even within the I, the separation between personae and shadow.

Through mindfulness practice, we can explore our shadow side -- and it's necessary to welcome it, not hide it; we can think of the mind and body as a Centaur -- it's not like the mind (human rider) is on/controlling the body (horse), the two are united; and we can move from "ego-center" to "zero-center."  He says that we are not machines that are waiting for sounds to come.  Instead, "experience shows" that there is just hearing at that moment.  Our bodies and the environment create something together -- we "are" the hearing (or thinking, etc).  We don't have to do anything to hear.  It's always already happening.  

This is the clearest understanding that I've had about this important Buddhist concept (psychological concept? reality concept?)

The third level references the ego from our whole self. Goldstein talks at length about Jung's idea of the shadow. 

There are so many parts of our experience which we don’t like, we don’t want to be there. We condemn, we judge, we push away—it can be difficult feelings in the body, difficult emotions, feelings of hatred, rage, unworthiness, loneliness, profound alienation. It can be so many things, so many parts of the mind that are the shadow side. The process of healing, the process of integration, is a willingness to open to all of those sides, to see the shadow in all its manifestation.

In this episode, Joseph dives into:

• How we create the concept of duality/separation (self and other, inside and outside, persona and shadow, etc.)
• Understanding our practice of Dharma as reintegrating and unifying
• Using mindfulness to shine light on our shadow by making the subconscious conscious
• Moving from the ‘ego-center’ to the ‘zero-center’ using the intermediate space of love (a very deep appreciation, respect, and openness for every moment’s experience)
• Carlos Castaneda and the relationship between impeccability and emptiness