Our ego chases us like an eagle trying to hunt its pray. In the case of Riggan Thomson, his hunter has its own name: Birdman, who stalks him with the memory of his iconic portraying of this superhero and with the pursuit of his next box-office hit, in order to bring to the present moment the success and acknowledgement that he lived in the past.
For the rest of us, Birdman shows itself in a more subtle way and has a less blockbuster name: EGO. This character is just the collection of memories and beliefs gathered by the mind in the past. Based on these, it judges each and every element of your life, while it tries to make decisions in order to survive. This way, it destroys the existent connection between the main character of your life (your Soul) and the present moment.
The Soul is curious by nature; for her nothing is good or bad, that’s why she doesn’t suffer or make rebellious scenes. But for her antagonist, the unknown is a source of fear, anxiety and danger. For this villain everything is catalogued as good or bad, happiness or sadness… turning life into an endless roller coaster ride.
Meditation: Identifying your ego’s voice
Every time you detect your Birdman getting ready to go hunting for your obedience, practice this short meditation to prove this eagle wrong and show him, and yourself, who is in control:
- Close your eyes for 5 minutes and notice with full awareness the Birdman (ego) that inhabits your mind.
- Focus on patiently listening to your ego’s voice without judging it nor fighting with it. Give it a chance to talk.
- It’s time for you to realize that you are the consciousness that listens to this mental voice (your ego).
- Never forget that it is up to you to obey or not your ego’s beliefs.
Practice this meditation at least three times a day if you are determined to dissolve your ego’s fears and negativity. Give it a try for a complete week. You’ll start embracing the fact that you are not your mind. You have the freedom to ponder about each belief stored in this place and prove it wrong. You can take power away from your Birdman, just by listening to him closely with the objective of losing any identification with this rebellious bird.