Excerpt from An Exhortation by Ayya Khema
Self-identification with oneās state of being is the great trap. So we must first become aware of the props we use to maintain who we think we are. It begins with: āIām a womanā or āIām a man.ā Thereās strong identification. Thereās strong support for the ego, for that āI amā is the ego itself talking. Next we identify with our abilities and our knowledge. āThis is what I can doā and āThis is what I know.ā Two further strong supports for the ego.
Excerpt from Self-image or Self-knowledge?
Let go of all self-images, of all ideations, of all hopes and plans. Then you can dwell in this particular momentāand no one can take that away from you. It canāt disappear, or be broken, or get lost. It just is. Security lies in the simple fact that in essence one has nothing and one is nothing.