The House that Ego Built

On taking down the scaffolding

There comes a time to remove the scaffolding the ego has used to build this home we live in. The framework has been there for so long we forget what the house looks like underneath. We believe it is essential to have these posts and planks around us and are told they are there for good reason. Even sometimes there is netting all around so that the chinks from the mortar do not fall on those walking by. We tell ourselves that the façade that is placed on top of the original structure is essential to protect the home from damage. Though when we really look at it, the dullness is obvious and the lack of character is apparent. Even if an experience removes a post the ego sits on, in the dark of the night it returns the scaffolding in earnest, creating a skeleton around us that appears to hold it all together. For it continues to speak of its importance, and if it is not there the home will be damaged. It says we are not good enough without it, or that we need it to be successful in life. And it likes to tell us we are deteriorating and there are always repairs that need to be made.

Though when we begin to see the game and charade the ego plays with us, we begin dismantling it. Sometimes there is a seismic event where it all comes crashing down to reveal the original structure, but more often than not, it takes removing one piece at a time. And this can be a delicate process, one layer at a time, often from the superficial roof top down to the foundations of our being. Sometimes it requires telling it to fuck off, while other times we need to be compassionate and reveal to ourselves that it is no longer needed. As we do so, it begins to show the ancient architecture that has withstood the test of time and has weathered through storms and changing dynasties. The blueprint of this house of being has always been there, the interior structure is solid, and the patina is a beautiful shade that displays the grace of aging.

So, my friends, be proud of this home you live in, be brave removing this framework we have mistaken as our structure, and inhabit yourselves without a false facade.