Excerpt from The End of DeathCopyright 2012 Nouk Sanchez
Everything we do without mindful awareness of Spirit, is done with the ego.
Just stop and think about that. This is pretty frightening if most of what we do, we do independently of Spirit. It also means that while we seem to be accomplishing in the world…it is really the ego sabotaging us. While we allow ourselves to be mindlessly distracted by trying to solve the ego’s illusory problems…then it will be the ego manifesting its secret sabotage, disguised as solutions.
Whenever we decide to do something or experience something without consciously inviting Spirit to look at it with us, we will use it as a defense against God’s Love as our Holy Self. This includes both seemingly good and bad experiences. Whether we are in emotional or physical pain or enjoying a blissful experience…engaging in mindful presence is the key to true transformation. Mindful presence with Spirit, is the complete absence of judgment including self judgment. When there is judgment, the ego is doing the looking. There are no good or bad experiences; they are either helpful or not depending on if we do them with the ego, or whether we are present with Spirit. Everything good or bad can be used by Spirit to help us awaken from fear.
I had independently controlled my exercise routine for many years, and did not really invite Spirit in to do it with me because I had a secret fear that Spirit would sabotage it (ego projection again). After all, the ego thought it knew better than Spirit; that I needed to follow a routine religiously because if I dared to deviate from it, then I’d risk falling back. I then remembered to ask the most important question of all time, “what is this for?” Why was I doing this? Was the intent from fear or from Love?
Asking this question of everything we do is very important. And through this deeper level of self inquiry, we can unearth all the hidden ego laws and agendas that our defenses have concealed.
“Let no defenses but your present trust direct the future, and this life becomes a meaningful encounter with the truth that only your defenses would conceal.” W-135.19:2.
This kind of self inquiry reveals just how many senseless ego laws we have placed ourselves under. While believing in them, we unknowingly expect them and must then attract them into our experience. When we  maintain allegiance to these laws, we essentially reject God’s Laws in our experience; hence the lack of consistent miracles, joy, Love and security in our lives. As we cling to ego’s laws we unknowingly hold ourselves hostage to a hierarchy of illusions. This translates to blocking the miracle. And while we invest in a hierarchy of illusions we cannot truly understand or experience the profound truth and joy, that there is no order of difficulty in miracles. By continuing to value the ego’s laws, we sadly reject the miracle.
Discovering Our Hidden Ego Laws
What are the hidden ego laws (expectations) behind our defenses? Here are some examples of self inquiry.
Examples of common ego defenses; undertaken with the ego: exercise, dieting, medication, supplements, sacrifice, financial frugality increases security, paying bills, shopping, etc.
Examples of conscious ego beliefs, laws: Exercise slows down the aging process. Dieting sheds weight. Medication heals the body. Â Supplements increase health. Sacrifice and struggle get me what I want. Saving increases financial gain, etc.
Example of hidden ego fears and unconscious expectations: Following here, are some of the destructive beliefs we discover when we begin radical self inquiry. What actually lies behind all our defenses? What is it that we hide from ourselves? It is the ego’s belief that the body is ‘who’ I am. The body appears to be more powerful than the mind. I must therefore be a body. And the world I see must be real. If I believe I am a body, and not the mind, then I also believe that I am powerless over the ravages of the body, disease, aging, scarcity, conflict, pain, depression, loss, abandonment, betrayal, separation, time and death. My belief then is that I must independently defend myself (without Spirit) from attacks made by the body and the world.
The truth that the ego never wants us to discover is that whatever I defend against, I make real in my perception. Now I have made the body, the world and attack real. Furthermore, I cannot forgive what I have made real. True forgiveness can only take place when I take responsibility for what my ego projected. I see that all attack is always self-attack, regardless of the form it takes. I then surrender my mistake to Spirit, and accept my inheritance being the miracle of healed perception instead. This is the Atonement.
My will is as powerful as God’s Will. And if I defend myself, I must expect attack. God’s Will cannot save me from my independent ego will’s expectations. I then expect to be hostage of the body, the world and time through my defense against it. This is exactly what the ego wants and how it keeps its power in our perception and subsequent experience.
 Turning our Mistaken Beliefs over to Spirit
Once you have unearthed some ego beliefs that you wish to surrender, you might find the following prayer helpful.
“Spirit, please accept my unconscious ego beliefs and expectations (idols). I do not want to be hostage to these ego laws any longer. I sincerely offer you these beliefs and will try to bring mindful awareness into all I do from now on. This means that as I ______(eat, take medication, supplements, manage finances, pay bills, go shopping, interact with others, exercise, etc)_____, I bring your Loving presence and wisdom into my awareness, suspending all judgment. As I gradually discover and surrender these ego beliefs to you, I trust that you will increase my trust in you (Spirit). And show me how to free myself from all ego beliefs and laws.”
Much of what we do, we do from fear and not from Love, until we discover and surrender our hidden defenses or idols. When we interact with others, do we do it with the ego? Or are we mindfully present with Love? When we listen to thoughts in our mind, do we believe the inner critic who casts judgment? Or do we choose only to believe the Voice for Love? Because we will not hear the Holy Self until we learn to disregard the inner critic.
When we eat, whom do we eat with? Do we eat mindlessly with fear? Or do we eat mindfully with Love? When we review our bank account or pay bills, which inner teacher do we allow to influence our perception? If there is a belief in scarcity then the ego is looking. Any sense of fear or scarcity is an immediate sign of inner conflict. It’s a prompt urging us to offer up our erroneous perception and accept Atonement instead. The true shift to abundance occurs when we relinquish the only cause of scarcity, which is our fear (guilt). Contrary to the ego, if we attempt to solve scarcity issues from fear…we manifest more scarcity.
So many of the common things we value in the world are unrecognized ego idols. They act as defenses against finding our infinite security within as our Holy Self. These are the defenses that block our awareness of Love’s presence; our infinite Love, abundance and security. What I am learning is that my emotional and physical health depend on listening within, and never on any worldly form that the ego hijacks as a defense against Love.
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Excellent article, Nouk. It seems as though our paths are very similar when it comes to exercise and food; I can definitely relate to the ego beliefs mentioned!
Hi Laura…thanks, I’m so glad you found it helpful.
Love, Nouk
Beautiful and ty sister. Clear communication, holding the Light to expose the Truth. I will read this again and take it to it’s deepest level of healing. Your our JOY.
Happy it helps Rose!
Love,
Nouk
Hi Nouk,
This affirms so much of my experience in undoing. Thank-you so much. The more focus I place on the body; the more I am invested in it through all the emphasis the dream puts on it; the less I will remember what I Am. I think of Jesus walking in a body knowing he is the Spirit of Love but only using the body as a communication device to share Truth with all. So whenever I get tempted, I tell myself I am the Sprit of Love; I will also use the prayer you listed above when temptation to seek magic for the body overtakes me.
Thank-you so much for your service in writing this book. It will really speed up the awakening process.
When is it coming out so I can order it.
Hi Linda,
So glad you resonate and find this material helpful. And this…is just the tip of the iceberg!
Thanks for walking this journey, as you heal we all heal.
The book is due for release around early-ish 2013 and we’ll announce it in our newsletter: http://www.undoing-the-ego.org/newsletter.html
Love,
Nouk
Hey Nouk–thanx for the ongoing postings, you keep me focused like no other. Much Love
Happy it helps Sally…all this writing is really keeping me focussed too!
Big Love,
Nouk <3
Hi Nouk. Thanks for your article. The past few years I have had lots of successful executive coaching clients. For a much longer time I have nurtured this vision of getting my work out to the larger world. It seems the Universe has arranged things perfectly so I can do that. Most of my work has fallen away, giving me time but little income. I’ve used the time to complete my next book, trusting that this direction in which I feel compelled is right. So, I am living on faith right now, but the fear creeps in sometimes. Your article reminds me that prayer should not be the last resort, but the first. Yet, I have to remind myself hourly to ask for guidance as my ego, who is unqualified to make this happen, wants to take over. I don’t know that my new book will sell in the numbers I have envisioned or as quickly as I tell myself I need. I am only trusting that the activity of doing this will turn out for the best, whether or not it sells. I am trusting that life will unfold in the best way possible, and I am vigilant for miracles, synchronicities, and indicators as to what my actions should be. Your article is helpful in my present moment journey.
Blessings to you, Bill.
Hi Bill,
Yes! Prayer should not be the last resort, but the first. Just keep at it, developing TRUST in Spirit that is. Like you, with this new book…I have no idea if it will take off or not. But we juat have to release all agenda’s, all expectations in order to drop into the required level of trust that will eventually catapult us out of all scarcity perception.
Thanks so much for sharing…all this helps me too.
Many Blessings,
Nouk
Hello Nouk, I feel so blessed by these postings. Thank you. You are giving me something I’ve been looking for but seemed blind to. After 4 years of ACIM study I know it to be my path. I have been diligent in my work with it, but, somehow, I needed to go deeper. I have been noticing how sneaky and persistent ego is for me. A constant mindless chatter. Since I’ve been reading your postings I’m working with the Course much differently. My body and finances are my biggest fear traps/blocks right now. I feel renewed in my approach to these “forgiveness opportunities” and having this new perspective is showing me a different Course than the one I was using. My gratitude is overflowing as I begin my Course anew. My trust is greater and I feel more deeply connected to Holy Spirit. You are a mighty companion,
Mary Ann
Hi Mary Ann,
Thanks for sharing…your feedback helps me too. I’ve been at this (ACIM) for more than 20 years. But it’s only been the last 18 months that I have been blessed to receive these deeper teachings. I am happy that they are resonating with you and helping you to develop more trust in Spirit.
With Love, Nouk
I absolutely identify with this. It is very clear to me that this body has been an idol most if no all my life. I so want to turn this body and all the beliefs I have I er to the Holy Spirit for him to repurpose it for being truly helpful.
Hi Nouk. I’m just beginning my journey and I am amazed at all my ego fears. The fact that I can see some of my fears more clearly is an indication of good progress. I am also being led to such wonderful writings. Thanks for sharing your article. I really enjoyed the prayer to join with spirit. Love and Peace. Kathleen
Hi Kathleen,
I am happy that you are looking at your fears WITH Spirit…and releasing them.
Love, Nouk
Hello Nouk, it is lovely to witness how your life has flowered. Your experiences in the last two years have only deepened what you have to share. We think of you and Thomas often. Maria
Hi Maria! How wonderful to receive your beautiful response here! Yes…Tomas’ passing was indeed a very powerful catalyst for my recent accelerated growth. And he’s with me through it all too…what a miracle that there is MORE profound communication between us now, than ever before.
With Love and gratitude to you,
Nouk
I like you Nouk.
As always Nouk, I’m led to open those oats I need to hear and this was one for sure. Even though I ” know” I still get caught and am going through that phase, again, right now. The difference this time is I gently bring myself back and with your lovely reminder I can do that with even more assurance in where my safety really lies! Much gratitude as always for your direct teaching. Love you and miss you too!
Oops posts not oats!
Dear Nouk, I am immersed in the TTC with Amber as our facilitator. Thank you so much for your clarity and support in this journey. I am really appreciating your guidance and the TTC family.
Much love, Becca Ferry
Hi Becca, I am touched by your heartfelt gratitude! So glad you’re with Amber in the TTC too. Big Love, Nouk đź’™
I love the way that ego beliefs are released and replaced with the Holy Spirit. Love the way that our trust in God is strengthened. I was concerned for a minute there. We’re not being told not to take meds, but to at least do it Mindfully. You’re the best. Thanks.