It's horrible and ranks among modern life's most distressing violations: identity theft. Victims spend months, if not years, dealing with fraudulent accounts, disputing charges, and rebuilding their financial standing. The entire affair feels invasive, exhausting, overwhelming.
But there's another form of identity theft occurring right under our noses. One far more pervasive and damaging than any stolen credit card.
This thief operates so skillfully that most of us never realize we've been robbed. It doesn't want our money—it wants something far more valuable. Our entire sense of self.
The ego mind has pulled off the perfect heist. It has convinced us that we are our thoughts, feelings, and reactions. When anger arises, we don't observe anger—we declare "I am angry!" When anxiety floods through awareness, we don't witness anxiety—we proclaim "I am anxious."
The theft was so seamless we never noticed it happening. The sense of "me" was completely consumed by the objects of experience.
Watch what occurs the next time you open a difficult email. Notice the cascading thoughts: judgment, defensiveness, perhaps the urge to craft a cutting response. Who is generating this internal commentary? Who is dictating your emotional response?
We assume it's "us" thinking these thoughts. But look closer. Much closer.
You are not the author of this mental chatter. The ego mind is feeding you every thought, every feeling, every reaction—and because it has stolen your identity, you believe these automated responses originate from your true self.
Unlike malicious hackers, the ego, thankfully, isn't inherently evil. It's nothing more than a thought system. A very attractive one at that, offering a distinct sense of me-ness. For which we hang on its every command. But a thought system nonetheless, now controlling every aspect of inner experience.
The first step toward reclaiming our true identity? Simply noticing the theft in progress. As A Course in Miracles reminds us: "You are much too tolerant of mind wandering, and are passively condoning your mind's miscreations."
Join me in Thursday's class where we'll explore practices for recognizing this grand larceny and discovering the unassailable peace of our authentic Self. I look forward to seeing you then.