The egoic trap of deceit
Egoic traps are like that proverbial “pothole in the middle road” construct from decades past, where you spent days (or years) falling in the pothole, or wandering around the pothole. Today, a more complete imagery might be like an duplex, a house divided, with two tenants. Our egos live in our duplex body-house and they can be nice tenants or problem tenants. And, these ego-tenants can mostly be okay, with just a few irritating habits; or they can completely run the show wreaking havoc where ever they go. Or, somewhere in between, with the occasional bender.
Until you reach guru or Buddha-mind, getting rid of your ego-tenant is not very likely. And potentially, even at a guru or Buddha-mind level of existence, the ego is still very much there, but likely exists as mere thought forms, which can be observed, without an action taken or matter incarnated. This is not to say that all is lost until you reach Buddha mind; rather this is just to own that egos and egoic traps are actually still operating in our world today.
Living for the applause, or the need for outside approval, or the belief that personal value can only be measured by outside, in-the-world merits: all of those could easily fall under the title “the egoic trap of deceit.”
Longing for applause, not the applause itself, is the slippery slope
The Grounded Relating Monday Music Challenge song “Applause” by Lady Gaga becomes very interesting, especially from this typological or spiritual perspective of egoic deceit. How much does the world influence your life? Do you go with the world’s flow on things with which your own personal ideology does not agree? Do you do things for the family, at the office, for friends, just to get the applause? Or do you consciously choose every one of your actions?
This is not to suggest that getting applause itself is bad. No. It is the longing for the applause that is the slippery slope, a very slippery slope that could lead to that false belief that you are nothing, or that you have nothing, without someone else’s applause, also known as, the egoic trap of deceit. And the only suggestion being made here is that one practice awareness, especially around the need for applause. What is under that need for applause?
Self-love and self-acceptance are the antidote
And if under the applause is self-doubt or self-deceit, applause is likely not the right antidote. Self-acceptance and self-love is likely the better remedy. But remembering Lady Gaga’s song “Applause” might create that instant of space and consideration that prevents a slippery slope occassion and creates a moment of pure need acknowledgement. Listening to “Applause” could make a wonderful meditation practice.
For today’s Monday Music, perhaps we should all ponder how “living for the applause” has worked its sneaky way into our daily lives. Or, we could just own sometimes we all need a little applause, and sometimes we take that need for applause too far. Everything in moderation is a wise, age-old policy. And it is great for finding the balance and maintaining ease.
Lady Gaga’s “Applause” posted on YouTube by LadyGagaVevo:
Enjoy the music, and use the Grounded Relating music challenge to stay present to yourself today.
Full lyrics for Lady Gaga’s “Applause” from the “ARTPOP” album as posted to azlyrics.com :
I stand here waiting for you to bang the gong
To crash the critic saying, “Is it right or is it wrong?”
If only fame had an I.V., baby could I bear
Being away from you, I found the vein, put it in here
I live for the applause, applause, applause
I live for the applause-applause
Live for the applause-applause
Live for the way that you cheer and scream for me
The applause, applause, applause
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights out)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (make it real loud)
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights out)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (make it real loud)
(A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E) Make it real loud
(A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E) Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch
(A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E) Make it real loud
(A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E) Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch
[Verse 2:]
I’ve overheard your theory “nostalgia’s for geeks”
I guess sir, if you say so, some of us just like to read
One second I’m a Koons, then suddenly the Koons is me
Pop culture was in art, now art’s in pop culture in me
I live for the applause, applause, applause
I live for the applause-plause
Live for the applause-plause
Live for the way that you cheer and scream for me
The applause, applause, applause
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights out)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (make it real loud)
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights out)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (make it real loud)
(A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E) Make it real loud
(A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E) Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch
(A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E) Make it real loud
(A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E) Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch
[Bridge:]
Touch, touch
Touch, touch now
Ooh-ooh-ooh-hoo
Ooh-ooh-ooh-hoo
Ooh-ooh-ooh-hoo
Ooh-ooh
I live for the applause, applause, applause
I live for the applause-plause
Live for the applause-plause
Live for the way that you cheer and scream for me.
The applause, applause, applause
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights out)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (make it real loud)
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights out)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (make it real loud)
(A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E) Make it real loud
(A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E) Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (make it real loud)
(A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E) Make it real loud
(A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E) Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch
