Finding your "true" self ( as opposed to your "fake" one)

Lately i've been noticing alot of references to this common endeavor that many people nowadays seem to be struggling with, the practice referred to as "finding your true self". A book on dreams I had lying around the apartment claimed to "unlock the key to your true self" , and women on Oprah shows debate and agonize over steps needed to be taken in order to finally realize one's "true" self.

To add to all of this, last week a man ran into the store I currently work at with sortof a crazed look in his eyes, disheveled hair, he seemed a little out of breath too. He offered me brochures to one of Deepak Chopra's live talks that's going on in Montreal this month and added very enthusiastically "He can help you to realize your true self", and widened his eyes excitedly as if this were something that everyone should spend every waking minute striving toward. It certainly seemed as if this were something he was spending alot of time on. I smiled and took the brochures, propped them up awkardly on the counter and bade him farewell. My first instinct was to share in this man's enthusiasm ( I actually see alot of value in spiritual practices), but because of what I had been thinking about, this whole thing about self-discovery seemed a little odd to me. I mean, shouldn't you know yourself better than anyone else? There's not one other person in this world that you've spent more time with. Is the power of subjection really that strong? Or is it because we get confused with who we we are and who we want to be.

Is there really such thing as a fundamental SELF that makes us different than anything or anyone else in the universe? If there is, is that the same self that existed when we were five years old? What about when we were in the womb? Who was that person?

And I ask alot of people what they think about this and many people tell me that they don't know who they are at all, but that they're trying to figure it out.

Is there such thing as a SELF, or is it just our egos talking?

The Easter Bunny Has Many Faces

What I am about to describe here is shocking, scary, some would even call it...offensive. It all starts with a simple enough event, Easter which of course is right around the corner and so we expect to be indulging in chocolate pleasures, have some ham and scalloped potatoes then call it a day. Of course, for the children we talk about that mysterious creature, that "thing", that gigantic big footed ghostly white entity that we call the Easter Bunny.

Seems innocent enough, sure, he (or she) loves children and showers them with all the sweet wonders they could ever hope for.

But how benign is this creature, I urge you all to be on the watch 24/7 because honestly people, the idea of this monstrous being sneaking into my bed at night is concerning me a little.

Mount Kailash

It is the center of the physical & metaphysical universe to the Hindus, and also the seat of Shiva. To the Buddhists it is a terrestrial projection of the cosmic mandala, the wheel of life.