The Vulture/Ego

A lot of people go around just letting their brain think whatever it likes. They don’t question the thoughts in their head. To them, the thoughts are there, and therefore must be the truth.

For instance, when you audition, you might think-

“I’m not a good enough actor to get this part.”

You hear this thought in your head, and you take it as truth.

What you may not realize is that YOU put that thought there.

Actually you have TWO voices in your head.

There is your ego voice, which is anything that is fear based,

and you have your true voice, which is anything based in love.

This is true for everyone.

Now, it just so happens that the ego voice is much stronger, simply because it gets more exercise. Don’t blame yourself, for it is human nature to think from the ego’s point of view. You have been making the choice to think from your ego for so long that it has become a habit, something you do without even thinking. Therefore, it seems to be the only voice.

Your true voice is much quieter. It doesn’t get out much and when it does it is usually quickly silenced by your ego.

Many people go their whole lives without realizing that they have self-identified strictly with their ego. But, by simply listening to your negative thoughts and self-talk, you create a second “you”; i.e. the one who is listening…. the TRUE you.

I’d like you to imagine moving that negative ego voice out of your head, and see it instead as a vulture on your shoulder, squawking his nonsense in your ear.

You don’t ignore the vulture or pretend it’s not there. That would be like throwing a blanket over it, trying to pretend you don’t have one, with a desperate smile on your face saying-

“Everything’s great! Doesn’t it look like everything’s great?!”

All the while walking around with a big vulture shaped blanket hump on your shoulder!

Everyone has a vulture, so learn how to deal with him. Let him know that although you hear him, you are not interested in what he has to say.

So, let’s try some things:

Let’s say your vulture says, “You’re not a good actor.”

And then you say, “Shut up, I’m not listening to you.”

…Silence.

You’ve done it! The vulture shut up.

But, wait a minute, the brain can’t stand not having a thought in it, and because your true voice is so weakened it’s sitting there in the corner muted.

So, once again, the vulture squawks, “You’re a terrible actor!”

So you think, “I’ll just tell it that he’s wrong.”

And so you say to the vulture, “I am a terrific actor.”

The vulture replies, “No, you’re a terrible actor!”

“Terrific actor!”

“Terrible actor!”

…And this could go on for hours. Boy, do you look silly arguing with a vulture!

If even a part of you doesn’t believe that you are a “terrific actor” then you will perceive that sentence as a lie. You cannot lie to your vulture, even if a part of you believes it to be true.

Your vulture (ego) is a part of you. So, it is just as smart as you. And because it is human nature to want to be “right”, that vulture will argue his points.

So you try something new:

Your vulture says, “You’re not a good actor.”

You reply, “I release my need to be a good actor.”

The vulture replies, “Well, you’re not a good ac-”

…He is dumbfounded. You’re not arguing anymore.

He tries again ”You’re not a good actor.”

You say, “I release my need to be a good actor.”.

…Silence.

He’s sitting there in complete submission.

He realizes that you’re not interested in playing his fear game.

You won! …for now.

And what do you feel?

Free.

Free to be whatever kind of actor you are, which at this moment is a much better one than usual, without all that self-doubt plaguing you!

“I release my need to be a good actor.”

This statement is called an “affirmation”.

Affirmations are the language your “true self” speaks in. They are loving thoughts. They are always true statements, meaning to “affirm” something that is already true.

Some people misunderstand, and incorrectly think that affirmations are lies we tell ourselves to make us feel better.

These people get confused and think they can just “lie” to their ego. They say, “Everything is wonderful! I’m perfect!” But that’s just like pouring pink paint all over an ugly surface, or delicious frosting on a crappy cake. Your ego is far too smart to fall for that. It knows you don’t truly believe what you are saying, therefore it is experienced as a “lie”.

You might think the affirmation-

“I release my need to be a good actor”

-isn’t true for you.

You think, “I DON’T release my need to be a good actor. I want to be a good actor!”

Beware, that is your ego talking. It’s continuing to make its case.

Your vulture is just as smart as you are, it will come up with fantastic arguments to win its case, the case for “fear”.

You must argue the vulture down all his points to truly silence him.

Here’s a typical, successful, conversation:

Vulture: “You don’t deserve to be at this audition.”

You: “I release my need to deserve to be here.”

Vulture: “They’re going to hate you.”

You: “I release my need to impress these people.”

Vulture: “You’re not going to get the job.”

You: “I release and destroy my need to get this job.”

Vulture: “Your agents are going to drop you if you don’t do well.”

You: “I release my need to keep my agents. If they drop me, I wasn’t meant to be with them, and I’ll find someone who believes in me.”

Hopefully, after this, your vulture will be exhausted, and get the point that you’re not interested in what it has to say.

I was speaking with a friend, who had seen some success with affirmations, but was still feeling stuck. Some part of her could not let go of her fearful thinking.

I questioned her about it, and finally she admitted that she didn’t really believe herself when she said the affirmations.

So while she was saying, for instance-

“I release my need to be talented”

-she wasn’t truly believing it, because her vulture was using a small voice in her head to say, “But, I DO want to be talented.”

This created a “credibility gap” inside her. She felt the affirmation was a lie, and therefore was not making any progress. Make no mistake; this was just her ego continuing the fight. Wanting to live in the fear.

I told her she had to get rid of this “gap” or “lie”. And here’s how to do that:

There is one other aspect of this “vulture/ego” vs. “true voice” relationship. There is one more “you” present. It is your highest self. And it looks down at this conversation between your “true voice” and your “vulture/ego” from above.

Your highest self knows that by releasing your need for something, you actually stand a better chance of getting it! It knows that by not needing to do a good job, you actually stand a better chance of doing a good job. It knows that by releasing your need to book the job, you stand a much better chance of booking it!

So, as your true voice says to the vulture, “I release my need to get this job”, it is shares a little wink with your highest self above, relaxed in the knowledge that this all leads to your greater good.

Once you see it this way, you no longer need to feel that you are lying to your vulture. There is no more “credibility gap”.

So, to reiterate, in the debate between your “true voice” and your “vulture/ego” there is also a highest singular you who is watching from above. And he knows that by releasing your need for something, you actually stand a better chance of getting it.

And why is that? Because when you need something you are coming from a place of fear. Fear that you won’t get that which you need.

When you truly release your need for something you relax, you shine, and your true personality comes through. And because we are spiritually all one person, I can assure you that your true personality is attractive and charming because it is honest. Therefore you will stand a better chance of attracting that which you desire.

For years, I was in the habit of having the thought “I need this job.” I found that this thought actually kept me from getting jobs, because it made me feel unhappy and uptight. Like cigarette smoking, habitual thought patterns are very hard to break.

So I created a new habit. When I would go to an audition I would think no other thought but “I release my need to get this job.”

Literally, as I was walking into the audition room, “I release my need to get this job”, as I was shaking the casting director’s hand, “I release my need to get this job”, as I was sitting down and taking out the sides, “I release my need to get this job”. Even as I was doing the scene, during moments when I was not speaking, “I release my need to get this job.”

And every time I said it, I felt something relax in me. I felt lighter and freer.

I continued this for some time. And at each audition the vulture’s need to “get the job” became weaker. Eventually it quit fighting altogether.

Now, I don’t have to consciously put the loving thought there. It naturally pops into my head. My old habit is broken, and I created a new one.

You can use this technique for any issue you have. Just listen closely to what your vulture is saying, and create an affirmation to combat, release and destroy it.

The affirmations you create will be as powerful as you make them. The more focus you give them, the more power they will have in your life. I used to write mine many times over in the mornings. Sometimes, I would make posters of my favorites, and hang them by my bed, or on my refrigerator. Memorize them. Honor your affirmations, for they are the truth, and they will change your life.

Until now, you have let the negative voice of your ego run free in your mind. You have entertained these negative thoughts so much, that like a muscle, they have grown stronger. They have become a habit. They are an automatic reaction to a specific situation. Your negative thoughts seem to come to your head without you being aware that you are the one putting them there. You have been mistaking them for the truth.

It’s time you took back control of your thoughts! There is only one thing you can control in your life, and that is your thoughts.

The negative thoughts will always be there. Everyone has a vulture on their shoulder. It is how you react to those fearful thoughts that will dictate how you experience your life.