1) avoid reacting to things (this is a big one)
if i react to a situation or person’s behaviour, i’m more likely to react again next time.
i.e. when learning to juggle, avoid focusing on chasing the balls that get dropped.
focus on the task of juggling.
if you focus on chasing the balls, that’s what you will get, because that’s where you attention is.
* if you need to respond, do so. this has a different energy to it.
it has attention and thoughtfulness.
2) avoid giving descriptions of things that have happened in the past, and or complaining.
i.e. “my husband was cutting the grass yesterday, and i said: why don’t you bla bla bla…
and he said: bla bla bla…, then i said: bla bla bla…
can you believe the said that? i mean really…”
i see and hear this happening so much these days.
often people will repeat the same story to each person they come accross, in thier day.
* what this does is, increase the internal dialogue in one’s head.
we want mind-full-ness, not mindlessness.
3) spend some time in the now
the ego primarily lives in in time; past or future,
so having some now time helps to bring the mind into the present.
an example: during my lunch hour, i would go and sit near the fountain and listen & watch the water.
or sit with the pigeons (and feed them sometimes). animals are in the now, so they remind us to be present.
4) reduce your t.v. time
particularly news & current affairs.
the ego thrives on opinions, drama & emotions.
i program my t.v. time and record only what i want to see.
that way i can fast forward through the adds.
5) reduce self-focusing (decentralize)
narcissism is on the rise, and i’m not just talking about facebook.
we have a saying in Oz: “look at me, look at me…” (from Kath & Kym)
needing to be the centre of attention with have the ego thriving.
the more attention it gets the more it wants.
6) practice loving kindness
the ego doesn’t like loving kindness, it likes conflict and drama.
‘the ego is suspicious at best and vicious at worst’. ACIM.
these practices are something you can do on a daily basis (very practical).
they are very powerful.
# footnote: i’m not saying that all ego is bad.
just offering solutions to reduce the ego.
David Hawkins says: treat the ego as if it were a pet.
avoid admonishing or trying to attack it.
this will only make it stronger, as you are saying, in effect, that it exists (the false self) and is very real.
hope this is helpful.
Noir 
Fabulous list. I’ve got some work to do. Great post.
Thanks Terry.
Love everything about this post!
Thank you.
Great post. I love how these practices also translate to the work, photography or otherwise.
Yes. agreed.
especially the not reacting stuff.
Thank you.
L’égo un ami qui vous veux du bien, mais fait aussi beaucoup de mal.
Je suis d’accord avec vous.
good post ~ minimize the ego – life is more meaning full and fun that way
agreed 🙂
even more we have in common 🙂 Good post ! what’s surely one of my adages is nr 3. As i wrote by chance one of these days (altered slightly):
caress the little moments !
That’s also one of my essentials
and another good reason for photography :)))
(which referred to your Flickr Discussion :D)
plzzz send the news letter on my mail id
T.V. rates next to computer games. Bad news and a waste of time. Too many photos to be taken and a living/breathing world to communicate with. I admit, I watch NCIS, but no news/politics. I can get depressed on my own. Time to take snow photos tonight. See you later.
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Excellent, well thought out and well written, accessible and inspiring post! Reblogged!
thank you.
cheers, Gavin.
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That’s useful, thank you.
U R welcome.
Good tips! I think ego’s are related to cats.
Thank you for taking the time to read Haiku 15.
Alexander
🙂 🙂 🙂 thank you.
i’m coming to this late, but there’s no such thing as ‘late’ with these, they stand the test of time. excellent
i agree.
this is one of my better posts 🙂
thank you John.
Sometimes that “Now Time” is so elusive. And the ego definitely does not like be crowded out of it. Great post Sedge.
Many thanks.
Very good..
Thank you.
Brillant post, and not just because of Kath & Kym reference, lol. Recently read a book called How To Be Free by Tom Hodgkinson – you might appreciate it.
Thank you. I will look it up.
Cool! Let me know what you think!
Awesome.
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