Lower Self: The Ten Thousand I`s
The lower self is a collection of attitudes, dreams, and mechanical habits that dwell within a man. There is not an unchangeable ‘I’ that is always the same. Rather, a man's many thoughts, emotions and sensations are his ‘many I`s’, which are traditionally numbered as ten thousand. As the ten thousand I's randomly assert themselves, each one mistakenly takes itself to be 'real I', and moreover, constantly interferes with the effort to simply Be Present. Jesus Christ said, "Thine enemies shall be they of your own household."
Man is a plurality. Man's name is legion.
-- Gurdjieff
And Jesus asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
-- The Bible, Mark 5 - 9
There exist ten thousand worlds,
and all these are contained in man,
without his being conscious of it.
-- Darqawi
Near and yet you cannot see them.
This is the nature of the ten thousand things.
-- Bodhidharma
It is always a danger to the aspirant on the path when one begins to believe and act as if the ten thousand idiots who so long ruled and lived inside have all packed their bags and skipped town or died.
-- Hafiz
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people,
that have set [themselves] against me round about.
-- Bible, Psalms 3 - 6
