Lower Self: Ten Thousand
he 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."
There exist ten thousand worlds,
and all these are contained in man,
without his being conscious of it.
[Darqawi]
Empty yourself of everything.
Let the mind rest at peace.
The ten thousand things rise and fall,
And the Self watches their return.
[Lao Tzu]
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people,
that have set [themselves] against me round about.
[Psalms 3:6]
There are definitely no 'gods' or 'demons' outside of yourself.
[Padmasanbhava]
