Holger:
I need a short intro to Magdi Badawy’s ‘me-virus’ teaching tool.
Ai:
Magdi Badawy’s teachings often refer to a concept he calls the “me-virus” or the “virus of ignorance,” which is central to understanding his perspective on suffering and liberation. Here’s an introduction to this concept:
● The Core of the “Me-Virus”:
The “me-virus” is essentially the belief that “I am a person,” “I am a separate mortal entity,” or that “consciousness is limited and personal”. This belief is considered the root of unhappiness, fear, and the sense of separation.
● Identification:
The “me-virus” operates through identification with various aspects of our experience, including our bodies, minds, roles, and stories. This identification creates a sense of a limited “me” that is subject to time, space, and the world’s conditions. This also leads to the construction of a personal narrative based on memories and beliefs.
● The Source of Unhappiness:
According to Magdi, thoughts that are infected with the “me-virus” are inherently unhappy thoughts and are often accompanied by bodily contractions. This unhappiness can be a warning sign that you are operating from a place of ignorance and separation, rather than your true nature. The more you hold onto a “me” narrative, the deeper your angst.
● Contrasting Thoughts:
Magdi explains that there are thoughts that are not contaminated by the “me-virus,” that have some intelligence to them. These thoughts may be practical or celebratory, or they may be contemplative thoughts about reality, truth and God. These thoughts may have a certain excitement and fearlessness, and can lead to more joy and well being.
● Freedom from the “Me-Virus”:
The path to freedom, according to Magdi, lies in recognizing that you are not a limited “me” but rather the formless awareness or consciousness that is aware of experience. This awareness is universal, boundless, and beyond the limitations of the body, mind, and personal history. By understanding the “me-virus,” you can begin to disidentify from it and rest in your true nature as pure awareness.
● Living Impersonally:
One way to apply this understanding is to live as impersonally as possible. This means acting from a place of universal harmony and fairness for everyone, rather than from a self-centered perspective. It also means not readily buying into the old story lines of “me, my life, my family, my future,” etc.
● The Nature of Awareness:
It is important to note that this awareness is not an object, but the very ground of being from which all experiences arise. This awareness is self-cognitive, knows itself as that which is, and cannot not be.
● The Invitation:
The “me-virus” is a habitual belief, and freedom from it is a constant invitation to recognize your true nature. The invitation is not a doing but a letting go.
In essence, the “me-virus” is a conceptual tool to help you understand the root of your suffering as a mistaken identification with a limited self. By recognizing it and turning your attention to your true nature as formless awareness, you can experience freedom, peace, fulfillment.
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