We have said that the ego is insane, and one example is its inability to look at true cause and effect. More often, the unobserved mind confuses the effect for the cause.

I will explain, but first I will be clear what is meant by the ego or the “unobserved mind”. A person trapped in ego trusts and believes that “my thoughts, words, and actions are me and I am diminished if any of this is not honored.” With this belief system, honesty about anything becomes impossible.

To ignore, laugh at, or question thoughts and ideas requires that you first recognize yourself not as the mind; rather, as consciousness or awareness—which is beyond the mind. Is there not a “you” who is watching your thoughts and observing everything? Have you ever said, “I’m driving myself crazy”? Who is the “I” and who is the “myself”? Are there two of you, or only one? In fact, the “I” in this sentence is only the egoic mind.

To live unaware of your identity is to lack full vision. This makes you unable to see true causes and effects. For example:

1) A wife believes that the husband’s affair is the cause of her suffering; yet she is unwilling to look at the thousands of things she has done and decisions she has made to co-create this tragic relationship.  

2) A person catches the flu and sees the illness as the cause of suffering; yet is unwilling to look at the hundreds of unhealthy decisions that have weakened the immune system—the stress allowed, the poor diet, the lack of sleep, etc.

3) A man loses his job and goes bankrupt; seeing the loss of employment as the cause of the problem; yet is unwilling to look at the years of poor career choices and the risky and irresponsible financial decisions that left his family vulnerable to the inevitable outcome.

These are just a few of the infinite examples of ego insanity, and if you mention the truth of any situation to a person in the grip of ego, you will be accused of blaming the victim. For there to be a victim, there must be a story about something external that "just happened" to you. The effect must be seen as the cause. Any discussion of the true causes and effects will be considered an insult.

When you recognize yourself as beyond the mind, you no longer take the mind so seriously. You can see your errors without experiencing a negative emotional reaction. You can laugh at your mind’s occasional insanity and, by recognizing it, effortlessly correct it. You can be honest with yourself without carrying any feelings of guilt or shame. You can see love as the only refuge where everything you want is found—and then recognize that it is everywhere and that you are living in paradise.

The mind does what it does and is a useful tool, but the voice in the head is not you. Because your thoughts are not you, you cannot be diminished by anything that is thought, said, or done. Now you have awakened. You are rooted. You have the vision to see reality—including the truths about causes and effects.