The Restory Retreat Centre

Me, in my essential habitat. Photo by R. Du Preez Ego is a ghost who is afraid of dying.                                                                           -Mooji This quote made me smile, but also gave me the very best perspective I have ever had on this shifty concept. Ego. What exactly is it? Where does it reside in me? The clearest idea I could get of it up till now, was that it is a part of self that develops rather early in life, taking all of life's knocks, first relationships and the environment we find ourselves in, and build a safety structure. An identity that has to keep us safe, by warning when to go into pout mode or when a full blown tantrum would have the desired effect. I had the trembling little bottom lip with hazel eyes brimful with tears down pat: no contest there...

Free Stock photo Hilaire Belloc is especially known for his "Cautionary tales for children". He was born in 1870 to a French father and British mother and his biography is quite interesting to read, even though I secretly harbour rather negative feelings for him. The reason being that I suffered considerably in childhood because of one of his rather humorous, but truly brutal cautionary poems, called, "Matilda, little liar." One of my primary school teachers thought it fit to include this poem in our English literature curriculum and the outcome was that, children being what they are, I not only became, Waltzing Matilda, but also, Little Liar. To this day, I cannot fathom what this person was thinking when she chose that poem as I was the type of learner that every teacher wish they had classrooms full of: obedient, quiet, intelligent and extremely hardworking. I would like to add honest to this list, but that might be protesting too much. Then, one day, not...