Meet The Monkey Mind — Overcome The Ego, Fear & Suffering In Daily Life - by Oliver Gohari

COURSE

Meet The Monkey Mind — Overcome The Ego, Fear & Suffering In Daily Life

With Oliver Gohari

We are all born with a mind and an ego — a personal narrative, a name, and a story. In the Buddhist tradition, it is often described as the 'monkey mind.' For thousands of years, this survival mechanism kept us safe. But today, for many of us, the logical thinking mind and ego have become a burden, driving us into an abyss of inadequacy, fear, and limitation. Over the next 111 videos, we are going to change that. You are embarking on a profound journey to study the inner workings of your own ego, cultivating a loving relationship toward this aspect of your being. By bringing deep awareness to its patterns and shadows, you will learn to step back from its grip, forgive its presence in others, and operate beyond its limits. This course also incorporates elements of Non-Duality, Taoism, and Buddhism and Sufism. The goal is to have fun, awaken, and grow spiritually — all at the same time. Through guided practices, analogies, discussions, and self-study, you will nurture and activate another aspect of your being, known as awareness, essence, consciousness, or the soul. It is time to step out of survival mode, evolve, and reconnect with your raw, organic state of being—your true essence. My name is Oliver Gohari, and I'm warmly inviting you to take this journey of 111 videos with me. See you in the first video.


Meet your Teacher

Oliver Gohari is a transformational coach, author, speaker, and functional wellness specialist with over twelve years of experience in the wellness & spirituality industry. He is known as a no-nonsense mind-body-spirit expert who translates advanced concepts into practical real-life wisdom. He has worked with elite athletes, international corporations, retreats, and global festivals, helping bring holistic wellbeing and inner transformation into more mainstream settings. He holds a Master’s degree in Nutrition and is a certified yoga trainer. He establishes with physical wellbeing, supporting people to show up to life with greater clarity about who they are, pursue success sustainably, and maintain a deeper sense of meaning, balance, and purpose.

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111 Days

2 students

No ratings

7 min / day

Awakening

English


Lesson 1

Meet The Monkey Mind — (And The Ego)

In this first lesson, let's begin by introducing The Monkey Mind. Oliver explains exactly where this term comes from and what it means. Also, discover what The Ego is and what it is not. This lesson will help you to feel comfortable with the concept of mind & ego. In the next video, you'll soon discover that these things are not actually "You".

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Lesson 2

Why You Are Not The Mind

Having established what the mind and the ego are, Oliver explains exactly why you are not the mind and the ego. In this pivotal second video, you'll establish the fundamental reasons why you are not the monkey mind and the ego —mind & ego are part of our lives, but they are not the entirety of our true selves.

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Lesson 3

What Is Awareness?

By this point, we now know about the mind and ego. But what is Awareness? Oliver describes exactly what awareness is (sometimes called consciousness). Discover how awareness is part of your Being, and it is formless — meaning it has no shape, size, or definitive appearance. For the rest of this course, you will be cultivating your relationship with awareness whilst also studying and understanding ego. Are you ready to discover your true nature?

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Lesson 4

Why You Are Awareness

Having previously established that you are not the ego, let's make something clear — You are awareness. Oliver helps you to understand and feel that your truest, most authentic sense of self is made up of consciousness/awareness. This is a pivotal video in this course. It helps you understand who or what you actually are, and for the rest of the course, you'll dive deeper into the nature of mind/ ego with utter precision and clarity.

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Lesson 5

Invisible Subtitles

This beautiful interactive lesson allows you to understand what your thoughts look and feel like. Oliver guides you to sit and observe as different random thoughts come and go. This lesson allows you to connect and tune into your own thoughts. This provides a very useful foundation for the rest of the course.

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Lesson 6

The Painting

Oliver uses a profound analogy to help you understand the totally of who you are. You will discover that there are two vital components of Self: ego and awareness. Whether you are a beginner or advanced spiritual seeker, in this video, you will feel reassured about which element of your Being is permanent, reliable and predictable.

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Lesson 7

The Ego Is Not Just "The Jerk"

Oliver introduces a common misconception about ego: it's not just the typical "jerk" who has an ego. In this foundational video for the course, you'll discover something pivotal about ego — how ego is truly a phenomenon within each person on planet Earth, not just one obnoxious or annoying person in the office.

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Lesson 8

Rumi — Sell Your Cleverness

Today we unpack a famous quote from the 13th-century Sufi mystic Rumi. Oliver explores this profound teaching from the perspective of the logical thinking mind—our "cleverness." Are you ready to discover how our ego and our cleverness can sometimes prevent us from experiencing the beauty, mystery, and wonder of life?

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Lesson 9

"Who Am I?" vs "What Am I?"

Prepare to discover and activate the full depth of your true self. In today's video, Oliver explores two aspects of your identity: the ego (the who) vs consciousness (the what). This is an "activation" lesson, where targeted questions are used to stimulate and nourish the non-physical aspect of your being.

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Lesson 10

The Art Of Listening

Have you ever noticed how sometimes it appears that others are waiting for your to finish speaking — so that they can talk? Have you noticed this in yourself, when you subtly plan your next statements — rather than being totally present with someone? Today you'll take a compassionate look into exactly why we do this; you'll learn practical tips for navigating this trait in yourself and others. You'll also find out about practical tips for cultivating your own conscious listening skills.

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Lesson 11

Sunflower Seeds!

Oliver uses one of his favourite personal analogies of sunflower seeds to describe you, the mind, and awareness. You'll discover how the mind and the material body are one aspect of your being. Whereas awareness, the formless aspect of your being, is also crucial to integrate and not neglect.

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Lesson 12

Sunflower Seeds & Spiritual Seekers

In the previous video, we established the seminal analogy of sunflower seeds (pun intended, did you notice that one!?). In this video, we expand upon this analogy. Oliver gives some crucial advice about "what not to do".

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Lesson 13

Imitation & Copying

Today we discuss one of the most common egoic traits — the desire to imitate and copy others. Oliver uses a powerful analogy to help you understand where ego operates in relation to deeper levels of creativity. It's these deeper levels of creativity, or "genius", that the ego attempts to steal for itself.

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Lesson 14

The Ego Has Wheels & A Motor

In this lesson, Oliver describes a key feature of the ego, a distinct feeling that can show up in day-to-day life. Notice how within each of us there is a subtle sensation of movement or a desire to "do" — and this feeling never stops. This lesson is an opportunity for self-study and self-knowledge. Oliver invites us to draw more and more attention to a key nuance of our own ego, which then frees us from the shackles of ego.

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Lesson 15

What Is The "Fuel" For The Ego's Motor?

Having previously established that the ego has wheels and a motor, let's consider: what is the fuel for the ego's engine? Oliver describes how the ego feeds and sustains its "motor". You're invited to investigate how your personal engine is being "fed", and to ultimately step back from feeding your ego with a constant fuel supply.

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Lesson 16

Personality

What is personality? Why do we have a certain personality or another? Discover how personality is largely a compensatory mechanism based on trauma and early-life experiences. You'll discover how these personality traits are an egoic, cognitive strategy or mechanism — which we use to survive — but they eventually suffocate us. I n this fascinating lesson, you'll be invited to investigate your own life in addition to those around you.

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Lesson 17

Paper Speaks To Paper

Using the previous analogy of The Painting, today's video discusses how to relate to other people in life. Oliver expands upon the previously-discussed analogy — Paper (consciousness) and Paint (Ego/ The Material) — showing you exactly how to see other complicated people in a more compassionate, soulful way.

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Lesson 18

The Three Gates

Oliver unpacks a beautiful concept coined by Beth Day (sometimes attributed to the Sufi Mystic, Rumi). In this video, Oliver invites you to use the "Three Gates" in relation to how we think, not just how we speak.

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Lesson 19

Re-Action

We all experience reaction in our lives. Either in the form of other people reacting to us — or our own reactions to the world. This is totally normal, the monkey mind is extremely reactionary. But today, Oliver presents a new way to view reaction — Re-Action.

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Lesson 20

The Need For Growth

Discover one of the most common egoic traits within yourself and the external world around you: the need for constant growth. Oliver provides a profound message about how the ego's desire to grow weaves itself into every aspect of our being, even our inner-growth journey, and the reasons why it does this. You'll discover a hugely reassuring message in this lesson.

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Lesson 21

The Map Is Not The Territory — & Relationships

Oliver unpacks one of his favourite quotes from polish-american philosopher, Alfred Korzybski. Today's video is an exploration into the mind: how our thoughts, words, and models of the world are only representations of reality, not reality itself. We also take a look at relationships and how we can use this profound knowledge to improve how we relate to others.

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Lesson 22

Fear & Ego Inventory

In this guided practice & questionnaire, you'll make an inventory of your inner world and come to terms with how much fear you're holding on to. Oliver presents you with 25 thought-provoking statements, and you will score each one based on how much you agree with the statement. This is an excellent self-reflective activity for shadow work and self-knowledge.

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Lesson 23

Fear & Ego Inventory — Feedback

In the previous lesson, you completed a Fear & Ego inventory. In this video, you'll receive reassuring feedback for wherever you are on your journey. This feedback is for self-reflection, self-knowledge, and empowerment. After this video, you'll be ready to dive deeper into this course. You'll have more understanding of what needs to be worked on in your life

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Lesson 24

The House

Oliver uses an analogy of a house to help you embody and understand yourself as a whole. You are composed of various parts, such as bricks, windows and lights. Discover how these elements of the house correspond to your whole self, including our perception of the external world. This is a key lesson before building upon the same analogy in the next lesson (pun intended!)

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Lesson 25

Dirty Windows

Having previously established the analogy of the house, prepare to build upon this analogy by looking at another deeper area of our home: our dirty windows! Today's analogy describes how perception is deeply influenced by the mental screen through which we view reality. This profound lesson is all about self-knowledge and self-awareness, helping you to understand yourself with much more clarity.

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Lesson 26

Carl Jung — Make The Unconscious... Conscious

Having previously established the analogy of the house with dirty windows, Oliver unpacks a famous paraphrase from Swiss psychologist Carl Jung. This lesson explores how our perception of the external world is indeed shapes by the contents of our shadows (the basement), and that "until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate".

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Lesson 27

Window Cleaning — Part 1

Discover how to begin cleaning up the windows of your house by radically observing and questioning the validity of our thoughts. Oliver guides you through the process of moving from victim mindset into one of conscious self-mastery. This process is a skill which you develop, and you'll get quicker at "jumping on top" of your reactions to life's challenges, observing your thought patters and questioning their validity.

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Lesson 28

Window Cleaning — Part 2 — Guided Practice

Having established the analogy of the house, you'll now gently practice "cleaning the windows" using a set of tools which Oliver describes. You'll use breath, attention and structured affirmations to wipe away the mud. This is a profound, deeply-helpful tool for removing the distorted mental projections on our windows.

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Lesson 29

The Two Major Chapters Of Life — Where Are You?

Oliver outlines two major chapters that many people have in their lives, and how it relates to our egoic identity. Where are you on your journey? There is no right or wrong answer. This is a pivotal lesson because you'll be given clarity, perspective and reassurance. For the rest of the course, this lesson will provide the foundation for understanding your overall timeline, purpose and life chronology.

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Lesson 30

What Have You Been Looking For? (Call Off The Search)

All humans experience the feeling of "searching" — an indescribable longing for something. This usually manifests itself as a search for people, relationships, validation, community, safety etc. However, in this video, you'll discover how and why to "call off the search", due to the fact that the ego is *actually* only satisfied by the formless nature of awareness itself (your true identity behind the physical).

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Lesson 31

The Tao Te Ching — "He Who Conquers Others..."

In this video Oliver unpacks a quote from the ancient text , The Tao Te Ching (or Dào Dé Jīng), an ancient Chinese classic text and the foundational work of Taoism. Using a perspective of ego, Oliver analyses the text and explains how the ego wishes to change the external world rather than take responsibility for itself.

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Lesson 32

Stagnancy, Flow & Your Mental-Emotional Wellness

Today Oliver reads a passage of text from the book, Fundamental Cleansing. You'll discover how in nature, there are many examples of how stagnancy — lack of flow or movement — cultivates a breeding ground for pathogenic organisms and lifeforms. In the same way, our mental-emotional body needs to be in flow. Discover the principles that are needed to foster mental-emotional vitality.

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Lesson 33

Who Is It That Hears My Thoughts?

Oliver answers a common question regarding the mind: Who Is It That Hears It? This lesson is a deep dive into your truest sense of Self. "Who" is at the base of your Being? Is this "Who" even a person? Is the one that hears even a human?

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Lesson 34

Addiction & Compulsion — Part 1

Throughout this course, Oliver describes addiction from the lens of ego — by understanding addiction through an egoic perspective, you'll understand yourself and the world around you with deeper levels of compassion. In part one, Oliver describes how identities and subconscious beliefs are at the core of addiction, and invites you to consider how our behaviours, actions and compulsions are fed by a deep-rooted negative identity.

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Lesson 35

"Time Is Precious"

In this video, discover how the logical thinking mind (ego) lives and survives based on time. You'll explore how time is a brilliant, fascinating human science — yet it is a mental construct. Oliver invites you to consider how two aspects of your being (ego vs awareness) have drastically different relationships with time. You'll also unpack one of Oliver's own quotes regarding time being precious.

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Lesson 36

If I Remove My Ego... Will I Lose My Ambition? My Focus?

Today's lesson is a moment for reflection and integration. Oliver answers a commonly-asked question regarding the ego: Does removing our ego make us less productive, ambitious and motivated? Oliver explains the whole process of ego dissolving, and provides reassurance over what actually takes place when we work on ourselves. This lesson is very inspiring, allowing us to know that life still goes on even if our ego's grip loosens, and that our future actions will now be inspired by an element within ourselves which is powerful, potent and motivating.

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Lesson 37

Wu Wei & The Diamond

In ancient Taoism, Wu Wei is a philosophical concept that roughly translates to "non-doing" or "effortless action". Today, Oliver unpacks this concept and explains how we should approach "getting there". In addition, you'll discover what Oliver means by "The Diamond" and how it relates to the beautiful concept of Wu Wei

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Lesson 38

Projection & Triggers

In mainstream spirituality, self-help and psychoanalysis, "projection" is a key trending word (and rightly so). The outer world as a mirror: many spiritual frameworks suggest that the universe or your reality acts as a screen to your inner world. But what does this mean really for you? In today's video, Oliver unpacks the topic of "projection" and "triggers" from a unique & practical lens, giving you two profound ways to categorize projections and understand yourself.

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Lesson 39

Projection — Attacking The Mirror

In this pivotal second lesson about projection, Oliver describes a fundamental characteristic: projection. In this video, we focus more on the combative and aggressive side of projection. You'll discover how and why the human psyche seeks to be aggressive, combative and hostile — all in the context of egoic projection.

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Lesson 40

A Dog's Truth — How Your Experience As A Human Is Precious

Meet our special guest, Rosie the dog! In this video, Oliver describes how depending on one's journey and stage of development, we see reality according to our own relative truth. A dog sees reality through it's own relative truth. For some humans, ego-consciousness exists as the only reality or truth. Oliver invites you to contemplate the profound message that as a human being, you have the ability to embody two states of consciousness simultaneously — ego consciousness and higher-self consciousness.

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Lesson 41

The Room

This is an extremely powerful analogy for describing life, ego, and awareness. In this video, Oliver describes your entire identity using the analogy of a room to help you distinguish different elements of yourself. You'll be able to recognize that there is much more to life than what meets the eye.

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Lesson 42

The Room — A Guided Practice

This powerful guided practice helps to embody the analogy of "The Room". You'll practice noticing how in your life experience (the room), there are three elements: The Space (Awareness), Furniture (sights, smells, sensations, emotions thoughts etc) and Movement. This is a profound guided practice to integrate all of the lessons of the course so far and to provide you with a framework moving forward.

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Lesson 43

Ego Isn't Just Mind — It's An Emotional Organism

Many people confuse ego with solely being a mental creature or being — but it is so much more than this. In this video, Oliver describes how you are a metaphysical being — you are composed of different parts — the mind, emotions and the physical body. Learn how the ego is a mental and an emotional organism, and how it is weighed down by stagnant emotions.

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Lesson 44

How To Relate To The Ego — Don't Make These Two Mistakes

Oliver outlines two primary errors that individuals make when they are exploring their mind/ego. In this video, you are invited to self-reflect about how you relate to your own ego. Which of these patterns have you noticed in your self? You'll also find out the true meaning of love and how to relate to your ego lovingly.

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Lesson 45

Self Hatred — How It Shows Up — How To Heal

Oliver explains how self-hatred can show up in life, using three primary examples: food, exercise and relationships. But any material vice can be an opportunity for us to express self-hatred. How does self-hatred show up in your life? Oliver also explains compassionately how to begin healing from this ego-based dynamic.

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Lesson 46

The Tao Te Ching — "He Who Knows Others..."

Throughout this course Oliver discusses various quotes from ancient texts. In today's video he discusses the The Tao Te Ching (or Dào Dé Jīng) again, an ancient Chinese text and the foundational work of Taoism. Today's quote, from chapter 33 of the text, is unpacked by Oliver and he explains the differences between "wisdom" and "enlightenment" — and also what enlightenment can mean for you realistically.

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Lesson 47

Exaggeration and Catastrophizing

We often find ourselves blowing things up out of proportion, often falling into negative thought patterns. This is due to the egoic trait of exaggeration and catastrophizing. In today's lesson, we learn about the situations where this takes place, and we learn the reasons why it happens. Oliver offers practical exercises you can do to avoid and reduce the tendency for exaggeration and catastrophizing of events.

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Lesson 48

Narcissism

The word "narcissist" has become extremely popular in day-to-day life — often overused, misused and ironically used by narcissists themselves as a means to avoid facing the narcissist within. In this video, Oliver explains the inner mechanics of narcissism from the lens of ego, and also describes some key features of narcissism to be aware of.

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Lesson 49

Empathy

Narcissism and empathy go hand in hand. In this pivotal video, Oliver explains the link between empathy and narcissism, outlining how both are toxic, egoic reactions to trauma. This video provides a very useful framework for understanding how ego functions as a compensatory mechanism to life's stresses and traumas.

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Lesson 50

Is Wanting To Heal or Fix Myself Egoic?

Oliver answers this delightful question, exploring whether the desire to heal comes from the mind & ego. You'll also learn about what "healing" really is, on a deeper level. This is a profound deep dive into the journey we all find ourselves on — with Oliver offering much-needed perspective, reassurance and certainty over the whole process.

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Lesson 51

Emotional Detox — What To Do and What Not To Do

Having established that emotional stagnancy leads to a "heavier", more "dense" ego, Oliver answers a very important question about how to emotionally detox. Learn about how to detox from emotions, and exactly what not to do. One choice leads to freedom from the weight of ego, another choice feeds and strengthens the ego.

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Lesson 52

Psycho-Cybernetics

Today's video explores the fascinating topic of Psycho-Cybernetics, a theory proposed by Maxwell Maltz. Explore the relationship between goal-seeking behaviours and our intrinsic self-image. You'll learn about how to uncover your own negative self-images, and then gently re-design this into more positive ones

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Lesson 53

The Fraction

In Oliver's popular Non-Duality Course, he coined the term "Awareness is the lowest common denominator of all experience". In today's video, we explore this topic in relation to your identity and your true authentic self.

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Lesson 54

The Room — Part 2: Movement

Having previously established the analogy of the room, this lesson helps you understand the moving nature of furniture vs. your true nature — awareness (or space) itself. Using the idea of space vs content, you will discover how the content of your life (sights, smells, sounds, emotions, thoughts, egoic mind) are all "moving" furniture within the room.

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Lesson 55

The Ego's First Problem With "The Room"

Discover the first primary reason why the ego has a problem "The Room" (Life itself). In today's video, Oliver explains how the ego secretly hates movement and tries to control life, essentially strangling it. This egoic feature will show up in everyone's lives at some point or another, so this lesson is vitally important for understanding ourselves and the world around us.

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Lesson 56

The Contrarian

Prepare to explore one of the most common (yet often overlooked) egoic traits: The Contrarian. In this gentle, humorous and yet profound video, Oliver explains exactly what the contrarian is, its subtle nuances, and why it exists on a mental/ egoic level. You'll also find out about the potential damaging effects of the contrarian for those around. This video is a powerful investigation into one of the ego's primary features, which exists in every human being.

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Lesson 57

"I Think" — How Language Conditions Us To Identify With Ego

Today we discover how our normal use of words and language is a subtle reinforcer of the egoic sense of self. In this lesson, Oliver uses the common expression "I think" as an example, demonstrating that when we use this phrase, we are delicately conditioning ourselves to think and feel "as" the ego. Our aim is not to deconstruct language itself — which is beautiful and ancient — but instead to investigate our true sense of self and how it is woven into the words we use - accessing deeper aspects of ourselves.

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Lesson 58

Escapism: Stimulation Vs Numbing

The ego sees the external world as an opportunity for escapism. In today's lesson, Oliver explains how there are two primary routes for egoic escapism: stimulation & numbing. What are the differences? What examples are there? How may this show up in your life? This is an eye-opening lesson that helps us understand ourselves and others with much more clarity and compassion

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Lesson 59

The Two Ends Of The Perception Spectrum

Discover how the ego sees itself as an individual, separate being that moves in the outside "separate" world. On the other end of the perspective spectrum, we have consciousness/ awareness — which does not perceive the world in separation; it sees you and the world as one thing: non-duality (non-separation).

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Lesson 60

The Body & The Cells

Oliver uses a powerful analogy to describe ego, humanity and your spirituality — The Body & The Cells. This video helps you to understand how you are part of something much bigger than simply your individual lower-self. You'll discover what true health means for our collective species, as well as health for you as an individual

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Lesson 61

All Is Mind

Today's video explores the hermetic principle: All Is Mind. Originally from the book The Kybalion (1908), this powerful statement can be very confusing. Therefore, Oliver explains in the simplest, most practical way what this statement means — helping you to shift your perspective on what reality is.

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Lesson 62

Free Will — The Game Of Life

In this deeply transformative video, Oliver explains exactly what free will is — and how to play "The Game Of Life". Does free will exist? Is it an illusion? Is free will egoic? Are my choices egoic? Oliver answers all of these questions in this definitive lesson

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Lesson 63

Addiction & Complusion — Part 2 — Emotions

In this second lesson regarding addiction, Oliver describes the role of emotions and their relation to the ego. Each person has to face emotions on a daily basis, a phenomenon Oliver refers to as the "conveyor belt". Oliver describes this phenomenon and how it's our duty to honor these emotions. You'll learn that when we resist emotions — through addictions and vices — we actually grow our ego.

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Lesson 64

Can I Be Proud?

"Can I Be Proud Of My Achievements?" Let's explore this unique and valuable question. Oliver answers this question, explaining whether or not being proud is an ego trait. Also, Oliver gives you a highly valuable tool and mindset shift to turn thoughts of pride into something soulful.

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Lesson 65

Drama & Conflict

In this profound lesson, discover why the ego sometimes seeks drama and conflict in daily life as a strategy to strengthen itself. You'll also learn about two deeper reasons that unconsciously drive this dynamic, and then you'll discover the tools necessary to overcome this trait if it's something you're experiencing in your life.

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Lesson 66

The Ego's Second Problem With "The Room" — Identification

Oliver explains the second problem that the ego has in its relationship to "The Room" (life itself). This video describes exactly how the ego seeks to define itself — or identify — with the furniture in the room. You'll be encouraged to remember your true nature, the space of the room, and to practice leaning back into this space.

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Lesson 67

Project Letting Go

Oliver explains how the ego is always looking for the next "thing" — the next hobby, the next healthy habit, the next movie, the next meditation style. The ego always wants to "settle" on a certain lifestyle bandwidth, whereas the soul seeks something else. In today's lesson, you'll be invited to join Project Letting Go

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Lesson 68

Dealing With Solitude & Loneliness

Oliver answers the question, "How can I deal with solitude & loneliness?" In this video, you'll investigate what solitude is through the lens of the ego, whilst also understanding that another part of your being — consciousness/ soul/ spirit — is eternally fulfilled. This is a powerfully reassuring message.

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Lesson 69

Nikola Tesla — The Secrets Of The Universe

Everything in this reality is vibratory and has a frequency, but the ego does not like that! Today's video is an exploration of how reality operates. Oliver unpacks a famous quote attributed to Nikola Tesla, giving three primary examples of how the universe is "made" out of vibration itself. This is an important lesson for understanding how ego reacts to a vibratory, "moving" universe.

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Lesson 70

Intuition

This is a pivotal, transformative, and honest lesson about the different types of "intuition" available to us. Discover how ego has its own version of intuition. On the other hand, true "higher self" intuition has a different set of intuitive thoughts.

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Lesson 71

Cognitive Dissonance

Learn about Cognitive Dissonance theory, which was initially discussed by Leon Festinger in 1957. Oliver describes what Cognitive Dissonance is, and then discusses how we will take advantage of this knowledge in the upcoming lessons of this course to profoundly impact your life.

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Lesson 72

Cognitive Dissonance — Guided Practice — ICD Training

Today's guided practice is designed to stretch our cognition so that we can see the ego — and perceive the world around us in the absence of ego. Oliver guides you to look at images, gently observing whilst you add labels and remove labels. This is a profound exercise that can change the way you interact with the world around you.

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Lesson 73

The Ego's Third Problem With "The Room" — Boredom & Dopamine

In this final lesson regarding the analogy of "The Room", discover one of the most important features of the ego — Boredom & Dopamine. Oliver explains something extremely important, how the ego is in a constant battle to slow down life, consume it, identify with it, but then ultimately becomes bored with it. This lesson is an eye-opening yet empowering message about how we can begin to transcend the ego.

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Lesson 74

Careless Thinking Shapes Reality

On this journey, sometimes we need to be soft (e.g. allowing emotions through). Other times, we need to be firm and vigilant. In this powerful lesson, Oliver empowers you to take a vigilant stance on your thinking patterns. You'll learn about how reality is shaped by our thoughts, both on a practical level and also a metaphysical level.

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Lesson 75

Who Am I? — Realistic Expectations & Allowing Ego To Die Naturally

Many individuals ask themselves: "Who am I?" At this stage in the course, you may have asked yourself the same question! Today, Oliver addresses the topic with a profound exploration of what your true identity actually consists of. You'll receive reassurance about having realistic expectations, how to stay on track, and advice about what to expect on your personal journey.

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Lesson 76

Eckhart Tolle — "They Still Have Big Egos"

Oliver unpacks a quote from Eckhart Tolle, discussing how the ego morphs and changes its identity constantly. In particular, you'll explore the "Spiritual Ego", and how the ego wishes to "perform spirituality", identifying heavily with certain words, labels, and clothing that it believes to be indicative of being more spiritual. This is an eye-opening video that helps us to understand the external world, but also the potential within each of us also.

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Lesson 77

The Double Down

What does it mean to "double down" in an egoic sense? Today Oliver explains the two primary ways you may see a double down in day-to-day life. First, you'll take a compassionate look at conflicts and arguments, where the double down can show itself - but you'll also discover how it may show up in your own behaviours. You're given practical advice on how to navigate this often-painful dynamic.

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Lesson 78

The Terrible Author

Oliver uses a powerful analogy to demonstrate two core dynamics of the egoic sense of self. Today, Oliver discusses a concept he calls "The Terrible Author"—how, in your life, or in the lives of other people you know, you may notice certain key patterns that seem to appear as if a terrible novelist or a terrible story-maker.

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Lesson 79

The Ego Is Karmic — The Ocean Analogy

The word karma is commonly used in mainstream dialogue. However, in this video, Oliver describes exactly why the ego within humanity is "karmically active". In this pivotal lesson — using the analogy of the ocean — discover how the ego operates in the world and how its reactivity actually creates more ripples in the water.

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Lesson 80

Embodying The Depth Of The Ocean

Having previously established that ego is karmic, we now understand that ego is heavily involved in cause-and-effect — like waves on the surface of the ocean. This lesson expands on the analogy of the ocean, explaining how to embody the depth of the ocean.

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Lesson 81

Loneliness & Rejection — Letting Go Of Mass-Appeal

Oliver presents a very honest, reflective process that some individuals will face on their inner-growth journey. You'll discover how mainstream consciousness operates at its own "frequency" — and that a true spiritual seeker must accept that they will not be accepted by mass consciousness. Oliver provides profound insights, anecdotes, and guidance on how to navigate this path.

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Lesson 82

The Individuality Trap

Having established that loneliness and rejection are sometimes part of the journey of inner growth, Oliver provides a very useful reminder about the subtle ego trap that can happen along the way. Discover some of the common ego traps that are unfortunately visible in mainstream mental wellness dialogue and in spirituality groups. This video is a powerful reminder to keep you on track and to reach your highest potential.

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Lesson 83

Spiritual Intellectualism

Oliver describes a unique egoic trait that is common in philosophical and spiritual communities — Spiritual Intellectualism. This video is very important for bringing awareness to the external world, a very important part of your evolution as a human being. For you to awaken to your true nature, you must come to terms with egoic traits that are deeply rooted in seemingly many corners of human culture and society.

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Lesson 84

Familiar Suffering Feels Better Than Unknown Freedom

It may seem completely illogical, but the ego would rather have familiar suffering than unknown freedom. Discover how the ego attempts to repeat familiar, predictable negative behaviours or thoughts in an attempt to have structure. This video unpacks this very destructive egoic trait, offering us a better way of understanding ourselves and the world around us.

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Lesson 85

Shakespeare — "There Is Nothing Either Good Or Bad — But Thinking Makes It So"

In today's video, we unpack a quote from the works of William Shakespeare. Oliver offers an exploration of two possible ways of perceiving the world and our lives: through the "raw data" (peace) or via mental interpretation (suffering).

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Lesson 86

Having The Last Word

The ego always seeks to get the last word. But why? In this lesson, we discover why and how this happens, in particular learning about how disagreements and conflict can be a particularly challenging time for the ego. As always, we are bringing awareness to ourselves and to the world. Oliver asks some reflective questions that provoke insight and allow you to access deeper aspects of your being.

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Lesson 87

There'll Always Be Someone Out There To Validate Toxicity

In this lesson, Oliver reminds us to stay on track on the journey of inner growth. You'll learn about a nuanced topic that isn't talked about much. Oliver explains how there will always be someone out there willing to validate you, even if your perspective might be unhealthy. We don't want to fall into the "blame game". Oliver provides useful insights into how this does not ultimately serve your best interests

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Lesson 88

Status Seeking

A common egoic trait is to be above others, to be seen as more powerful or intelligent. Oliver unpacks this trait and compassionately explains how it might show up for you in your life and in others around you. You'll also find out about certain family dynamics where status-seeking can manifest itself.

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Lesson 89

Prayer — The Art Of "Doing" Vs Surrender

Whether you believe in a higher power or not, Oliver establishes what prayer can mean for you. This powerful lesson gives you advice on how to balance "the doing" and handing over a portion of your control to a higher power. Oliver gives you tips on how to actually pray—or call for support— with a guided activity to integrate prayer into your life.

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Lesson 90

The Quantum Self Method (& Your Love Bank Account)

Oliver shares with you one of his proprietary tools for self-mastery, The Quantum Self Method. You'll discover the importance of connecting with different temporal aspects of your being. In addition, you'll learn about The Love Bank Account, which is another analogy coined by Oliver.

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Lesson 91

Ego Initiates Healing — But Eventually It Must Be Challenged

This video offers perspective and clarity for you on your personal journey with healing & ego. The ego is often criticized for being negative, fear-based, and causing suffering. However, it is the ego that actually initiates our healing! In this video, discover how the ego actually initiates our healing journey, but then how it must eventually be challenged.

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Lesson 92

Being Busy & Avoiding Stillness

One of the most common features of the ego is a need to constantly be in motion, doing something — avoiding stillness at all costs. In this lesson, Oliver outlines the whole dynamic in detail, encouraging us to adopt moments of genuine stillness in our lives, which sometimes requires healthy discipline

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Lesson 93

You Never Get To See The Real You

In this profound video, Oliver explains a pivotal concept that you can try to embody — when you truly begin transcending ego, you don't "see" your true essence/ soul/ spirit — you simply "are it". You'll discover how ego functions with a *need* for self-reference, whereas awareness is a light that does not self-reference.

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Lesson 94

Language — "To Be" — I Am Something vs. I Am

The ego always needs to say it is "something" or "someone". But awareness/spirit has a completely different definition of self-concept. In this video, discover the differences between ego and spirit in relation to the verb "To Be" ("I am")

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Lesson 95

If Ego Is The "Doer" — What Should I "Do" With My Problems?

Oliver answers a common question on the path of self-knowledge and self-study. He offers a profound 3-step system to navigate life's challenges. This system is called Conscious Problem Solving. We always have a choice about how to deal with our problems: either consciously or unconsciously...

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Lesson 96

Time — How To Keep The Ego At Bay During Meditations

Oliver shares a valuable tool for improving your meditations by managing the ego. By addressing the concept of time, a mental construct, you'll be able to surrender into meditation and lessen the egoic grip on your mindfulness practice.

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Lesson 97

How To Clean & Tune The Heart — Spiritual Science For Transcending Ego

Learn about the energy systems of the body (chakras) and where the ego "lives". Oliver explains how tonifying and tuning the heart — a form of spiritual science — allows us to transcend the ego and embody more soul/ spirit/ awareness.

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Lesson 98

Gospel Of Thomas — If You Bring Forth What Is Within You...

Oliver unpacks a quote from the Gospel of Thomas, verse 70, written around 100–140 AD. You'll have a deep exploration of what it means to observe your thoughts, shadows, and dense emotions. You'll discover that the journey to freedom requires you to bring forth what is within you.

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Lesson 99

The Train Tracks

Oliver presents a unique, realistic analogy of what it can feel like to transcend your ego — while still having to maintain your clarity and focus. In this video, you'll be presented with a feeling or sensation that Oliver describes as "The Train Track". This feeling appears even after many years of self-study and self-work, and is something to be aware of — despite what "pop spirituality" and New Age will often falsely tell you about this journey.

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Lesson 100

Flip It!

Oliver shares a hugely practical tool for reversing our inner blockages, egoic narratives, and thought patterns — Flip It! In this lesson, discover three fundamental steps to take our egoic mental narratives and to begin living in a more open, spacious, and positive paradigm.

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Lesson 101

Flip It! — Guided Practice

Having previously learned about the "Flip It" process, today is a guided practice to integrate it and use it personally. First, you'll uncover a personal mental blockage — Oliver helps you to uproot a negative egoic thought. You'll find a blockage within the topics of finances, body, or relationships. After identifying a blockage, you'll fully feel the emotions associated with that blockage. Finally, you'll Flip It into a positive internal dialogue. This is a powerful tool and can be practiced regularly to challenge and overcome ego in daily life.

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Lesson 102

The Ego Wants Good News About Bad Habits

In today's video, learn how the ego wishes to subtly stop your spiritual evolution and blossoming. Oliver gives several examples of how ego hijacks our behaviours and seeks for validation to confirm that these bad habits are "good". This is a profound lesson about self-awareness and for some of you, a reminder that spirituality keeps on opening you like a flower blossoming.

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Lesson 103

I've Got Other Things To Worry About!

Today's video discusses one of the ego's most commonly used tactics to avoid stillness, calm, and presence. Awareness, which is whole and complete, sits right behind ego at all times. Rather than feeling reassured by this, ego prefers to move through life with its blinkers on — ignoring the wholeness of our being — preferring to worry about external circumstances. This lesson is designed to illuminate and shine the light on a very important aspect of human behaviour.

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Lesson 104

Fake It Till You Make It

There are many paths to Self-Mastery. In this highly motivating and educational video, Oliver explains how sometimes we need to stand up to the ego's narratives and "fake it till we make it". This is a method used to overcome ego in day-to-day life. Oliver describes this "faking it till you make it" using examples such as acts of kindness, forgiveness, and internal mindset shifts that truly anchor the soul into your life.

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Lesson 105

The Ego Takes All Of The Credit

Oliver describes a crucial key feature of the ego — it wishes to take credit for your life's positive outcomes and achievements. This might seem harmless; however, this lesson encourages us to respect and integrate our Higher Self. With more reverence for our non-physical Being (higher-self, soul, essence, God), we actually encourage more and more positive change to flow into our lives.

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Lesson 106

Ego Loves Company — Soul Grows In Stillness

It is often falsely proclaimed that "we need social connections with others to feed the soul", but this is a half-truth and requires deeper inspection. In today's video, Oliver explains how stillness is the real medicine for the soul. Connections with others are a part of life. Connection is beautiful, necessary, and healing — however, upon inspection, the ego requires other people to compare itself to, to feed itself and maintain itself, whereas in complete, healthy solitude, we are confronted with our true essence or spirit.

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Lesson 107

Rumi — Ego Is The Veil

Let's unpack a beautiful quote from the Sufi mystic Rumi: “Ego is the veil between humans and God.” In today's video, we explore what Rumi meant by these powerful words. Oliver breaks the concept down into practical, realistic terms — looking at the idea of ego as a veil —from different angles and perspectives.

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Lesson 108

Two Awarenesses — Explanation & Guided Practice

Learn how to transcend the ego by using a tool that Oliver calls "Two Awarenesses". This is a practical, gentle non-dual teaching and exercise — which is important because ego lives in separation! First, you'll discover what these two awarenesses are. Then, Oliver will guide you through a short practical exercise so that you can experience non-separation (nonduality)

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Lesson 109

Meditation — Let's Make Friends With The Ego

In today's meditation, we connect with the ego within and make friends with it. We'll remind ourselves of our true nature - the stillness and consciousness behind the ego. On this course, you've thoroughly studied many egoic traits such as dissatisfaction, inadequacy, and not-enoughness. Today's guided practice is an opportunity to connect with the ego with compassion, warmth and perspective, whilst we also feel much more rooted in awareness.

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Lesson 110

Tao Te Ching — To Acquire Knowledge One Adds Something

In today's video, we discuss the Tao Te Ching (or Dào Dé Jīng), an ancient text and the foundational work of Taoism. Today's quote, from chapter 48 of the text, is unpacked by Oliver, and he explains the differences between "inputs" and "outputs". You'll discover how removing labels and words — moving into the unknown — connects us with our Higher Self and wisdom

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Lesson 111

The Coin

In this final video of the course, Oliver uses a powerful analogy of The Coin. At this moment in the course, you will have explored all aspects of your Being in detail: both the egoic, logical mind and awareness itself. Using the analogy of the coin is therefore a fitting and appropriate way to envision how we can live a balanced, authentic spiritual lifestyle: both aspects of our being, coexisting in Oneness.

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