False Personality

False Personality is a term used by Theosophist to refer to the Bodily Ego, particularly as an illusory sense of "I."

Syncretic Terms

Bodily Ego > Acquired Self, Antahkarana, Apparent Ego, Awkward Self, Earthly Self, Elusive Self, Empirical Self, False Personality, Illusory Self, King of the Body, Little Self, Normal Self, Not Self, Outer Self, Personality, Self, Sensual Ego, Subtle Body, Talking Self

Theosophy Terms

Atlantis, Deep Self, Divine Ego, Divine Fire, Divine Messengers, False Personality, Father in Heaven, Henry Steel Olcott, Neshamah, Real Ego, Root Races, Supreme Self, Universal Deity, Will-Prayer

Notes

"We distinguish between the simple fact of self-consciousness, the simple feeling that "I am I," and the complex thought that "I am Mr. Smith" or "Mrs. Brown." Believing as we do in a series of births for the same Ego, or re-incarnation, this distinction is the fundamental pivot of the whole idea. You see "Mr. Smith" really means a long series of daily experiences strung together by the thread of memory, and forming what Mr. Smith calls "himself." But none of these "experiences" are really the "I" or the Ego, nor do they give "Mr. Smith" the feeling that he is himself, for he forgets the greater part of his daily experiences, and they produce the feeling of Egoity in him only while they last. We Theosophists, therefore, distinguish between this bundle of "experiences," which we call the false (because so finite and evanescent) personality, and that element in man to which the feeling of "I am I" is due. It is this "I am I" which we call the true individuality; and we say that this "Ego" or individuality plays, like an actor, many parts on the stage of life."

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