The Ego and You

The very utterance of the word Ego conjures up a little devilish creature perched on your shoulder, waiting to pounce upon your every word, thought, action.  In actual fact, the ego is very necessary for us to remain grounded and centered and balanced in every aspect of our lives. It is a popular belief that the ego has to be subdued, enslaved and made to obey our commands. But the most successful leaders on our planet are the ones who have understood that ego is a conscious thinking entity, a necessary part of life, a partner who will guide and goad you to being the best you can be.

Each of us wants to and tries to find our identity, a definition of who we are. We also want to know how others in our experience perceive us. Yet, deep down, we know exactly who we are and what we need to do to be ourselves and not be swayed by what others think of us. This distance between our consciousness and un-consciousness is what determines the role ego plays in our lives.

In trying to attract others, trying to come across as a “good” person, we say and do things that will grab the attention of those who matter to us. Thus we use the “Aham” ( ego in Sanskrit) as “ahem” to get that attention. What we need to realize is that ego is based in fear.  Once you remove fear from your life, the ego has to step back and allow you to grow spiritually, mentally and emotionally in your own way.

That is where the words “go within to find the Truth” comes in. We as humans don’t only judge ourselves by what we perceive others to be thinking of us, but also how we may appear to God / Spirit. That judgment is controlled by the mind and intellect, using the 5 senses to identify ourselves. Popular terms that are used nowadays like “ love yourself”, “be true to yourself”, “ positive thinking”, etc. may sound trite, but they hold the key to finding the perfect balance between your conscious and your un-conscious self. Once you find that balance, the ego loses the capital “E” and becomes just another three-letter-word that holds no power over you.

So go ahead, read what you can do to improve your self-image, do some positive thinking exercises, learn how to take charge of your mind and your intellect and let your ego be the one who serves you and not the other way around!