Understanding the Ego
The Ego, however, is not who you really are. The ego is your self-image; it is your social mask; it is the role you are playing. Your social mask thrives on approval. It wants control, and it is sustained by power, because it lives in fear. ~ Deepak Chopra (The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams) ~
Each person’s ego is different. Our ego is mad up of many different beliefs that we acquire over time. They are diverse and they are contradictory. One way to spot the ego is by the trail of emotional reactions it leaves behind: Anger at a loved one, a need to be right, a feeling of insecurity in certain situations, feelings of jealousy that are unexplained, the need to impress someone, and so on. These emotions can be attributed to the false beliefs that comprise the ego. In the beginning it is easier to see the symptoms of resulting emotions and drama, rather than the ego that caused it.
Our ego is neither a good nor a bad aspect of our being, but a creative part of our mind that responds to our surroundings to protect the view that we have created. The ego is something we should try to understand. A healthy ego allows us to grow up with a loving sense of self, rock solid resiliency, and the ability to solve problems creatively, the capacity to develop meaningful relationship, and a sense of meaning. When our ego is healthy, we can navigate challenging moments in life, sit in vulnerability and not be overcome by fear and develop healthy emotional connections to others.
Within your ego is the image you have of yourself. Because your ego tries to overtake your thoughts, you’re easily bruised when things don’t go your way, people don’t act in the way you expect them to, people let you down, or people say or do things to offend you. To let go of the pulls of the ego, try to practice confidence without arrogance and humility without insecurity. These are manners of personality that are without the self-image dynamics of the ego.
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