What is Ego?

I: What is ego?

I AM: Ego is all that you are as a physical and mental being. When you feel happy because someone has praised you, or feel sad because someone has spoken harsh words about you; you act out of ego. Even when fear and loneliness surround you, you operate from ego. Ego arises from a sense of expectation. It requires someone/ something to feed and validate it. It cannot survive withou...t acknowledgement.

I: How does ego come into being?

I AM: Ego comes into being because of the conditioning you receive as a child. An angry father, a tired mother, and a jealous sibling contribute in building of ego.

I: If we are not our ego, who are we?

I AM: Ego is your illusionary self. Your real self is soul or spirit, which needs no external validation. But as long as you are in a physical embodiment, the ego is of vital importance. You cannot reject it.

I: But won’t that bloat my ego?

I AM: You have to make efforts to expand your ego, not enlarge it. An expanding ego breaks free of blame, finger pointing, boastfulness , arrogance, self-negation, loathing, possessiveness and attachment; while an enlarged ego identifies with the externals such as your car, property, money, work, social position, relationships, children, friends, and enemies etc. A bloated ego is completely devoid of self-love and self-esteem. It acts boastful, contemptuous, rebellious, submissive and possessive. It is enslaved by material things and people.

I: What is the importance of ego in my life?

I AM: Ego is essential because it lets the spirit experience duality. Ego is the vehicle of the spirit. But a good vehicle needs a good driver. If the driver is not in control, the vehicle will derail and cause harm to the driver. But the vehicle can’t be blamed for derailing; it is the driver who is at fault. You, the spirit, are the driver of the vehicle of ego. You have to drive it well.

I: I have always considered ego as something negative.

I AM: Everything in this dual world originates in ego. Right is ego, wrong is ego. To lie is ego, to be honest is ego. To be proud is ego, to be humble is ego. Kindness is ego, cruelty is ego. You are ego, they are ego. The world is ego, the earth is ego. Leaders are ego, followers are ego. Joy is ego, laughter is ego. Pain is ego, resistance is ego. Sound is ego, quiet is ego. Mind is ego, heart is ego. Learning is ego, teaching is ego. Sharing is ego, hoarding is ego. Giving is ego, taking is ego. Lack is ego, plenty is ego.

Living is ego, dying is ego. Enjoyment is ego, loneliness is ego. Aggression is ego, meekness is ego. Victim is ego, tyrant is ego. Bully is ego, slave is ego. King is ego, subject is ego. Body is ego. Mercy is ego, justice is ego. Compulsion is ego, force is ego. Power is ego, acceptance is ego. Conflict is ego, surrender is ego.

This world of duality cannot exist without ego.

I: If everything is ego than what is not ego?

I AM: ‘I AM’ is not ego. That is what you really are. Anything you put after I AM becomes ego.

Ego can be humbled by service. Service can be rendered not only to humanity but to plants, animals, birds and all that constitute Nature.

Author Unknown