Subduing the Ego

 

Subduing the Ego

 

            With the world in its current state of upheaval caused mostly by human behavior, it’s time for a transformation, a radical change from deep within us that brings forth a divine awakening. Even with wars all around us, and daily doses of bigotry, greed, pollution, and poverty that plague the human race, all is not lost.  Indeed, there is a growing movement toward changing the world one person at a time through a purposeful change in the inner conscious self. This internal shift carries a person away from the negative influences of the intrusive and often problematic ego and propels them toward a state of peace, love, and enlightenment. Is that really possible, some might ask. Yes, when people begin to understand the negative power of the ego to cause suffering and the positive power of consciousness, essence, spirit, soul to transform how we perceive the world toward goodness.

            So, what exactly is the ego and why is it so powerful? Simply put, it is the incessant voice in the head of compulsive thoughts that generate emotions. It is the sense of self, or I (ego) in every thought, often conditioned by our upbringing and memories. For the ego to maintain this “I” concept, it must always be accompanied by the “other.” It becomes a matter of us and them, with them becoming strongest when they are seen as an adversary, according to Eckhart Tolle. The unconscious ego can easily slip into faultfinding, complaining, labeling, resentment, greed, moral superiority, and aggression. The ego loves and feeds on this line of thinking and emotion. The best way to react when exposed to these traits in others is to not react at all and to realize it is just their ego talking. Nonreaction will help keep your own ego in check too.

            Rising above the ego starts with being aware of your thoughts and then recognizing that you are not your thoughts. You are in fact, the observer of your thoughts, from a much deeper place; a place of consciousness. You are the awareness of your thoughts, and ego and awareness cannot coexist. How often do we allow an endless barrage of grievances for past wrong-doings to stop us from being at peace in the present? Most of us, carry around the baggage of old thought and emotion throughout the day. What a liberating idea it is to take control of the egoic mind and no longer acknowledge the baggage.

            The ego is in full swing when it promotes the notion of “I am right and you are wrong” or the collective “us against them,” because that perspective is created by thought. And again, thought is not you. The real you is simply an observer of your own thoughts. Religious “truths” are derived from thoughts also so if you contend your religion is the absolute Truth, you are a captive of egoic superiority. Religious teachings can help point the way to absolute Truth, but where absolute Truth resides, is in you. This is because the “I am” that is in you is part of the same consciousness that is the Divine Creator or Universal Consciousness. Discovering and embracing the Truth within you, which is your natural condition, will fill all your actions and relationships with love and harmony. It will help us stop misperceiving egoic patterns in others as their true identity or “just who they are.” Doing that just strengthens your own ego as being superior.

            So how do we take control of the ego? By staying in the light of awareness through the power of presence. Through mindfulness and inner awareness, we can lessen or even eliminate the negative thoughts of the ego and draw in and give off a more sublime energy field that emanates from all human life. We are drawn to or repelled by a person’s particular energy emanation. As we practice being in the stillness of presence at a deeper level, two energy fields may combine into one providing each person with transcendence of love and compassion. One way to do this is to learn to be nonresistant to and nonjudgmental of what happens in life. Let the good happen and enjoy it thoroughly, but also let the bad happen without resistance because nothing is permanent. “This too shall pass.” There is a fleetingness to every situation, good and bad so why stay attached to them. Accepting that change is inevitable will let you enjoy the good things in life while they last and protect you from unease over an uncertain future.

            Becoming aware of inner space or space consciousness is the next step in human evolution. It means rising above being conscious of “things” to be conscious of being conscious. This awareness means staying alert to the stillness within while life happens without. It provides liberation from the ego and materialism and is a way to transcend negative thought. It’s hard to be aware of yourself if you’re always aware of something else. Being present lets you enjoy simple pleasures such as the beauty of nature or the sound of rain on the roof. Finding space brings a sense of contentment that washes away the anxiety of thought and your sense of the true self deepens. That contentment manifests itself in the way you view and treat others, treating all you encounter to the joy of being.

            As each individual becomes awakened to their conscious power within, they send out energy that multiplies in the collective. When you “feel the energy in the air” during a concert or party or because of a stirring speech, it is because of this collective energy. It’s palpable. It’s powerful. As we evolve spiritually, from within, we can subdue the ego in larger and larger numbers and expand our sphere of influence on this planet. The adage “we can change the world” takes on a whole new meaning when together we embrace and meld individual consciousness to become one with the cosmic power behind all creation.