Ego Confusion
Many might misunderstand what is meant by the ego based on a commonly used way for us to label people who we feel are overly confident about themselves or narcissistic. Would a narcissistic person have a big ego? well, yes but someone who has an ego is not necessarily narcissistic. Using this word to identify others who are narcissistic only confuses what the actual definition of the ego is from a spiritual point of view. A better way to describe them would be to say they are egotistical or an egomaniac. The ego is just a way of describing our conscious identity.
Here is the best definition of ego I could find from Urban Dictionary
Here is the best definition of ego I could find from Urban Dictionary
The part of you that defines itself as a personality, separates itself from the outside world, and considers itself (read: you) a separate entity from the rest of nature and the cosmos. Perhaps necessary for survival in some evolutionary bygone, in modern times it leads only to (albeit often disguised) misanthropic beliefs and delusion.
In short, "I."
Ego is responsible for hate, fear, and delusion.
So when I refer to the ego, most of the time I am referring to this identity or collection of beliefs we have acquired throughout our lives which give us our identity.
At the Core of the Ego is Our Survival Mechanism
After peeling back the many layers of our ego which are actually layers upon layers of belief systems, the ego at the core is our survival mechanism. We are meant to use our ego's when we are being chased by a tiger. It is part of our fight or flight response that allows us to react.
Normally, we are meant to be guided by our Higher Selves or that part of us which is our essence or soul. The part of us which incarnates into these skin suits in order to have an experience in a lower density plane where time is slowed down to such an extent that it creates an illusion that we are actually separate from the consciousness of God when the truth is that we are still a part of it.
This feeling of separation creates the effect of allowing the ego to believe it is the one driving the bus. Since the ego believe it is driving the bus, it also creates systems which allow it to continue to survive and maintain control. The soul however, does not need to survive, it thrives because the soul knows what will happen in the future. The ego becomes like a tumor growing out of control wreaking havoc not only on other parts of the body, but other beings around it.
The ego creates systems of control in order to keep surviving. These control systems are meant to keep other ego's in line which it can do with some limited success through fear, control, and manipulation. However, these same systems that keep our egos under control, never allow us to thrive as loving spiritual beings because they keep us in a constant state of ego.
Eventually at some point, they become dysfunctional and then through the very same control they have over other ego's, become gigantic egoic systems which only serve to grow more and more ego and create more and more suffering, making more and more people unhappy and reacting to these egoic systems and creating more and more need for control of their egos.
These systems include religions, media and news, governments, incarceration systems, monetary and financial systems, political systems, military, and education systems. The people who are at the top of these egoic control systems become consumed with power and power that is driven by ego creates more ego.
Normally, we are meant to be guided by our Higher Selves or that part of us which is our essence or soul. The part of us which incarnates into these skin suits in order to have an experience in a lower density plane where time is slowed down to such an extent that it creates an illusion that we are actually separate from the consciousness of God when the truth is that we are still a part of it.
This feeling of separation creates the effect of allowing the ego to believe it is the one driving the bus. Since the ego believe it is driving the bus, it also creates systems which allow it to continue to survive and maintain control. The soul however, does not need to survive, it thrives because the soul knows what will happen in the future. The ego becomes like a tumor growing out of control wreaking havoc not only on other parts of the body, but other beings around it.
The ego creates systems of control in order to keep surviving. These control systems are meant to keep other ego's in line which it can do with some limited success through fear, control, and manipulation. However, these same systems that keep our egos under control, never allow us to thrive as loving spiritual beings because they keep us in a constant state of ego.
Eventually at some point, they become dysfunctional and then through the very same control they have over other ego's, become gigantic egoic systems which only serve to grow more and more ego and create more and more suffering, making more and more people unhappy and reacting to these egoic systems and creating more and more need for control of their egos.
These systems include religions, media and news, governments, incarceration systems, monetary and financial systems, political systems, military, and education systems. The people who are at the top of these egoic control systems become consumed with power and power that is driven by ego creates more ego.
An Ego Left to It's Own Devices Will Consume Itself
Ironically, the ego ends up destroying and consuming itself out of it's own egoic desire to survive. The reason being that we create our own reality and if we are choosing these lower vibration egoic emotions such a guilt, anger, victimization, control, resentment, jealousy, and fear at some point we will also manifest these types of things in our own lives because the universe is a mirror and will give us back to what we put out. This includes the people who are consumed with power at the top of these systems, it is inevitable.
There is a way out of this seemly inevitable cycle, a window of opportunity that we have to make a choice before this self destruction occurs and we repeat the cycle. The burden on the soul becomes so great that the collective soul of beings on the planet makes a collective decision that it has had enough experience of the suffering and collective pain. It then chooses to experience love and living from their Higher Self rather than their ego.
The frequency of love is not destructive and not self consuming but connecting. When we feel love we are remembering the connection that we have across the fabric of space-time with all beings across the universe. This collective choice is what is called the "Great Awakening" or "The Shift".
There is a way out of this seemly inevitable cycle, a window of opportunity that we have to make a choice before this self destruction occurs and we repeat the cycle. The burden on the soul becomes so great that the collective soul of beings on the planet makes a collective decision that it has had enough experience of the suffering and collective pain. It then chooses to experience love and living from their Higher Self rather than their ego.
The frequency of love is not destructive and not self consuming but connecting. When we feel love we are remembering the connection that we have across the fabric of space-time with all beings across the universe. This collective choice is what is called the "Great Awakening" or "The Shift".
The Many Layers of the Ego
Many explain the ego as also being part of the learned belief systems and identity that we create here on the planet. However, I like to think of the those things as part of our experience. Our beliefs allow us to have whatever experience we choose. Whether these beliefs are planet wide collective beliefs or they are beliefs created from cultural, patriotic, familial, or peer influences.
These beliefs make up our identity on the planet and who we "think" we are, however, when we leave these bodies we shed these identities. The soul doesn't care if you were a Muslim or Christian when we leave. It only cares about the experience and what you learned from it. In this way, the all knowing universal consciousness known as God can experience what it is like to be God.
A better way of explaining the relationship between the ego and these beliefs are that the ego believes these beliefs to be part of it's make up and so when any of the beliefs are threatened, it triggers the ego to go into it's survival mode and react to the threat at hand.
If someone threatens our social standing, the ego believes this to be a threat to its survival. If our social standing is reduced then so is ability to make money and feed ourselves according to the ego. If someone has a different way of life and belief system then our ego sees this as a threat. It becomes consumed with trying to control, change, or eradicate the threat. It cannot just allow the other person's way of life because others might fall under the influence of this belief system like a virus and threaten its way of life or identity.
These beliefs make up our identity on the planet and who we "think" we are, however, when we leave these bodies we shed these identities. The soul doesn't care if you were a Muslim or Christian when we leave. It only cares about the experience and what you learned from it. In this way, the all knowing universal consciousness known as God can experience what it is like to be God.
A better way of explaining the relationship between the ego and these beliefs are that the ego believes these beliefs to be part of it's make up and so when any of the beliefs are threatened, it triggers the ego to go into it's survival mode and react to the threat at hand.
If someone threatens our social standing, the ego believes this to be a threat to its survival. If our social standing is reduced then so is ability to make money and feed ourselves according to the ego. If someone has a different way of life and belief system then our ego sees this as a threat. It becomes consumed with trying to control, change, or eradicate the threat. It cannot just allow the other person's way of life because others might fall under the influence of this belief system like a virus and threaten its way of life or identity.
Becoming Aware of the Ego
By becoming aware of the ego we then take steps toward normalizing the ego and making the choice for peace and love in our lives rather than suffering. The more people who make this choice collectively, the more influence it has on the collective consciousness and the easier it becomes for others to make this choice.
In order to become aware of the ego we must learn how it works and thinks and then become aware of our tendencies. One can learn about it from spiritual leaders such as Eckhart Tolle or Matthew Marnitz, or they can get a life coach who specializes in the ego to help them peel back the layers of belief which help conceal the ego and keep it surviving.
Once you peel back enough layers to where you can now see how the ego is trying to survive, you having gotten the root of that belief system. Now, the next time the ego gets triggered by that root belief, you will be able to choose not to use the ego in that moment and realize that you are not being chased by a tiger so there is no reason to react. By choosing a response based in love, we are using our Higher Selves infinite knowledge.
In order to become aware of the ego we must learn how it works and thinks and then become aware of our tendencies. One can learn about it from spiritual leaders such as Eckhart Tolle or Matthew Marnitz, or they can get a life coach who specializes in the ego to help them peel back the layers of belief which help conceal the ego and keep it surviving.
Once you peel back enough layers to where you can now see how the ego is trying to survive, you having gotten the root of that belief system. Now, the next time the ego gets triggered by that root belief, you will be able to choose not to use the ego in that moment and realize that you are not being chased by a tiger so there is no reason to react. By choosing a response based in love, we are using our Higher Selves infinite knowledge.
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About the Author
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Matthew Marnitz is a spiritual leader, past life regression hypnotist, life coach, and, speaker. He uses a combination of spirituality and past life regression hypnosis to awaken people to their true potential where everything becomes possible in every area of their life; relationships, spirituality, health, and financial abundance.
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