Many times during the life of a human being, we feel that our ego is necessary for us to function fully as intelligent beings and deal with the real world. But having these feelings also inhibits us and makes us fearful.
Having an ego separates us from the universe and from God, this act of separation causes fear of loss. It is this fear of loss that makes us want control. Control of the universe and everything in it; If we can’t control it, we can lose it. The Ego prevents us from trusting the universe.
It is the ego that prevents people from experiencing the pleasures of what the universe has to offer. Without Ego we can become unlimited and unlimited. We can find new powers, new creativity, new opportunities for growth, love, harmony, peace and joy in our lives that before letting go of our Ego we could not begin to conceive.
How do you get rid of the ego? We have all been taught to let your mind make the decisions and not listen to your heart. Your mind, after all, is an excellent machine and can solve anything. The ego is this barrier between the heart and the mind. The need to express your views on a certain topic, because you “know” that it is correct, regardless of whether people want to listen or not. Ignore the feelings of others because your actions are the “right” actions to take. Both are examples of the Ego in action. Both examples of our need to “control.” The Ego believes that it knows more. The voice of the heart has no chance.
We have not been taught that simple is right. The universe simply operates. Balance and harmony in the natural world, in the animal world. Any world that does not have an Ego operates very simply. It seems that the goal of spiritual beliefs is to return us to our connection with that universe, to our Eternity so that we too can live simply, in balance and harmony with all that is. If indeed this is the goal, the purpose of that goal, the purpose of letting go of the ego, is also to let go of the constant fear that we all live in.
Letting go of the ego is a very difficult lesson to learn. Very hard. But despite its difficulty, it seems to be the only lesson if your goal is to achieve peace. Golden lighting. It’s the only lesson if your goal is to get to that place where you can really say, “I don’t want to be better than you; I want to be better than me.”
And so letting go of the ego is a difficult process, which is also a very scary process. But losing your ego is also a wonderful thing. It brings us closer to our heart. It allows us to feel more than we have ever felt. It can allow us to see ourselves in a totally different way and in doing so find new dimensions for ourselves. The loss of the ego can give us the feeling that we live closer to our souls. Until we begin the process of turning off and finally turning off the voice of Ego, the voice of our hearts cannot be heard.
One way to begin this process is to recognize when your Ego comes into play. Whether you want to correct someone, explain that their views are wrong (in your mind anyway), if you feel angry at someone for their actions towards you. Then acknowledge these feelings to yourself, be it confusion, anger, hatred, or frustration, whatever they are. Just feel them flowing through your body. Don’t act. It just feels. Avoid reacting. To pass judgment. Just let it be. Gradually, over time, the Ego will not be as strong and it will begin to loosen its grip on your heart. Not only does this make you aware of how often your Ego comes into play, it will also surprise you how quickly you start to feel different about yourself. How the peace within you grows as your Ego decreases.
The elimination of the ego is a spiritual idea. It takes the form of real world experiences. God is us and we are God’s agents. These experiences that God gives us are important not so much for what they are but more for what they teach. And one version of what they teach is that they are there to allow us to get rid of our ego and connect with God. And one of the reasons we need to connect with God is to allow ourselves to let go of fear. And one of the reasons why we must put fear aside is that it is fear that separates us and, in doing so, prevents us from finding ourselves.