The ego is a rat on the sinking ship of being
So said a quote I once read, but perhaps the biggest confusion people have who come to spirituality is wrestling with their ego.
The biggest misconception people have is that they think of the ego as negative, but if we look a little deeper it's the negative thoughts that plague it that cause the issue.
The way I like to define ego is that it's the part of your brain that gives you a sense of identity - a sense of 'me' if you like.
When you become rooted in deep meditation and the truth you'll find the chatter of your ego calm, and then you'll reach your true spiritual state. There is no longer a problem with the ego. It almost feels like we step outside ourselves for a few moments. We can see from a distance what the egos true purpose is - that its part of our physicality on this earth.
Happiness springs from within
What we need to do to embrace true happiness is to engage with all of our pure consciousness, and not just associate with the ego 24-7 - like most people do. When I look at some people in the supermarket, I can just tell they are stuck in the negative thinking of ego. There is no self awareness at all.
If we stop engaging in negative talk with the ego, our negative thoughts begin to lose their power. We then become rooted in a positive outlook, and we begin to see the ego for what it truly is. When you stop responding to the calls of your ego, you could call this a form of enlightenment.
But by not engaging in talk with the ego does not mean that we ignore it. We simply allow it to do its thing and monitor it like a cloud passing by in the sky. Some days I actually write down what the ego says on some issues and it really surprises me. Try it for yourself sometime with a pen and piece of paper.
We are all loved by life just the way we are, so self condemnation only ever works against us. We must allow the ego to become the slave of our lives, not the master of it. Only then will true freedom reign within.
Peace and love to all Steemians.