"The ego is not a thing but a verb" - Alan Watts
The ego is a complex phenomenon that has fascinated psychologists and philosophers for centuries. It is a term that is often used in our everyday language, yet its function and importance are not fully understood. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of the ego and its role in our lives.
Carl Jung defined the ego as the center of our field of consciousness. Imagine an egg-shaped circle around our human body, and the ego is the yolk. The ego resides in our psyche and is part of our conscious awareness, although not all of the operations of the ego are conscious. Ego gives us our sense of identity and existence. The ego is the organized part of our personality and works as a command center performing defensive, perceptual, intellectual-cognitive, and executive functions. In layman's terms, the data organized by the ego comes in the form of sense, feelings, thoughts, intuition, and modulates our access to memories. The ego is the connection between the inner and outer world, which then sets the constructs on how we relate to the external world.
Jung believed that consciousness is selective, and that ego selects the most relevant information from our environment and then decides what direction it takes based on what it knows. Since ego is one part of the multi-faceted psyche, it works only with the selective information that is conscious, while the unconscious remains cut off, in our shadow.
The frequent chatter of the mind organizing selective information to which we don't question creates a monster of sorts. The strategies devised by the ego are based only on the information the ego can access. The outcomes are disappointing results, and we find ourselves in a continuous loop of self-destruction. But what can we do to get desirable results? Eradicate the ego? Not necessarily.
The ego needs to be re-understood and reimagined. There is a whole host of other information that the psyche can provide us, humans, with a more holistic perspective of our experience. When we choose not to identify solely as the ego and instead utilize the information it has to offer, we make progress. The next step is to input the data into a framework that includes other sources of information the ego cannot perceive. The result is we become more balanced and begin to master the essential functions within us. We refine our whole being (mind, body, spirit) to be more than just the ego.
Meditation, Shadow Work, and Self-inquiry are all tools we can use to counter and balance the ego. Through meditation, we can observe our thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them, allowing us to gain greater self-awareness and understanding. Shadow work is the process of exploring and integrating the parts of ourselves that we have repressed or denied, allowing us to become more whole and less driven by our unconscious desires. Self-inquiry involves asking ourselves deeper questions about our beliefs and assumptions, which can reveal areas of our lives where the ego is limiting us.
It is important to note that the ego is not inherently "bad," it is genuinely misunderstood. Most of us overly identify with it, and as a result, we limit ourselves and our potential. We always have an opportunity to embark on a hero's journey and slay the dragon (more to come on this in later topics). On the other side of ego death is a chance to rebuild, with better controls in place for the holistic beings we are, and not be restricted to only our ego's chatter.
In conclusion, the ego is a complex phenomenon that plays an essential role in our lives. By understanding the function of the ego, we can utilize it as a tool rather than being a slave to it. Through various practices such as meditation, shadow work, and self-inquiry, we can learn to balance and tame the ego, allowing us to connect more deeply with ourselves and the world around us.
However, it's important to remember that the ego is just one part of the psyche, and there are many other aspects of ourselves that are important to explore and understand. By taking a holistic approach to self-exploration, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world we live in.
Contemplation:
What is your current relationship with your ego and how does it make you feel?
In what ways has your ego influenced your decisions or actions in a negative way?
Conversely, how has your ego served as a form of protection for you in the past?
Considering both the positive and negative aspects of your ego, how can you learn to utilize it as a tool rather than allowing it to dominate your thoughts and actions?
If you are wanting to explore yourself on a soul level, and start to understand who your soul is versus your ego, I invite you to do an Akashic reading from me which you can purpose on my etsy shop: Akashic Astrology Shop.
In summary, the ego is a necessary part of our psyche, but it's important to recognize that it's not the only aspect of ourselves that is important to explore. By using tools and techniques to balance and tame the ego, we can live more fulfilling lives and connect more deeply with the world around us. So, let's embrace our ego, but not let it rule our lives.
Stay Curious, my dear friend.
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