04/30/2021
Ego versus Soul: the fight for Kindness.
In an evolutionary context, one purpose of the ego was to protect our individual identity, to recognize the difference between ourselves and a poisonous plant, aggressive animals, other tribes that could be dangerous to our tribe— things of that nature. Today’s evolutionary progress requires that we transcend the ego and realize our Oneness with all beings, with all life. When we do so, we will cease being frightened by our individual differences, whether they be of race, sexual orientation, or form of worship. We will stop plundering Mother Earth for her resources to satisfy our selfishness and greed.
Ego itself is not the enemy, but an inflamed, out-of-control ego is one of the most challenging aspects of human nature to reign in, to tame. Relating to ourselves in this way, a “sur- survival of the fittest” approach seems necessary. All this does is give birth to fear, anxiety, mistrust, and greed based on a false sense that there is not enough good to go around so we must hoard and protect how little or how much is in our possession.
The unchecked ego requires maintenance, a constant building up of itself with the props of name, fame, riches, more credentials, possessions, false power, creating castles in the air, all of which can be quite exhausting. Ego keeps us living on the “me plan,” including feelings of inferiority and superiority, guilt, shame—and other machinations of the ego which function as a wall between oneself and Reality.
When we stabilize or transcend the ego, we no longer view life through the lens of separation. A healthy ego comprehends the interconnectedness of all life, resulting in wise, generous decisions that benefit the planet and its inhabitants. Softening ego’s hard edges enables us to make friends with ourselves, and from there with life itself. With the advent of the global mind created by technology, we are opening our eyes to what it means to be world citizens. People are beginning to make friends with one another all around the world, dissolving stereotypes and prejudices.