Can Ego and I be friends? Know how.
From boardroom dynamics, political power struggle or the one-upmanship that we can see in our everyday interactions/ relations, the most prominent feature in all our communication is the persistent use of “I, Me & My”.
It could be, “Oh, I’m so pissed at that guy who cut me off at the traffic signal without even an indicator” or “Can you believe how rude that lady was, just butting into the line without even asking!”
We feel entitled to have an opinion on everything that we see, hear and learn. And there are very few exceptions to this basic rule, even if most people don’t voice it, the opinion still exists.!This “inherent” need arises from the “EGO” aspect of our present personality which based on its past knowledge attempts to make sense of what is happening around it.
This “I, Me, My” aspect of our-Self, the EGO self, however, has been famously defamed. All of psychology is attempting to understand and break down the components of Ego, whereas philosophy breaks down the existence of the Ego in the first place. And the new-age jargons like “letting GO” refer to the Ego as a criminal to be kept behind bars. And yet it is this Ego which determines the idea of our “present identity”.
"Spirituality, the scientific study of the Soul, defines the Ego Self as the tool through which our true Self experiences physical reality."
Here an old Greek story becomes relevant - the story of the Lion & the Mouse.
As the story goes, one day a lion threatens a mouse that wakes him from sleep. When the mouse begs for forgiveness, the lion lets him go and the mouse replies that it would return its favor someday, to which the lion laughs. Later, however, the lion is netted by hunters and hearing it roaring, the mouse remembers its compassion and frees it by gnawing through the ropes.
All of us are on the path of self-improvement. And we all face situations in our life, where our EGO, like the lion is trapped in a net, sees no-where to go. Ending up feeling helpless, lonely and misunderstood, our ego justifies its seclusion or aggression, either way, with reasons that are best known only to us. The mouse, is a wonderful representation of our ‘Spiritual Understanding’, the inner guidance that we receive from our true Self, giving us the slow boost of courage, patience and perseverance. Gnawing at the ropes of the restricting net of our EGO, we go beyond the peephole view of life and gain understanding of the unraveling nature of our personal reality, such as why you attracted that boss who keeps demeaning you or that forever complaining friend in your group or a friend who is addicted.
The Lion is the King who maintains the balance & order of the Mighty Jungle & our Ego is the force that maintains a fine balance between the inner and outer worlds. The freed Lion becomes a grateful lion, a compassionate lion, a just Lion and a joyful Lion. We begin to enjoy the EGO as a tool, for it can be a delight and can make our life magical when it serves our ‘Inner Being’.
"When we stop associating our Self to the Ego, the stubborn aspect of our Self, we surely and steadily uncover the 360-degree view of our Self. "
As the story goes, the lion & mouse become friends forever, in the same way, we do our best for our ego-self through 'Sajjana Sangatya' – being in the company of like-minded people!
Life is a fantastical experience of learning, sharing and expanding!
Enjoy the Ride!
