Christ and Buddha asked humanity to get rid of our ego or egotism. It is a very difficult proposition. Our ego expresses itself in one form or another ever so imperceptively. The fact that we are body-bound, it is very difficult for our mind, without great discipline (sadhana), to exercise control over body and bodily wants. In a way we are on a constant ego-trip. Deep awareness alone can keep vigilant watch over our ego so that we are not detracted from our spiritual goal.
In psychoanalytic psychology, ego carries out the executive function that mediates between the conscious and the unconscious, and anchors the person in reality testing, giving also a sense of personal identity. In philosophy, ego can be considered to be the conscious, thinking subject or the self. In ordinary life it may mean a person’s self-esteem or even self-importance. But the problem begins when a person is said to have a big ego and there is no place for any other ego. This is when a person is obsessed with oneself or is ego-centric; this person does not have a balanced ego. This kind of ego is frequently seen in politics and religion.
It is often difficult to discern between ego in the sense of undue self-importance and ignorance. Ego that is generally supposed to be conscious is not adequately conscious, and is clouded or even blinded by one’s ambition and self-inflation in this age of consumerism and materialism. Persons not having sufficient self-worth look for models to be led, and end up in the nets of narcissistic politicians or self-worshipping god-men and women. Even with the explosion of knowledge and communication persons in general are not secure enough to chart their own course in their God-given freedom to achieve their unique destiny of God-realization.
Characteristic of this age is the unwillingness of propagandists of consumer goods and self-aggrandized politicians and religionists to listen to simple messages given to them by ordinary persons. They interpret things in their own way that suits them. These misguided leaders often misinterpret the signs of the times because they are only in touch with their own ego swimming as it is in adulation and acclamation given them by the uncritical general populace. We can forgive the blind followers and their blinder leaders giving them the benefit of the doubt following one of the last statements of Christ before he died on the cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”. But we cannot absolve ourselves of our grave responsibility in expressing our views received from insights as a result of relentless sadhana (spiritual exercise) and search for truth.
Swami Snehananda Jyoti
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