Living and Creating in Harmony With Your Ego

Lately I have come across numerous articles, discussions, workshops and tele-classes from varying sources all dedicated to "taming" or transcending the ego. As I begin writing this article I can feel the ego taking charge as I ponder the correct words to write, analyze if I should write a definition for the word ego, and on and on. If fact, the mental confusion created by my ego can wreak havoc until I just give up in frustration!

This is a common experience that I'm sure you've experienced one time or another. You become excited about a new project or endeavor, take a few steps towards completing it and then inadvertently let your ego take over. You can very quickly find yourself spiraling down into doubt and self-sabotage. Your progress comes to a screeching halt and you put another checkmark on your mental list of "failures."

So what is the ego anyways and why does it cause so much frustration?

There are many definitions of ego from the metaphysical and psychological communities each with its own solution on how to best deal with it. After many years of exploring the realm of the ego I have come to think of it as the part of your consciousness that creates your individuality. Essentially the ego gives you a separate and unique identity from other beings in the Universe.

The ego also serves in the capacity of keeping you contained, safe and out of trouble. Anytime you encounter a new or unfamiliar situation the ego becomes alerted. In the "mind" of the ego, unfamiliarity is synonymous with danger and the ego has many ways of dealing with this prescribed danger and keeping you in safe, protected territory.

As the ego launches into action, your stress level will rise and you may begin experiencing unwanted emotions such as confusion, frustration or impatience. Perhaps a story will be triggered such as "you know you've tried this before and it didn't work. Why will it be different this time?" The ego knows that it has successfully done its job when you disengage from the scary, new endeavor and begin living from your comfort zone again.

In the big scheme of things the ego is essential to your health, well-being and happiness. Like it or not the ego is an integral and vital part of who you are. In other words, since you are stuck with having an ego, how do you allow it to serve you rather that hinder your growth, expression and expansion?

The most effective way that I've discovered it to relax, take a deep breath and let the ego do its job. Remember, whatever you resist persists. If you look for ways to overcome or fight your ego it will continue to counterattack and you will find yourself in a never-ending cycle of resistance.

Embrace and love your ego instead of fighting or resisting it. I think of the ego as my narrow self, a part of me that sees circumstances from a restricted perspective and has access to limited resources and solutions.

When the narrow self is engaged with judging, categorizing, resisting and stomping its feet, you always have the power of choice to gently shift into your expanded self.

Your expanded self is that part of you that is joyfully and lovingly connected to everything and everyone in the Universe. Your expanded self has access to the wisdom of the ages and untapped resources just waiting to be revealed and shared. As your expanded self embraces new projects and endeavors it also embraces your narrow self (ego) and comforts it as you would comfort a small, scared child.

From the perspective of your expanded self you are a powerful creator blissfully experiencing unlimited possibilities with you ego/narrow self safely and securely tucked away in a loving embrace, happy and protected.

Each and every moment of your life offers you a choice: thriving under the influence of your expanded self or struggling against your ego (narrow self). What do you choose?