What is ego? Ego is all that we are as a physical and mental being. When we are praised by somebody, and we feel happy, that is ego. When harsh words are spoken and we feel sad, that is ego. When fear of loneliness surrounds us; that is ego. This is all ego, because ego arises from a sense of expectation. Ego requires another to ‘feed’ it or ‘validate’ it. Hence, we say that ego is illusory. It can exist only if another acknowledges it, in any way.

Ego comes into being because of the conditioning a child receives early in life from its environment. An angry father, a tired mother, a jealous sibling, all contribute to the conditioning of the child and build up of its ego. When a child is scolded for failure or punished for bad behaviour, it learns the implied lessons of ego. Thus the ego-self is slowly built up with the result that the illusion becomes the reality and we forget who we really are.

But who are we really? We are the self, the true self as compared to the physical self. The true self is Soul; it is spirit. The true self needs no outside validation. There is no anger or fear; no thrill if someone praises us; no sadness if somebody is rude to you. Self is Love and Light; Joy and Peace. The true Self knows illusion and Reality. The ego sees only illusion and believes it to be real. Hence the ego-self has often been considered unreal and unimportant, just as the physical self has been viewed as transitory and unimportant.

But when both are seen against the reality of the Soul, the ego is also of vital importance. The ego is all that you are in embodied form. How then can you reject it? What other tools do you have to work with, dear divine artisan? Your efforts need to be directed at expanding the ego, not enlarging it. An expanding ego, breaks free of the strictures of blame, finger pointing, boastfulness, arrogance, self-negation, self-loathing, possessiveness, and attachment and becomes a boundless ocean that ever expands so that the surging waters of the spirit can touch the farthest shores. An enlarged ego is one that defines itself by the external as it is completely empty of self-love and self-esteem. Thus you become your car, your property, your money, your work, your social position, your relationships, your children, your friends, your enemies, et al. With such spiritual emptiness, the ego attaches itself to the external and acts boastful, contemptuous, rebellious, submissive, possessive. It is enslaved by all things and all persons.

‘Ego is essential, it is needed in order for the Spark to experience the duality that it desired to. Ego is its vehicle. But, a good vehicle needs a good driver. If you are not in control, the vehicle will soon begin to do things on its own without any restraint and will cause you harm. But you cannot blame the vehicle. It is the driver who did not control the vehicle and the driver is you. You, the self and you, the ego. You are the driver.’
 …Jade Fire

Right is ego. Wrong is ego. To lie is ego. To be honest is ego. To be proud is ego. To be humble is ego. Kindness is ego. Cruelty is ego. You are ego. They are ego. The world is ego. Earth is ego. Leaders are ego. Followers are ego. Joy is ego. Laughter is ego. Fear is ego. Pain is ego. Resistance is ego. Surrender is ego. Sound is ego. Quiet is ego. Mind is ego. Heart is ego. Learning is ego. Teaching is ego. Sharing is ego. Hoarding is ego. Giving is ego. Taking is ego. Lack is ego. Plenty is ego. All that ego is not, is I AM….
Arch angel Ariel

Living is ego. Dying is ego. Enjoyment is ego. Loneliness is ego. Aggression is ego. Meekness is ego. Victim is ego. Tyrant is ego. Bully is ego. Slave is ego. King is ego. Subject is ego. Body is ego. Smallness of soul is ego. Mercy is ego. Justice is ego. Compulsion is ego. Force is ego. Power is ego. Acceptance is ego. Conflict is ego. Surrender is ego.
…Jade Fire