The Ego and the True Self: Finding Balance in Spiritual Practice

The ego is an identity created by our mind, a construct that helps us navigate the physical world. Being egotistical doesn't necessarily mean being self-centered. Rather, an egotistical person is someone who makes decisions based on this mind-created identity instead of their authentic self. Understanding this distinction is crucial for anyone on a spiritual path, especially those working with practices like Cosmoenergetica.

Understanding the Ego's true nature

What separates the ego from our true "I"? In reality, the ego is part of the self, not some external parasite causing us harm. Labeling the ego as inherently bad or evil misses the point entirely. The ego was created for a purpose. It has a job to do in our human experience.

Problems arise not from having an ego, but from overfeeding it, allowing it to deteriorate into our sole control mechanism. In other words, difficulties begin when we substitute the ego for our true self. It's like a society in crisis handing control to whoever seems "most logical, most rational, most material" - understandable in times of fear and wounding, but problematic when maintained beyond the crisis.

The ego presents itself with such certainty, logic, and confidence that recognizing its irrationality becomes nearly impossible. When we approach ourselves asking "Am I right?", we unknowingly set a trap. Judging a product of our logic with that same logic creates a self-feeding cycle that only strengthens the ego's hold.

Think about the last argument you had. Remember that creeping question: "Am I wrong?" Even after convincing yourself of your rightness, did your anger, sadness, or anxiety disappear? The ego's validation rarely brings peace.

The question that unmasks the Ego

The most powerful question to reveal the ego's mask isn't about being right or wrong. It's simply: "Am I happy?"

Not "Am I satisfied?" or "Did I get revenge?" or "Do I feel vindicated?" But genuinely, peacefully, without mental churning: "Am I truly happy?"

You might feel defensive responses arising: "I'm not happy because..." or "I'm not happy, but..." That's perfectly fine. We're not concerned with being right. If you're unhappy about something you consciously chose and acted upon, the decision likely came from your ego, not your authentic self. This question exists simply to help you discern the difference.

Working with the Ego, not against it

So what do we do? How do we "kill" the ego?

The answer is: we don't. The ego is part of us, and the solution isn't warfare. Fighting the ego only strengthens it through resistance. Instead, we can begin by cutting off the energy that feeds it excessively.

Start by asking yourself:

• Is this truly my decision, or am I protecting an identity I've created?

• Is this my authentic desire, or my ego's need to be right?

• Am I defending who I really am, or who I think I should be?

• Am I so invested in being right that I've lost sight of being happy?

• Am I blaming others because they don't understand me?

• Who's really at fault here - or does fault even matter?

Don't worry - releasing the battle for rightness won't transform you into a doormat who agrees with everyone and lacks confidence. Quite the opposite. When we redirect the enormous energy we spend feeding our ego back to our true self, we free ourselves from being wounded victims who need the ego's protection.

This shift allows us to respond from wisdom rather than react from wounding. We become centered in our authentic power rather than the ego's defensive strategies. We find that true strength comes not from being right, but from being aligned with our deeper truth.

The path forward

The ego isn't our enemy. It is a tool that has overstepped its boundaries. By recognizing when we're operating from ego versus authentic self, we can gently redirect our energy toward what truly serves us. This discernment is essential for anyone engaged in spiritual practices like Cosmoenergetica, where clarity of intention directly impacts the effectiveness of energy work.

Remember: every moment offers a choice. Will you feed the ego's need to be right, or nourish your soul's desire to be free? The question "Am I happy?" can be your compass, always pointing toward your true north - not the ego's magnetic pull, but the quiet certainty of your authentic self.

Author: Anil Gunduz