Much has been written and
talked about the ego. Some appreciate it; others condemn it. Some want to raise
it; others want to destroy it. Some love it; others hate it. So, what is this
ego so much in discussion?
Ego is a thought that
arises in the mind after every event with a flag “I”. The event could be
anything such as: an action; a feeling; an understanding; an achievement; a
condition etc. After any event, you say “I did it or I am hungry or I
understand or I made it, etc.” Let’s now analyse these statements deeper. When
you say, “I am hungry”, isn’t it the body that needs food? Wouldn’t the correct
statement be “My body is hungry”? Similarly, shouldn’t I say, “My mind feels
this emotion, or my intellect understands this concept, or my body walked to
this place and did this work”?
If you examine closely, you
would realise that everything is being carried out by various equipments of
your personality – physical (Body), emotional (Mind) or intellectual
(Intellect) – all in your presence. Body, Mind and Intellect are your possessions,
not You. Thus, you are no more than a witness of all events. Ego is a mere
function of the mind appropriating everything to itself. Your identification
with this function of the mind creates the much talked about ‘Ego’.
Ego, as a function of the
mind, is required for living and transacting in the world. But there is no need
to identify yourself with the ego or with your body, mind and intellect. You
are ever free; you are the boss. These are your possessions working as per
their designs. You can simply enjoy watching them work. You can live in the
state of eternal peace.
