Ego and Emotions
by Atman Nityananda
Emotions are only expressions of the ego itself and not something distinct or separate from the ego.
The ego when expressed as emotion (or desire which is primarily emotional in nature) has great power (like a whirlpool or strong magnet) to draw us to it, make us identify with it, make us feel that we are it and lose ourselves in it.
The ego to express itself as emotion or desire produces thoughts and imaginations and projects itself into them and makes us perceive thoughts and imagination as real as external reality (as if they were real as external reality).
In the case of desire, the ego that takes the form of desire drives us to satisfy it in order to enjoy what this particular ego-desire wants to enjoy (i.e. sex, food, drink, cigarette, etc.).
In the case of emotion, the ego wants to live again and again the vibration of emotions that are nothing more than an expression or modification of itself. Or, equivalently, emotions are nothing more than a modification of desire itself, since desire is the essential nature of the ego. Thus, for example, the ego takes every possible opportunity to express itself as anger and to live again and again the vibration of anger and thus perpetuate its existence in us and live through us as a parasite. That is to say, emotions identified with thoughts or images are like psychological entities that want to perpetuate their life and this is possible by manifesting themselves frequently and making us identify with them and take them for ourselves.
Therefore, the path to freedom begins by noticing them (desires, emotions, thoughts and imagination) as soon as they manifest in us, stop identifying with them, not giving them the opportunity to express themselves freely and strongly, become aware that they limit us, harm us, that we are not them and prevent us from living in peace, fullness, freedom and love with others and with all life and eliminate them by various means, predominantly with prayer and the power of mantras (mainly mantras of the names of God or seed mantras. like Om mantra).
Emotions are only expressions of the ego itself and not something distinct or separate from the ego.
🌺 Peace, Love, Harmony
atmannityanada 