About the nature of the ego
by Atman Nityananda
The basis of the limited-illusory identity known as Ego is identification and attachment with the body and mind and also with external objects, persons and situations.
The essential nature of the egoic self is desire or, more precisely, desiring and is the psycholigic factor that causes all kinds of identifications, attachments and projections.
All other aspects of the ego (tendencies, patterns, emotions, etc.) are related to:
1. Desire (for pleasure, comfort, money, fame, glory, reputation, acquisitions, success),
2. Pride and reputation (what others will think of us),
3. approaval, acceptance and recognition by others,
4. our self-worth,
5. our self-image,
6. our need for security (physical and psychological).
All these aspects of the ego are related to each other, and all aspects of the ego are primarily related to the mechanism of desire.
For example, we may desire money to feel secure or to satisfy some desire related to pleasure, comfort, recognition or worth. We usually desire money for all of these reasons, with one (or some) of them being more prominent than others.
Fear (anxiety, anxiety, worry) can be caused by some desire or attachment (for pleasure-comfort-money-earning, etc.), desire or need for security (physical or emotional), desire for reputation, prestige or feeling worthy.
Behind the anger is also a desire (for pleasure-pleasure-money-money-acquisitions), desire or need for security (physical or emotional), reputation, pride, worth and fear as a secondary cause.
Remember that behind fear lies some desire, attachment, the need for security, reputation, self-image and worth.
But even the need for security, reputation, self-image and worth are also a desire to feel secure, a desire to feel safe, a desire to have a good image and opinion of ourselves, to be spoken well of, a desire to be accepted, approved, recognized and rewarded in order to feel worthy, special or important.
Therefore at the basis of all egoic tendencies and negative emotions is desire (the desire for anything). Anger and fear, which are the most prominent emotions, have their origin in desire. But also the emotions of reputation and pride are in essence a desire for others to think positively of us and a desire to feel great and to be recognized as great.
Knowing that all our behaviours, mechanical reactions, emotions, feelings, impulses and thoughts originate or are fundamentally related to desire, pride and reputation (what others will think of us), approaval, acceptance and recognition by others, our self-worth, our self-image, our need for security (physical and psychological) will make it easier for you to understand what is happening within us and us behaviour and what may be the cause of it. After discovering and understanding the egoic tendencies we move on to eliminating them through prayer, the mantras, positive visualization or other method such as EFT.
Already this brief but essential information about the ego can help you to discover and understand more easily and correctly the various manifestations of the ego.
See below a very important map about the fundamental expressions and aspects of Ego
The ‘secret’ to a plentiful life, a life of harmony, happiness and contentment is to have a sattvic mind and to live in every moment in conscious contact with our true Self (Consciousness).
🌺 Peace, Love, Harmony
atmannityanada 