Overcoming the Ego

What is the ego? Psychologically speaking, the ego consists of all of the personalized notions an individual has built up about who he or she is as a human being: personalities, beliefs, behaviors, thought processes, and inner dialogues. Essentially, the ego is the subjective construct of consciousness through which we differentiate ourselves as individuals.

Ego death, therefore, is a temporary experiential annihilation of concepts such as a sense of identity and sense of self; the removal of the filter of the ego’s perception. As Timothy Leary described, the individual no longer has a concept of self, only pure sensory perception, thus he or she becomes intensely aware of the unity of existence without being burdened by the components of his or her personality, ultimately realizing that the self is an illusion.

Moreover, because the self is recognized as chimerical, ego death has the potential to thrust someone into a new way of perceiving life, enabling a deeper understanding of everything that we consider our sense of self and becoming aware that it is susceptible to change.

Once an individual has experienced ego death, his or her relationship with this notion of the ego becomes permanently altered: he or she is more easily able to acknowledge the fact that the ego is a product of his or her mind. Even if the illusory nature of the ego still presides over the mind, the delusion can be quelled. It is not dissimilar to marveling at the performance of a magic trick, regardless of knowing that it is indeed a trick or perhaps even knowing how it may be done.

Additionally, since ego death allows an individual to see that everything and everyone is connected, he or she may become a more compassionate being and consider more frequently the ramifications of his or her interactions with others. Carl Jung observed this radical change to a more inclusive consciousness and referred to it as a psychic death, further stating that such a shift in personality toward the existential position of the natural self improves global quality of life.

Furthermore, after discovering and comprehending the teachings of psychologists such as Carl Rogers, the notion of self-actualization can become concomitant with ego loss. Rogers’ ideas conce
ing phenomenology form the basis for his theory regarding existential therapy and this is how you can approach your own therapeutic relationships with others.

By studying human behavior and thought processes through the framework of psychology, you can better understand the nature of spirituality in your own life. For example, James Fowler’s stages of faith development are rooted in psychological development and have helped many people to realize that they are currently going through a phase of individuative reflection with regard to taking personal responsibility for their beliefs and feelings.

Learning about the psychological process of spiritual maturity can strengthen your own intuitive understanding of spirituality and the growth that accompanies an awakening to the inherent spiritual nature within us all. Moreover, this knowledge, which pertains to the psychological functions of the human mind, can profoundly influence your actions toward and relationships with others.

By becoming aware of a universal consciousness and the interconnectedness of all beings, as facilitated by the academic study of psychology and spirituality, you will begin to treat others differently. By transitioning between these stages of spiritual and psychological development, you will notice a shift in your values, including giving up attachments to people, places, possessions, institutions, ideas, and ideologies.

It is because of this change in consciousness, this experience of ego loss, that we come to recognize and appreciate the diverse nature of people, opting to actively embrace and learn from these ephemeral relationships rather than spu
or ignore them. Essentially, you come to the personal realization that the ultimate truth is oneness. That this corporeal reality we temporarily occupy is only a transient illusion.

We have been taught by religious and societal institutions to believe so much in our identities and in our individualism. Obviously, we have a tendency to talk very egotistically; believing in the nature of our own individualism and our own identity. On a deeper level though, we must recognize that all these things are evanescent, and what is important are the things that we all share – love, unity, and togethe
ess.

Russell Brand has said that we can acknowledge our capacity selfishness, but we also need to recognize that we will not find happiness if we only care about ourselves at the expense of other people. As long as we suppress these ideas of oneness in favor of negative human traits like greed, selfishness, and lust, we will exist in opposition to one another. This notion is what studying psychology and spirituality can help you to realize.

In transpersonal psychology, or spiritual psychology, an issue commonly addressed is the idea of the self beyond the ego. Transcending from the body-bound, earth-bound, time-bound ego of desire and survival comes the indivisible pristine ego, or the inviolable spiritual self. Attachment, threat, and loss are the psychological needs associated with survival and desire; the everyday ego’s endeavor at establishing our respective identities.

Spiritual maturity involves the process of sundering the two selves before holistically reuniting them at the right stage of human spiritual development. This personal journey is a psychological imperative which we must embarked on with the facilitation and stimulation offered by the education received through the study of psychology and spirituality.

Existentially speaking, we may struggled to find our place and purpose in the world, often turning to spiritualized philosophies in search of answers. Experientially speaking, we can find that by incorporating these spiritual methods of thinking into an examination of psychology, we are better able to understand how these theories pertain to the human psyche.

Mortality, morality, and meaning are all approached differently with regard to spirituality when compared to psychology, and it is this juxtaposition that can help us transition from narcissistic individuals into altruistic ones.

Everyone has the potential for growth towards spiritual maturity, wisdom, and enlightenment; although a person may get stuck along the way. Hopefully, by sharing our own experiences, we will be able to help others continue on their own journey and come to the same ultimate realizations that many have now begun to understand.