The ego is not the higher self and is not the consciousness. It can be best described as being like a mask that allows other people to recognize you as being who you are. Your ego might not be a true representation of who you are and it can get out of control. If this happens, your decision-making will become unjust and you might develop an unloving attitude towards others.
Your ego is what makes you aware of what makes you different from everybody else. Your higher self is masked by ego. When you understand this you can take control and rely more on your consciousness, which will provide you with the guidance and intuition from your higher self.
Recognize When an Ego is Out of Control
Ego is something we can drop when it gets out of control. By learning to recognize the signs that the ego is getting out of control, it becomes easier to ignore it and allow a higher level of consciousness to take over.
First it is important to understand these signs of an out of control ego affect all of us at some time. They are all signs of disconnection that anyone can experience:
• Arguing too much
• Complaining too much
• Being defensive
• Being judgmental
• Being too self-critical
• Being unable to apologize
• Impatience
These are all signs which indicate that an ego is out of control and has separated itself from everything else. An out-of-control ego needs to justify itself and, because it cannot admit to being wrong, it used aggression and hostility.
The higher self does not need to use a mask of hostility to defend itself. That sense of separation is just an illusion and the reality is that there is a connection between every one of us and the universe. When this is fully understood, our choices are naturally based on love and compassion, rather than on any egotistical ideas.
Have a Healthy Relationship with Your Ego
Having an ego is a necessary part of our individuality. The best way to develop a healthy relationship with the ego is by maintaining a strong connection with your higher self. You can then stay in control by viewing your ego from a higher perspective and with full mindfulness of your true self.
The best solution is to do some regular meditation, so that you will be more aligned with your higher self. Meditation is a way of connecting more deeply and of quietening outside thoughts.
By using meditation to stop your ego from taking control, it will be easier to know when a decision is being influenced by ego and it needs to be reached through consciousness.
The ego should not be punished or be banished completely. It should just be released from the responsibility of decision-making. Handing over this responsibility to the higher self means that better decisions will be made, based on the inner guidance that comes from our “oneness”.
Daily meditation increases awareness of our interconnection. It allows better decisions to be made, through mindfulness and knowledge that we are all part of the same universe.
An ego that is out of control creates decisions that result in unkindness to others, because choices are being based on a false concept of separation. When you know how to take control of your ego, you can rely more on your higher self to decide on how you really ought to act for the good of others. As a result, life will be made up of happiness and love, rather than being bound by signs that the ego is out of control.