Within the landscape of our mind isn’t just one voice.
There’s the voice of the Ego and there’s the voice of the Self.
Ego arises effortlessly. It’s one of the byproducts of being emotional, social, imperfect creatures.
- When we experience undesirable emotions, Ego fights for immediate comfort (e.g. suppression).
- When we experience social hierarchy, Ego fights for expedited means to the top.
- When we experience imperfections, Ego fights for distraction.
Self doesn’t arise. Self is tapped into as a result of inward effort. When we find ways to tap into this infinite wisdom, then we find different answers to the same human conditions:
- When we experience undesirable emotions, Self accepts their presence and allows them to flow.
- When we experience social hierarchy, Self returns to authenticity and reminds us of our own journey.
- When we experience imperfections, Self reminds us of our infinite, untouchable worth.
Ego is comparative, competitive, and comfort oriented. Self is authentic, gift giving, and long-term oriented.
The dynamic worth noting here is that the Ego wants to be the only one heard. It’s loud, obnoxious, and wildly distracting. The Self is subtle, quiet, and speaks in whispers.
This is the root cause of much of our inner conflict and self-imposed suffering.
They are both answers to one of our fundamental driving forces as humans: to seek pleasure and avoid pain.
Ego, however, isn’t a good guide. It’s interested in the immediate gratification and pain avoidance. Self, knows that this usually leads to compounded long-term pain. It’s the Self that can best guide us forward. But, if we never take the time to quiet the Ego… we’ll never hear it.