In my last post on ego, The Nature of Ego, I discussed a framework for understanding ego based on the Katha Upanishad. In this post I'm going to extend this framework into the realm of the practical by looking at how we can reconcile the conflicts that arise from ego. We do this by first understanding that ego is the first manifestation of spirit in the physical. Meaning, ego is the first place intentions manifest and where they begin to be filtered or redirected. It's the first place things go wrong, so it's the first place we should look to make them right. We live in an age of behavioral obsession. That is, when things aren't working out the way we want, we look at the behavior that caused it and work like hell to change that behavior. This is where philosophies and religions begin the doctrinization of behavior. In Romans 14, the apostle Paul outlines one of the most profound and ignored concepts in the New Testament, which is summed up in verse 14:
I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
For context, understand that "unclean" refers to the Israelites' law given to them by Moses, there were acts of sin and acts of transgression. The bulk of the law of Moses is comprised of delineation of "unclean," or transgressive acts and the required atonement. In this passage, Paul is suggesting that nothing is unclean by its own nature, but it is our intention that makes it so. And if our intention is ego-based, then it will be a detriment to our spiritual expansion. He understood that our egoic nature often drives us to make behavioral prescriptions for spiritual problems, but the solution to a problem always lies at a higher level than the expression of the problem. Focusing on behavior serves only to keep us busy while ego remains happily protected. And we are lost as a result of acting "through false ego" and not through consciousness.
The Function of Ego
In order to reconcile spirit and ego, we need to understand what ego does and invoke that in harmony with the intentions of our spirit. Part of the question is what is the function of ego. I discussed in The Nature of Ego why ego acts the way it does, but what is the purpose behind what it's doing? Extending the model proposed by Katha Upanishad, I see it as a translation layer. Spirituality and physicality are two very different modes of being, and they're not fully compatible. That's why life is so unpredictable and colorful and dangerous. Something needs to insulate and convert those energies across the hierarchy of perception. Ego is the echo chamber where the resonation of spirit and physicality begin to take form. Ego merges those inputs to create self-sustaining systems of values, beliefs and behaviors that support a functional physical life. Then it monitors the system, keeping the system running stably and watching for feedback to tune it.
But most people are not directing their life from the intention of spirit, and only a few enlightened masters perfect that practice. Since we have not fully integrated ego and spirit, the system loops back at ego most of the time. Perceptions are interpreted and acted upon based on the egoic motivations, namely fear. Intentions from spirit are not introduced into the system, and the feedback that interests spirit is filtered out. We end up acting for and in response to the gratification of ego. Bear in mind that spirituality can be pursued within a purely ego-based system by using ego-based rewards and punishment to reinforce certain behaviors. This is why Paul encourages not to judge others or ourselves, "Happy [is] he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth." But ego is constantly passing judgment, so it will resist spiritual input until it is brought into alignment with spirit. But that alignment can only work if ego is not engaged in a power struggle. It needs to retain its role and function as spirit guides the system.
Recalibrating The System
So under this framework, ego creates the structure of mind in which life will be lived, including values, beliefs and conditioned behavior to support the directive to be carried out. The default directive of ego is self-preservation, which easily grows into self aggrandizement. The beginning of change comes when we issue a non ego-based directive, then empower ego to carry it out. Rather than battling with it as we instinctively do, we allow ego to perform its natural function under the guidance of the higher spiritual awareness. This requires that we recognize that values and beliefs, however noble, belong to the realm of ego. We need to discover the true domain of the spirit. For example, the the Yogic tradition, which defines paths based on wisdom (jnana yoga), relationship with the diving (bhakti yoga), compassion towards others (karma yoga) and universal truth (raja yoga), each of which is intended to achieve permanent spiritual bliss through realization of the divine self. These are the sort of things that spirit is concerned with. Each of these is a directive for which ego can derive and execute a program. Under these or any other equivalent, the ego will derive or accept certain values, belief structures, observances, attitudes, etc. that support that directive.
But there are pitfalls here. Until it is brought into accord with spirit, the ego may try to hijack the directive as just another means for achieving ego gratification. Any spiritual ideal can be pursued according to an ego-based agenda. To avoid this, we must ensure that the feedback loop goes on to spirit rather than stopping at ego. We must not judge, as judging comes from the ego. We must not become attached to the program itself and substitute it for the directive it is serving, or or it will become focused solely on justification and preservation of the belief system and we will cease to expand, choosing instead to gratify our ego in the form of the ideal, but lacking the substance thereof. The criteria for feedback should be whether it creates joy and expands the spirit. If not, ego needs instruction to try something else. This means exploring other possibilities without granting the ego veto power. We should not let ego dismiss possibilities that might support growth just because they challenge its current configuration. We need to be aware enough to recognize what is working and have the courage to change what is not. This is difficult because ego seeks to preserve a stable state; it is resistant to change.
Since preservation is a primary concern to ego, an imperfect but stable system is deemed superior to the unknown. That is why ego resists ideas that challenge its current configuration. It amplifies feedback that supports it and attenuates feedback that challenges it. The unknowns of essential truth are a direct challenge to the fears of ego. It will reject new ideas, and cling to old fears and behaviors as long as it can; often until the current system crumbles into dysfunction and must be rebuilt. Do we really want to let it reach that point? This is why I call this a revolution. You can't evolve into it; it's incompatible with traditional belief paradigms.
When we stop fighting ego and struggling with behaviors, we invoke our spiritual awareness to guide ego in the fulfillment of its natural function. In this state, counterproductive beliefs and behaviors fall away of their own accord. Ego begins to recognize them as irrelevant and adjusts the system. As long as we don't cling to those beliefs and behaviors, our spiritual expansion will accelerate and we will experience peace and joy in the process. In my next post in this series, I will discuss three areas of attention that can help us recalibrate the ego system.
