We often seem so quick to label someone or something as our “enemy”. Hatred is a strong emotion and cannot be denied. Although, there exists within us perhaps the greatest enemy of all mankind. The Ego! Just about every war throughout history was the end result of someone’s ego taking control. We’ve all had those moments when we disagree with someone else’s opinions or ideas and we try SO hard to make that person agree with us that it eventually leads to something much more heated. You may not notice it at the time but it is at precisely that moment that the Ego kicks in. I believe one of the biggest stereotypes about the Ego is that it is only connected with negative thoughts and/or purely selfish actions. Indeed it is, but it also encompasses positive thoughts, emotions and actions. Anytime you accomplish something and feel proud or happy your Ego then feeds off of that. There is nothing wrong with “feeding” your Ego but it is best to keep a watchful eye on it.
I suppose the most important question would be, “How do you overcome the Ego?” While there are plenty of books on the subject, some with very useful techniques, the most important resource would definitely be yourself. By which I mean the process of introspection. Introspection can also be referred to as self-analysis. After all, who knows you better than YOU? The process is quite simple but it does bring forth many suppressed memories. Even some that you thought you made peace with years ago. The human brain is great at storing information for later recollection. Think of it as a computer. When you want to save an important file you make sure to do so and save it in a location where it can easily be found. Our brains work in the exact same manner. Though, often times it does seem like we have no control over what information our brain takes in. That is where introspection can be a helpful tool.
There is no right or wrong way to begin. You need only a quiet spot, free time and a determined attitude. It is much like meditation except that instead of focusing on your breath you will be focusing on the different emotions and thoughts that arise. Thus, analyzing each one. It helps to hear/read about other’s experiences before attempting something new. The way in which I went about it was quite personal but it definitely cleared a lot of the “cobwebs” in my head. I essentially divided up each of my emotions into their own separate person.
Every emotion that I could think of I did my best to imagine them as their own living, breathing embodiment. Joy was its own person, jealousy was its own person, happiness was its own, apathy was its own person. Then I eventually combined them all into two main beings. One represented every positive emotion and the other every negative emotion. It gets kind of weird after that but I then had to talk with each one. I actually had a long conversation with both representatives. I won’t divulge all the details as to what was said but the main thing I expressed was the need to understand how each one of my emotions interacted with each other. I learned that there were a lot of emotions that I had been denying and hiding. It doesn’t seem like much of a breakthrough right now but at that moment it was a very profound realization! There were many other epiphanies I experienced, after the first one they all just seemed to fall out of nowhere. Every now and then I will notice my Ego trying to take hold once more but all it takes is just a quick pause and a deep breath to remind it that it can no longer be the ruler of my mind.
Be advised, the whole process of Introspection takes practice and time. It is not a quick fix for all mental complexities. If you happen to suffer from ANY kind of severe mental disorder then it is always best to get treated by a competent professional.
With that being said, do not become discouraged if you do not see any results for awhile. Remember, our brains have been preprogrammed since childhood. Any attempt to reprogram will of course bring about resistance. Once you move past that initial stage then you will find the whole process quite interesting. Another great side effect that will occur is you will learn to truly love your mind for the amazingly complex and wonderful thing that it is!
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