leggo my ego

The ego is not a bad thing. It is what it is: the part of our brains that tells us who we are, where we've been, where we ought to go and how we should operate. Being dwellers in time and space, these logistical skills are important to us.

However, the ego dwells exclusively in the past or the future... never in the present. It adores competition, especially with itself, but with other people too. And it is ultimately ego-centric, only caring for its own well-being and happiness. The ego is a powerful thing and the source of much pain and turmoil when we completely identify with it.

The good news: the instant we step back from the windowless white cell in which the ego thrives and come into contact with the "witness" or our "true self," ego is immediately exposed: its attachment to identity, clutching to ephemeral joy, churning up never-ending drama. To do that, simply begin to notice when you are overtaken by attachment or aversion to something (which often manifests as things like anger, jealousy, envy and pride). Notice and release, and notice again 30 seconds later when it happens again. And release. And repeat.

The popular, current spiritual writer Eckhart Tolle writes eloquently and simply about ego and how to diminish its power in his books, like A New Earth, which I recommend. Just like anything, dropping ego-identification and living more presently is an ongoing practice. The more you know about ego, the less it drives your life. And that is not a bad thing.