i have read practically nothing but good points on the subject of the ego here and would like to add some more.
basically, my latest understanding of ego is that ego is not something bad. Ego only becomes bad when it begins to harm another or encroach on their right to be.
Basically on a rudimentary level, every animal cares for its young to a certain degree, most do this very actively and go to great lengths to protect the offspring-even to the point of sacrificing themselves. Animals will also flee from perceived danger as a form of selfprotection and this too can fall under the heading of ego or rather the term self. it may well be a mirror image of some divine universal energy.
with humans, it is often simplified to the point that ego=negativity or weakness. i do believe in negativity and in weakness, but i do not equate it with ego. i think that as human beings we have the ability to freely choose where we direct our energies. we can and do end up identifying ourselves with certain ideas and principles to establish goals and priorities. what else does this but the ego.
as has been stated:
Ego seems to be the hingepin. Look at every truly sustainable success that we have come to know (not financial), and observe the qualities of those individuals. Would you say that their ego is visible, or another batch of qualities?
Meister Eckhart, a well known mystic, once said; the physical food that we take up becomes our body, but the spiritual food that we take up, devours or absorbs us so that we become a part of that which we choose to believe in.
i believe that goes for both positive as well as negative things. virtues as well as vices powerfully shape our lives and our surroundings.
i believe in blessings and in curses. to know that each and every movement as well as thought is a deep and powerful prayer, is to understand the grave level of resposibility we carry as human beings.
If i identify myself with certain ideas, certain arts, political stances or even lofty ideas of intellect or spirituality is in essence the contemplative aspect of the relative truth i can experience. however, within this realm that i reside in with other beings, there are aspects of my actions that are absolute.
i will agree that the ego or the subject of the ego has many aspects, the central focal point is the ego itself-without which it is impossible to discuss anything at all.
so when i think of ego, i dont think of weakness.
i do agree with the profound and perceptive statement;
Ego will appear when we see our shortcomings in another, or our desired levels in someone else.
i would however, suggest using the term weakness in this case rather than ego. because if someone protects his children, home or country, that could also be seen as ego maybe even as strength.
can't we aspire to become that which we admire, or at least experience happiness for someone else, at the same time can't we choose to help another that is less fortunate or give them that which they need to advance towards perfection? at it's best, i believe the ego also covers these positive attributes of man.
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i do believe that there may be something that transcends what we call love,strength or power, but the question is, would that something, be it nonviolence, extreme bliss or other extremely spiritual faculties simply be a still higher form of ego, another type of strategy or action?
because in my opinion, all that counts is what we love or believe in, how we choose to communicate or defend against dangers and the courage we have or do not have to believe when everything tells us that we are wrong or doomed for failure.
j
