Ego Strength

The ego isn't this evil part of ourself. We need ego strength to keep us alive. It isn't that it is wrong to have an ego. We aren't trying to get rid of the ego.

Debbie Ford in her book "Why Good People Do Bad Things" says

Without an healthy ego we would end up in a mental institution because we would not be able to distinguish ourselves from others." She goes on to say: We need a healthy ego in order to bring forth our own unique expression.... When the ego gets damaged, broken, hurt an split off from its divine counterpart (the higher self) it can no longer be properly used. When the ego becomes distorted and no longer able to recognize itself for what it is, it becomes the main force that leads to our demise.

It is usually only when the ego becomes strong enough that you will actually be able to start challenging your beliefs because it will take a great amount of courage to take such a deep look at yourself. That is why there is so much controversy with people when they read things like this - their ego defense mechanisms kick in when their ego feels threatened. They try to keep the feelings that they are having repressed so they become angry, jealous, complaining and act out defensively to protect their ego.

The ego is just the places in us that are unconscious that are developed as a part of being hurt at an early age. Some people call it the neurotic or wounded ego. Eckhart Tolle calls it the "pain body" - whatever you want to call it - it is what drives us to hide our vulnerability, pain and grief.

Understanding the concepts of the ego is very complex and confusing. Eckhart Tolle speaks of the ego as if we need to get rid of it and he says that he doesn't have an ego. I think what he means is that he is aware of his ego. If he didn't have an ego he wouldn't be alive. He also defines ego as that unconscious part of ourselves which has a broader range of possibilities.

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