All of us in some point in our lives have struggled with our ego. Sometimes it seems I have talked the subject of the ego to death, but I feel compelled once again to share some advice on how to ‘manage’ it, we will say. You see, you can never destroy the ego or completely remove its presence from your physical form. The reason is; the ego acts as an anchor in the physical realm- something that we may use to find and express our limitless potential for a duration of linear time. The ego is also used in perceiving the physical realm, but obviously only to the extent that the mind perceives electrical signals from exterior and interior stimuli.

Not all will agree with how I have described the ego, but I believe it is important to acknowledge it as something that is part of this world of duality, and a tool in its co-creation. That being said, the ego has one main purpose- to perceive and then ‘define’ the physical world. The problem with definition of anything is that it becomes subjective. There is no observation we can make from within our mind that is unbiased. Therefore, we experience utter separation from everything around us. That is why those who are ruled by their ego are unable to see past the physical and thus are unable to have a pure emotional or even spiritual experience.

So how do we stop letting the ego rule us and learn how to keep it in check? The first step is acknowledgement that the ego exists and that you cannot ‘be rid of it.’ Once you have done this, you will be able to hear all the things the ego has to say, and realize they are untrue. This is because the ego does not deal in truth; it deals in lies. The ego is an expression of our dark nature; of the opposite of light. Some believe in our astrological signs, and in this case the ego is represented by our Moon sign. When we can start to release what the ego has to say as a lie, we can begin to get closer to our true nature.

What is our true nature? Peace, love, and bliss. How do I know? For when I am in a state of complete balance with my ego, these are the only feelings I experience. This may be different for others, but I believe that the description of this state of being will be quite comparable across the board. I know in the past I have said we must remove the ego completely, and in saying that I was somewhat incorrect. Rather, we must remove the ‘influence’ of the ego, in order to see the path between light and dark, and learn how to balance the two.

How do we remove the influence of the ego? By giving up struggle. SURRENDER. Allow everything to be what it is. Allow everything to fall into its place. Allow yourself to dissolve into the All. Accept that which you cannot change, and just let it be. Accept yourself exactly as you are- never judge! When we can do this, we can let go of our incessant need to listen to the ego and doubt ourselves. We stop doubting others, the world, and our own faith, and start seeing hope again. Society, our parents, and even our friends can give us experiences that influence us to stop seeing the world basking in beauty and love, and instead see it as filled with hate and fear. Those structures, or learned behaviors, come from the ego only; as they represent varying levels of separation.

Once we can believe in ourselves, we can see both the light side of our being, along with the dark side. We can accept the dark side of ourselves as not being ‘negative,’ but merely as existing. We can fight it all we want, but you only make stronger that which you fight. So then, once we stop fighting and start existing as both light and dark combined, we fully realize our limitless being. We see light as expression and dark as creative potential. Our dark side can show us that which we wish to improve in ourselves, and thus outwardly express that to the physical world. When we do this, we create more light in the world and in a way, conquer our fear.

That’s what “Dancing with the Shadow Self” is all about; conquering fear. We see the Universe as a whole; the stars, the planets and the ether are all One, forever swirling and expanding and contracting in an endless mass of energy, consciousness, and stardust. Darkness is now exciting and can be ‘harnessed’ to bring pure creative expression into the realm of existence. We are joining the Universal Dance; thus becoming a creative force in the Universe, also known as becoming a co-creator. We are all born with the ability to be co-creators, although we must first accept the responsibility that comes with it. While we can manifest our own desires into the physical, we must not abuse the power of dharma for our own selfish purposes. Where are selfish purposes derived? That should be obvious by now…

What purpose, then, should we pursue? It has been called The Highest Good, your highest excitement, the path of God, the path of Enlightenment, dharma, and many other names. When we see the Universe as One gigantic (and yet infinitesimal at the same time), living, breathing, Being- we can then begin to work with the Universe to manifest our innermost desires. Those desires are based in love, and have no evidence of fear attached to them. We are delving into the deepest part of our soul to find the hidden diamond and then share it with the rest of existence. We give away that which is most precious to us; only to let it be free and grow amongst the rest of the world. That is selflessness, that is our life purpose, and that is how we come to Dance with our Shadow Self freely and with love.

I wish you the best in your own personal journey to find your steps in the Universal Dance and remove the influence of the ego from your life. I have confidence we will all be able to do this and bring about a more peaceful and harmonious way of being in this physical realm. Until next time loved ones. Namaste.