I know there is much thought and analysis of ego, from minds way more learned, studied, and disciplined my own. This is an idea that formed while listening to a conversation with one of those studied, learned minds. What if the ego is more than this conceptual character aspect of the mind? But has a physical component, that has a location in the brain. The essence of that limbic part of the brain that has been muted and was labeled as Ego by those who first encountered these contradictions of the mind, but did not have the biological knowledge.

I do not pose these questions to negate or dismiss the teachings and text that have been written, studied, and shared. But as a thought perspective that intrigued me, and made me see this part of the human psyche with a different lens. It’s not good or bad, it is just doing that for which it was developed. At one point it was the only way we had to interpret the world, and existed by itself for so long. It only had to react to the immediate thing. Now we have this prefrontal cortex that reasons and thinks and contemplates…but the essence of Ego is still there.

It now shows up in many ways and forms. Different characteristics and reactions; some that are there to benefit, and some that unknowingly are a disservice, because it doesn’t have the discernment needed to know what is the proper response. When faced with a challenge, it is not able to rationalize that, yes, this is a challenge, but it is one that will cause expansion and growth. So it does what is needed to protect. What will give us the easiest and most struggle free outcome.

That can show up as self-doubt; because you’ve never done this, and we don’t want to risk something that we do not know what the outcome will be. It can be anger; because we feel threatened and the anger will annihilate the threat the easiest, talking things out doesn’t make sense to the ego. There can be cruelty: because we can’t be seen as weak, that could put our lives in danger. And the ultimate job of the ego is to keep us alive and safe.

You can find many more examples and the reason why the ego may present in whatever way fits the scenario, but in the end, it is operating in perfect working order; it just doesn’t know it is operating from a system that has not been upgraded to fit the current evolution of the rest of the brain. And that the mind has evolved in such a way that allows for reasoning, and contemplation.

However, the ego is still very much a needed and integral part of us. It is not something to try to eliminate, but must be incorporated as a part of this thinking, rational, more aware and conscious mind. That it may still be there to serve as protector, but not to protect at the expense of our need to explore, and stumble, and make mistakes.
The goal is to befriend the ego, to reassure it that you are well; even in the times when it senses struggle or discomfort.