I am EGO.  I create the illusion of health issues, jobs we don’t like, relationships that don’t work out, selfish and mean spirited people, burdensome taxes, heavy childhoods, unexpected tragedy and a shallow society focused on how powerful, how rich and how young it can project and be!  Then we wonder why we are stressed, disconnected, discontent and struggle to carve out a little slice of joy for ourselves.  Ego wants it all….now!  We create and work for ego-driven companies that one friend so eloquently put “makes their profit off the backs of a disposable work force”.

Ego shows up as greed, revenge, rightness and commits all sorts of violence in the name of little ‘i’. Ego creates a story about how ‘right’eous little ‘i’ is.  Ego chases money under the cover story of “wanting to make a difference”.  When the ego-driven story line is bullshit we feel shallow inside.  Ego projects kindness when it wants something or vengefulness when it demands it.  It seeks to disarm others with a smile while privately engaging in character assassination.

Ego conquers, divides, alienates, destroys, darkens and depresses.  It drives its host insane with madness.  Ego’s mantra is “They will come rescue me. I will show them.  Once I get this;   arrive there;   accomplish that;   conquer this;  then they will notice me. Then I will be happy.  Then I will slow down.”  Ego never has time for now.

Then the let down happens.  Ego only sees what it did not get; what it does not have; what it demands more of.  All materialism feeds ego and so it grows more greedy as it attains ever more of what it thinks it wants but believes it never has or never has enough of.

The antidote to ego is love.  To recognize that ‘things’ are not real and do not really exist in the spiritual realm.  Revenge will give no lasting satisfaction.  The new car will fade in glory.  ‘There’ never arrives.  Joy becomes elusive under the direction of the ego.

Love is the only real thing in the spiritual world.  From it springs joy, forgiveness, tolerance, gratitude, humility and more love. Ego contracts in onto itself thus killing its host.  Love expands outward and grows as it is shared thus bringing its host to life.  Ego is stingy.  Love is generous.  The path to peace lies in humanities willingness to open to love, to channel love and to share love.  A smile.  A kind word.  Cleaning up after oneself.  Letting go of the need for vengeance.  Forgiving your perceived enemy.  Doing something nice for another.   Love is real and who you really are!  Love has a sense of humor.  Love can let go.  Love focuses on the happiness of others.  Know that you are loved.  That in you exists perfect love.  That in you exists the all powerful spark of joy.  See not the illusion of ego but the joy of love all around you, in you, in your brothers and sisters.  Sometimes the first step to see love in others is to be the first to give it away.  As you surround yourself in love and share it then so too will you see it more in others and receive it.