What is Ego?

In many wisdom teachings, ego is seen as a veil. It is not the true Self but a provisional self that keeps us from realizing our true Self and unity with the Whole. The ego divides reality into subject and object. It creates an illusion that life’s purpose is striving, defending, and seeking. 

Ego is the mind’s creation of a separate identity — the sense of “I” as something separate from everything else. It is not bad or wrong; it’s a function of human consciousness that allows one to navigate the world. Ego says: “This is me, my body, my name, my story, my possessions, my opinions and beliefs.”

Ego is a construction of narratives that shape our understanding of who we think we are. Its job is to connect the roles one has played and currently plays, along with the character’s achievements and labels. Its foundations are its environment, surroundings, family systems, its religious and political views, etc. It maintains the illusion of separation between “me” and the “other”. 

Because the ego is rooted in fear and comparison to shape its identity, it always looks to protect, defend, or elevate itself through its own projection into the external plane. It maintains its projections and its identity by creating the narrative in the mind to affirm “I am this, I am not that — I am”

When awareness awakens beyond ego, one becomes capable of discerning each layer of the veil built through lifetimes of generations. When ego is recognized for what it is, rather than being rejected and identified with, one discovers that the “I” behind all masks is the same essence shining through every being. 

Ego isn’t the enemy — it’s a tool. Without it, we couldn’t function in society (fill out forms, speak a name, or protect ourselves from harm). The path isn’t to erase ego, but to see through it. Like recognizing a reflection in a mirror, we learn not to confuse the image with the True Self.