Ego/Heart

This article is for those that are a little more advanced in the practice of meditation/self awareness. I am deciphering my personal differences between the ego/mind and the heart/spirit. A lot of people have a difficult time figuring out if they even believe in the ego, but the fact that your heart and spirit exist are living proof that there is an ego. It's like discovering heaven. If there's a heaven, then there is most certainly a hell. That analogy applies to the ego very well. Your ego is the root of your fear, anger, hatred and all around "darkness". Your heart is the root of love, compassion, kindness and all around "light". Both are crucial to your well being, it's finding the balance in them that is difficult. A meditation I practice is sitting very still in a silent room in a relaxed position without music. I will recount strong emotions that I have felt from past experiences and allow myself to view the situations from outside of my body. For example, when I was in high school I was mildly overweight, unhappy, ignorant and very angry. To remember that part of my life brings compassion for who I've become, love for the change I was able to make in myself, and appreciation for possessing the ability to change. I call this my heart/spirit. I also feel a lot of regret for not making a change sooner, anger for being so rude to my family and friends constantly, and fear because I still have a hard time fighting my demons. I recognize this as my ego. I notice that when I do these meditations I can feel where the emotions come from. When I think about the compassion I've felt, I feel that in my chest. When I think about the anger I've felt, I feel that in my mind. Memories serve as great lessons. They help you recognize the obstacles you have overcome, the fights you've lost and what you have done in your life. They also serve as a personal hell for each of us. If you're unable to control your thoughts, as a lot of us are, your mind can play so many tricks on you that it becomes maddening. The key to life is balance. If you're able to balance everything in your life I can guarantee your happiness. This is why discovering your ego and heart are so important. You can literally choose happiness by living in your heart/spirit. The ego wants you to focus completely inward. It craves attention because it is constantly looking for validation and tells you that it's what you want. It's the part of you that stares into the mirror and points out every flaw you have. The ego is a black hole of despair and the worst part is that it will never stop unless you force yourself to ignore it. The only way to deal with the ego is to completely ignore it. You can't kill that part of your body and it won't disappear because you ask it to nicely. It's a battle everyday until your ego finally understands that you will no longer play it's games. The benefit to shutting out your ego is that you will immediately gain confidence, your ability to love will increase and you will show more compassion and kindness to others. Which is what we desperately need in this world. An old Buddhist saying is, "if you want to be happy, practice compassion. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion." The only way to truly express compassion is through your heart. So to wrap up this article, your ego is the root of your fear and anger. Your heart is the true way to happiness, joy and love. If you want to take steps to understanding your ego, pay closer attention to what is going on inside your own body. Focus your attention on what you want to change about yourself, things you wish you did differently, and solve it. If you ever need help, Jordy and I are here. Thank you for reading and I hope all of you the best on your spiritual journey.

~Ace