The Role of the Ego

By Jenny Griffin

It seems in spiritual understandings of the New Age there are many who suggest that the ego acts as a block to Oneness and enlightenment. The gist of the teachings says that the main goal is to drop our ego and become One with all so that we can allow for Source to guide us. Books have been written by followers of different faiths, by spiritual gurus, and by those wanting to follow the path of enlightenment on how to get closer to that place of ‘ego-lessness.’ Yet we are given egos when we incarnate into these bodies, and since they have not yet been evolved out of us, I believe they serve a purpose. I’ve called on my tarot cards to guide me, and to assure that I am keeping my own (egoic) understandings of the response at arms’ length. (I use the ‘Llewellyn Tarot’ and Doreen Virtue’s ‘Healing with the Angels’ cards.)

The first card to show up is the Ace of Pentacles, which has a number of possible meanings in this case. Is it suggesting that the ego keeps us focussed on material wealth and therefore keeps us from the spiritual riches that await with inner exploration and detachment from the ego? Well, yes, partly, but it also means that if we stray too far from our egoic understanding of the world through our life experiences, which we take in through our bodies and emotions, we lose sight of the ground, the Earth, the things that support us in this dimension. Without the ego, which acts as our filter while in this (human) form, we would not have the ability to process information and make decisions (based on past and current experiences) as to how to respond to situations that arise around us. If we were entirely without ego, we would become so detached from the physical experience that forward movement and positive action would disappear.

There are opportunities that spring up all the time, and if we go too far into the realm of spirit, we find ourselves unable to survive in the world around us. Granted, huge changes are already underway, but whether we’ll be telepathically paying for goods or scanning DNA-encoded microchips to get on the bus is still to be seen. There is an Earth under our feet, and we are still in human form, which means interacting physically and materially in this world still plays a role. It addresses the need to take action when an opportunity is presented. This is about being conscious enough in both the physical and spiritual realms to recognise and take action on the opportunities that arise as a result of our desires.

The second card is the 10 of Pentacles, which reiterates the message from and closes the circle on the previous card. It is the maturity of thought reached after learning from the experiences you meet throughout the sign of Pentacles. It is a level of comfort with the material and physical realm that comes of accepting it as your birthright along with everything else in your life. The two cards provide a sense of balance, from opposite ends of the same spectrum – do not become overly detached, instead allow yourself the comfort that your body needs in order to thrive.

Two Angel cards came up as well: Romance and Ideas and Inspiration. They are in some ways akin to the two previous cards, in that they reflect values at opposite ends of the same spectrum, as if to indicate the need for balance. If we are too detached from our ego, we may tend towards a more romantic ideal of life, without concrete or conscious forward movement. If we retain some attachment to ego, we can allow the Ideas and Inspiration (from Source) to flow and make decisions based on the information we (have) receive(d) from the experiences and knowledge that have passed through our filter (ego).

The key is to find balance between enough detachment from ego to accept that we are all One, and enough attachment to use the filter we’ve been given to spread our messages. It is as if each of us brings in Source (One-ness, All that Is) through our own very unique tv channel. While we may be getting the same information, it is the way that we alone interpret and disseminate that through our life experiences (and ego) that is important. Your message, and the way in which you voice it in the world is vital because it is brought through you, with all the quirks and foibles which make you different from every other being on the planet. The message that you have can only be expressed by you, through you, and will be received differently than the 1,000s of other messages with similar content, and that is the role of the ego.

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About Jenny Griffin

Also known as ‘The Catharsis Coach,’ Jenny loves exploring life’s twists and turns through the lens of transformation. Her own journey through catharsis, a deep, deep letting go of ingrained patterns and beliefs, resulted in a feeling of connectedness, with the world around her and with that wise and wonderful voice within. Jenny has learned to engage with her life and experiences in a way that allows her to use the knowledge gained through them to serve others.

You can find her at: The Power of Change on Facebook and on Twitter.