What is the Ego?

What is the ego? Is it something real? You need to understand the nature of the ego. Your thoughts, your mind and your body are real. Ego is not real; it is a false attachment to the body and the mind. The wall you have built around yourself is the ego. The imaginary wall that gives you a sense of false comfort that you are safe is the ego. Your name, fame and wealth are all part of your ego.

Meditation is just a way of breaking these walls. Many people are confused and are afraid to try meditation, because they fear that they will lose their mind in the process. The language that is used to describe the process of meditation can be a little confusing.

When you hear "Drop your mind and drop your body" you’re probably thinking, “I don’t want to drop my mind. Why would I want to drop my mind? That’s the only thing that I have, and don’t even come near my body. What do you mean drop the body?” Any sane person would say, “Are you mad? This is my life… this is my body… this is my mind. I love my life. Teach me something that can help me to relax, and I’ll practice it. But what do you mean, drop the body?”

Even if you go to the deepest layers in meditation, you will not drop your body, or your mind. You will drop the false association, that false identification with your body. You will also drop the false identification with the mind. You will realize there is a third entity to your reality apart from the mind and the body. You are not the mind, the body, or the ego - you are something different.

“This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Meditation Farm and IASBABA.”