Is the Ego the "New Age Satan"? Balance the Key?

Dear Tom, (question man in Unity Magazine) I am the one who started all of this after seeing the article about Marianne Williamson in the Unity Magazine, with a caption of her (under her beautiful photo) talking about "demolishing the ego." Isn't the problems here - dualism and fundamentalism. Unity principles are non-dualistic and non-fundamentalist.
Here are the definitions of the ego in the Webster Dictionary: 1. the self as distinguished from others (the boundary maker), 2. the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that is the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality.
Even if we take the first definition and call it the "separator", and decide to destroy it, we are still hurting ourselves. And the ego is part of our whole whether "shadow" or "conscious mediator".
Now when we start talking about egotistical, egoist, egomaniac, we are speaking of harmful personality traits, however, isn't it better to just be aware of them, embrace them and gently let them go - than violently demolishing them?
Even when ACIM principles include "follow the voice of Love and not the voice of fear", are we not still talking about dualism? As the voice of fear might be telling us to watch out for the car that is weaving in and out of traffic at high speed or for the poisonous snake in the bushes beside the path? Even if it is the "fearful child" within us, isn't it better to embrace it and whisper encouragement?
I was listening to my friend's Roy Eugene Davis's lecture on CD today traveling back from Charleston. He very clearly, simply stated that "we need the ego, and it is not the same as 'egotistical'." I think many of us have an unhealthy ego, which is weakness manifesting as egoism, narcissism, grandiosism, etc. We need a healthy ego that needs monitoriing, just as our body needs care of.... lots appreciation, ron
My friend recently spent five days at his Center for Self-realization, and really has high regard, as do ten of thousands for this direct disciple of Yogananda.

Last night, after listening to Roy Eugene Davis, I went to a waynedyercinema.com presentation at a local theater. What a difference. I feel sadness at what a "egomaniac" (I know it takes one to see one), Dyer has become. He was bragging about all of his books and how many millions of copied they have sold, his house on Maui overlooking the Whale breeding area of the Pacific, a new car he recently purchased, on and on, then he blasted the ego, as being the "seperator". I say a healthy ego is the bridge between spirit and the body. All the while, Wayne is quoting some beautiful words from ACIM. I say the most important healing for me and for some "miracle" teachers is healing the ego! At least, I don't claim to be a teacher (far from it). And some would say "Lets look at the whole and not the parts." And that would be true too, however some don't think the "ego" is part of the whole. & "I am not a victim of the world I see", on the other hand, maybe that is a problem with me? Can we just make up and KISS (keep it simple sweetheart)?

In a message dated 1/25/2010 1:00:33 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, info@fulfillyourdreams.com (Nick Arandes) writes:
We do not ask for a miracle, we simply surrender our thoughts to the Holy Spirit to undo our ego, and in due time, we will experience a miracle, also known as correction of thought. That's how simple the process is. All we need remember is that, as the Course states: "I need do nothing." T-18.VII
"Just tear out those pages" (Ron replies)

Nick, from my experience, most people do not have a healthy enough ego in order to not take things personally, to be "defenseless where my safety lies, or "to undo the ego"! A lack of a healthy ego is also called shame-based thinking. "I am not a victim of the world I see" is a great helpful stance, but not to be a victim takes a healthy ego. I do like "I need do nothing" and add to it "I need say nothing." However, from what I can see ACIM has been at the forefront at demonizing the ego and the body for that matter. As Bill Thetford said to us in our group with him, "just tear out those pages." Or better, unconditionally accept all parts of ourselves including the ego and our body, both of which we need in order to "Be Here Now"!
Lets stop making the ego our new age spiritual "satan" - that is dualistic thinking! Meher Baba says that we need a "provisional ego" as long as we are in our body. Lets lovingly unconditionally accept our ego and our body.

Fundamentalists take the "fun out of da mental" and that means they take the wonder, the mystery, the inquiry out of life. That includes people who take every word literally out of the Bible, the Koran, and even ACIM or any of the teachers/writers such as Eckhart, Dyer, and even Marianne Williams. And I really have learned so much from all the writings/writes above - at least 90%, but then there is the mistaken ideas that divide each other or our selves.

I believe that as St. Francis said, "dying to the self is being born to eternal life", and whether it is "self" or "ego", we need to be ready to let go of the body, and I think mine has a few more good years in it. Thank you!

To sum all this up, I think a weak ego hurts us as does too strong of a controlling ego (egoic or egocentric or egotistical). What we need is to be aware and keep our ego in balance, strong enough to receive and forgive(The weak never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong. Mahatma Gandhi), but not too controlling of ourselves and others. At the same time, we need to care for our bodies with the same loving kindness we want to give our loved ones - good nutrition, rest and exercise.

I learned so much about my own egotistical self, while processing Wayne's statements & my statements about him. I have been living a lie much of my life, and I am saddened when I think of all the judgements that have been toxic to the world and me. I am definitely committed to living more humbly from Spirit. I am going to spend more time in meditation and prayer and live the Way of Love.
"I am filled with the spirit of love and gladness. I filled with the expectancy of good things. The energy of life flows through me. I have no anxieties for the future, no regrets for the past. Today is God's day in which I live and greatly rejoice." Ernest Holmes.
I am so grateful to Wayne Dyer. I have learned so much about "Spiritual Solutions", the "Sacred Self", & "dying to the self so I may be born to Eternal Life." (St. Francis) Thank you, Dr. Wayne Dyer
(Danny)i quit ACIM class, because your right, we do need a ego...and I was finding to much contradiction the way she teaches the class, I am going to try and keep doing the daily exersizes...but the class depresses the hell out of me...I am thankful that you brought that to me attention both in a direct and in a indirect way
Friends Are Important To Hear Ron Alexander February 16 at 10:09am
"Friends Are Important To Hear" - another good one - acronym for Faith
NO! I am not going back to class but watch that daily exercise - "I am not my body, I am not my body" The body is the "temple of our soul" and we cannot be present without it (or the ego for that matter)
faith : facing an inner truth helps = facing an inner truth hurts (too at first)

I think we need to get to the essence of ACIM or Echart or Marianne or Wayne and learn that and forget the rest. Jerry Jampolsky took the essence out of ACIM and the ego or body was not mentioned at all. I think most of their writings are helpful, but to believe all of them is just to be another fundamentalist - taking the fun (wonder) of da mental. Love is embracing the fear (not letting go of it).............best, ron