The Ego is not our new age "inner demon"!

 I like Gary Zukav's definition of it being our Earth's guide. As long as we are here on this planet in our body, we need the ego. Of course, Freud (who created the word) had a much loftier definition as the middleman between the unconscious id and the superego our higher self. And I still like Ho'Oponopono's teachers that it is like our "inner child" and should be treated with that much awareness, embracing and tough love boundaries. Whatever, it is NOT the inner demon as most new age tomes would have it be - why hate any part of our selves? "No part of me is junk."

One needs a strong well-balanced ego to follow Rishi's advice!

And an "ego out of control, out of balance" needs strong boundaries with tough love respectfully Elizabeth May Sutor, so I don't disagree with you. Remember that Freud invented the term "ego" and he says it is a "conscious part of ourselves." Possibly, most are thinking of the unconscious id of our lower "snake" brain, when they think of the "ego". Even there, we depend on that part of our brain for our instincts, our basic need to defend ourselves! Without either id or ego, we would go around crashing into each other!

Dean A. Banks @Ron: I agree more with Jung's view of the ego as the reptilian brain. Freud's analysis scratched the surface.

 

Ron Alexander Well, I really think Jung advanced psychiatry into the spiritual, so I will not disagree with your statement, however I still know the ego is vital, yet with a need to be watched closely like a child!
Dean Banks:  True, Ron. We are not disagreeing...we are amplifying! Jung brought the concept of balancing the spiritual with the ego without directly alluding to that; I believe we need the ego and we need to balance our spiritual SELF with the ego self. The Divine has created what we need to survive and thrive!