Characteristics of the Super-Ego

I have been on a holistic healing journey for over one year. What I have learned so far is that inner peace and a healthy body does not come easy. The mind-body connection is much stronger than I originally thought.

Many people believe that achieving inner peace is ridding yourself of the outside influences that perpetuate your inner conflict. I used to believe this also. While it is true and even encouraged, to rid yourself of toxic relationships that impede your journey; The journey to inner peace, or equanimity, starts with understanding and accepting yourself. Only then can you find the inner love and peace necessary to play a truly active role in cleansing your life, mind, and body. This includes your triggers of anger, sadness, speculation, and fear. Once you understand the characteristics of your ego, you can own them, and finally shed them.

Our ego is shaped throughout our lives. How it grows and develops is a direct result of your environment. The ego is not a biological component like an organ, it is shaped through our relationships, experiences, and knowledge. While the ego can help achieve many great and improbable feats, during the healing journey it is important to remember that our journey should always include and be shaped through the helping of others. The goal is not to rid ourselves of our ego, but to shed it, and renew it. It is to use the ego to help others in some form. This part cannot be compromised, as it is the single most important step to shedding your ego. I, for instance, started this blog to share my journey and with the hope that I can help others.

The ego guides behaviors in order to feed themselves. Below is a list of negative emotions and behaviors guided by the superego.

Fear: This is an anxiety-related behavior that can possibly lead to poor decision making. Fear and anxiety are a very normal and necessary emotion for humans. Fear is what allowed humans to survive over thousands of years. For instance, the fear of being eaten by a bear pushed humans to study and understand the bear’s movements and habits to avoid them. Humans also built weapons to have the upper hand in the event they need to preserve their life.

When guided by a superficial ego, fear can lead humans to extremely destructive behaviors. The superficial ego is not a natural occurrence, it goes against some of the unique traits that make us human. The superficial ego is shaped and molded through years of experience, indoctrination, survival, and knowledge. We are the most social species on the planet and require lots of energy to navigate. When humans turn to superiority derived from materialism, the consequences are dire, and negative energy is sent like shock waves. It’s important for each individual to recognize their superegos and use techniques and new habits to shed these thoughts and hang-ups. This requires lots of introspection.

For example, a parent may fear to allow their child to participate in activities the child gravitates towards because they fear he/she may be hurt physically or emotionally. While it is important to keep the child safe, fear of the unknown may prevent the child from experiencing activities that lead to higher consciousness.

Anger: This is a symptom of a much larger issue. It usually comes from sadness or fear that leaves a person feeling vulnerable to attacks to the ego. Anger in of itself is valid. If something angers you, it just does. However, what you do with that anger is what will impact your inner peace. It’s important to take the time to feel the emotion behind the anger in order to bring compassion into the heart. If not channeled effectively, anger can lead to outward aggression.

For example, a person who has been abandoned by a family member may feel angry and push all the other people in their lives away due to fear of being abandoned again. This can manifest further abandonment, leading to feelings of worthlessness and depression. However, if that person allows themselves to feel the sadness and tries to understand that everyone loves in their own way within the confines of their own conscientiousness, compassion arises, and inner peace is manifested. The person will no longer feel their ego has been attacked. The person may then start to manifest compassion for others and reach out to those who may be experiencing the same situation, thereby creating a network of like-minded individuals where abandonment is not an option.

Impatience: Is the inability to prolong gratification. Everyone has desires and wants, and you may feel that you need those things, however, what we need and we want differ and require different thinking and maneuvering. For example, someone is sitting in a restaurant and is extremely thirsty. The person is not dehydrated to the point where they need water but would like it right away. The person has two options: 1. Wait patiently knowing that the waiter will be there in a few minutes, 2. Demand the waiter see them as soon as seated and demand being tended to, or 3. Ask the hostess if it is possible to get a glass of water before the waiter comes around. All three methods will yield the same result of receiving the water. The difference is the approach. The approach is what manifests the karma. The karma is the energy created among the individuals involved.

While it is certainly easier said than done, accepting these emotions as just a consequence of a sub-conscience approach can have a significant positive impact on your mental health.