From the dawn of time the sages have said that in order to attain enlightenment, we must destroy our Ego.  Needless to say, Ego doesn't like that idea very much and has entered into an epic battle to save itself.  Every time we turn toward our soul's purpose, every time we look for greater meaning in our lives, we hear the voices of our egos in a cacophony of NO.  Our Judge, our Inner Critic, our Inner Child, our Inner Parent, and other voices tell us a myriad of reasons why we can't move forward toward our soul's purpose.

What is a person who has had a glimpse of their higher purpose to do?  The sages of old tell us we must meditate, still our mind, renounce worldly pleasures and focus with all of our effort and energy on the One.  There are many suggestions for how to still the chattering voices of the mind, but it's not that easy.  And who can blame the voices of Ego for resisting their demise?

What if there was another way?

What if, instead of trying to destroy Ego, we were to regain right relationship with it?  Somewhere in the history of time, Ego became confused and decided that it had to be in charge.  Ego became confused and decided that safe meant small.  Ego became confused and decided that the world was a scary place and we needed to be protected from it.  Much like a fearful-aggressive dog, Ego has created defenses, beliefs and behaviors to keep us “safe”.  The truth is, Ego was never supposed to be in charge.  But because at some point in all of our lives, our world didn’t look safe to us, Ego stepped in and started barking and gnashing its teeth to keep us “safe”.

It is time to regain control of the fearful-aggressive dog named Ego.  Ego needs to be retrained so that it can be the happy companion it was intended to be.  As a dog owner and a Leo, I have learned a few techniques that are helpful in retraining Ego. 

Training Tips

1. Catching it in the act:  like a real dog, Ego lives in the moment.  Once an act is in the past, it becomes part of the story Ego creates to reinforce its point of view.  When you catch yourself in the act (of thinking, speaking or acting in a non-life affirming way) you have a better chance of changing the story into one that helps you move forward with your best life.
2. Compassion:  unlike a real dog, Ego is quite delicate and has a strong need to be understood.  Bringing compassion in early and often is very helpful in getting Ego to agree to go along with what it sees as a foolhardy plan (getting it to relinquish its power and authority over you). 
3. Consistency:  when you want to change a behavior you must be consistent in engaging in the new behavior.  This means that every time the old behavior, thought or feeling shows up, you have to immediately correct it with the new behavior, thought or feeling.
4. Integrity and believability:  this is the most important tip.  Ego will never go along with anything it believes to be untrue.  If you are in a miserable job and you’re trying to convince your Ego that it’s a wonderful job that brings you joy and uses your highest gifts, it will say Baloney!  And it will sabotage your efforts to attract a better job.  How do you get Ego to go along with you as you are trying to create and attract a better job?  You can use a phrase like this:  I am actively co-creating a job that brings me joy and uses my highest gifts.  And then each time you Do something or Think something or Say something or Feel something that is in alignment with a job that brings you joy and uses your highest gifts, you are telling the truth and Ego will begin to believe you. 

In these modern times, it’s not practical for most of us to go off to a cave and meditate for months and years to achieve enlightenment.  We need to be in the world, but we are not of the world.  To re-connect to the timeless, immortal wisdom of our souls, we need new tools and new ways of glimpsing enlightenment.  Just as a well-trained dog is wo/man’s best friend, a well-trained Ego can be a handy companion on the road to enlightenment.  Once it realizes you’re not trying to destroy it, it will be helpful and obedient…. And best of all, no puppy breath! J