Between Ego and Spirit
by
Sarah Varcas
Today the Sun, Saturn and Neptune join forces in a productive and progressive configuration which promises to help us along the way if we let it. This cosmic shaping reminds us that both ego and spirit have a role to play in our lives, but alerts us to the risk of mistaking one for the other. This configuration remains with us until the end of the month and during this time we will have the opportunity to watch both in action and develop a deeper appreciation of their roles. Whilst ego is often nothing but demonised in spiritual teachings, without developing a healthy one that serves the greater good of our own and other peoples’ lives, we can’t enter the realms of the spirit in a complete way. We can’t bypass ego development and go straight for bliss. It doesn’t work that way! We still have to support ourselves, deal with the world at large, meet our needs and communicate our desires in positive and productive ways. Whilst spirit has a significant part to play in this, so does ego, and the cosmos is reminding us now to stay conscious of both and value each for the gifts that it brings.
With the Sun now in Gemini, we are encountering the ‘mind’ aspect of ego, which speaks to us, often constantly, with that running commentary of what everything in our life means. Assigning meaning to things is a great pass-time of the ego, and generally speaking all its meanings are about us at the end of the day. Ego seeks to feather its own nest and protect its own interests, so it gives us the version of events which will encourage us to do just that: ‘There’s not enough to go round so I need to fight for my fair share’, ‘I’m more deserving/worthy/special than that person so I’m entitled and they’re not’, and of course the best and most common one, ‘I’m right and you’re wrong (end of argument!)’.
Considering our internal dialogue in this way it’s no wonder ego has been so demonised, but that’s not all there is to it. Yes, these are expressions of egoic energy which serve to keep us in fear, separation and duality, fighting our corner for fear of annihilation, but the ego can be more than that. It can be the decision to risk our own life for another person, to give up what we desire to meet someone else’s need, to accept that we were wrong, humbly live with the discomfort of that, and then carry on anyway. These are all healthy expressions of ego which provide important fuel for our journey towards oneness and union.
Throughout the final week of what has been an ‘interesting’ (!) month, we have an opportunity to pay close attention to how our egoic identity functions in the world, to observe it, get to know it a bit better and to recognise where it needs to mature and where it already delivers great gifts into our lives. But we still need to recognise it for what it is, and if we catch ourselves feeling ‘more spiritual’, ‘more special’, ‘more right’ than another person, we must remind ourselves that’s not spirit, that’s ego through and through, and we must be prepared to call it by name….
So here’s to healthy egos and liberated spirits!
Sarah Varcas
