Is Spiritual Ego Actually A ‘Bad’ Thing?
Light & Dark Vs. Shadow Spiritual Ego
This is a KEY CONCEPT in your own spiritual growth (and living in healthy INTEGRITY) as a temple-practitioner or service provider as well as in evaluating other teachers and masters to become a client or student/apprentice of.
What if it was actually quite immature (and constrictive) to only label ‘spiritual ego’ and spiritual ego in masters or spiritual teachers as ‘shadow’?
What if reality was more complex and better seen on a spectrum of healthy and unhealthy; of Light/Dark and Shadow consciousness and behavior?
What if spiritual ego (as well as obsession) more accurately had defining Light, Dark and Shadow aspects – and that THIS is a more realistic, practical and comprehensively ACCURATE view to evaluate spiritual ego on (vs. just throwing it and the teacher out with the bath-water)?
This is an under-stated but important topic b/c if you’re choosing to invest in a spiritual teacher for $1000s+ of dollars or months of time for example (like me or another teacher); you want your intuition and/or Human Design authority to have as much discerning clarity as you can.
Part of you might be turned off by how ‘brisk’ they sound or how sharp they are towards that which interferes with their work (Dark Spiritual Ego) on certain subjects but that this is actually a GOOD THING provided they’re in greater service to their spiritual service and codes.
Your/my intuition itself might be clouded (and these can be BIG DECISIONS with big implications which affect TIMELINES, money and years of your life like in evaluating an experienced master); but if you only thought spiritual ego was toxic, you might end up with someone who is actually a hypocritical mush-bag instead who says all the things you want to hear; but doesn’t have any backbone to support the scale of their spiritual experience and magic.
ALL OF THIS MAY APPLY TO YOU specifically if you’re reading this btw; so please reflect upon where YOU may now find yourself (myself included) to be hypocritical in the past or present b/c practically…because.
NEWSFLASH!
>
If you’re a TEACHER or spiritual guide, healer, light-worker, priestess, oracle or facilitator of temple space – you have a spiritual ego.
AND WHEN YOU GROW SPIRITUALLY, CAN YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS AND BEHAVIOR REMAIN HEALTHY, IN SERVICE AND BALANCED or become all-consuming like ‘The Ring’ tempts those who hold it to fall to its shadow power?
Thus; this post cues into a larger theme of living AS a master in integrity and balance.
BTW;
If spiritual ego was ‘only’ bad, wouldn’t that be similar to labeling ‘obsession’ as only bad, toxic or ‘shadow’?
Obsession in our experience is MOSTLY centered in shadow as an unhealthy even toxic thing; however, the GIFT of obsession can be the EXACT thing that is missing that drives someone out of complacency into healing, reclamation, growth, reunification, fullest potential, championship and fullest expression.
The Divine Union: Obsession ‘n Eros Powerliminal brings more of these healthy codes btw
If we only labeled it as shadow, we could end up throwing the entire teacher and their codes and magic for us (as well as quantum up-leveling) with the bath-water.
So what if spiritual ego could actually be a good thing?
Even if that means SOME teachers will even CURSE – but that it was actually Dark consciousness and vibe-truth purity instead of Shadow?
Another point is that if spiritual community people are labeling ‘spiritual ego’ as bad, chances are they’re actually revealing themselves as hypocrites in numerous ways as well.
And you can value this in the context of evaluating different spiritual masters, guides, gurus and such.
Chances are that they (or you) DO have something of an ego, because that’s only human and practical.
It becomes spiritual ego because they are a mix of both divine and human; they just spend more of their waking time in egoless divine consciousness than most humans.
But to ONLY be egoless in a modern world is simply impractical; thus ‘the ego’.
I will say this semi-definitively (b/c there may be some rare exceptions);
Spiritual ego should be entirely kept out of temple space (at least inner sanctum levels of temple).
In fact, TEMPLE is where authentic masters KNOW to dissolve their own ego (including ‘spiritual ego’).
And btw; yes I absolutely have a spiritual ego (and also such a beautiful and powerful connection to Spirit and Beloved); so let’s take this subject on CONSCIOUSLY instead of sweeping the dust under the rug.
EGO.
Since it’s not entirely PRACTICAL to be ego-LESS every second of every day in the modern world; spiritual experience becomes mixed in; so then it’s a balance of spirit and ego or conflux of ‘spiritual ego’.
EGO is what allows people to FUNCTION in human, inter-personal reality; to have a mental construct of some sort to practically make sense of the world; the healthy ego.
With those into spirituality or specifically those as spiritual masters; ego along with their spiritual gifts (b/c they are both fully divine in spirit and fully human in a very activated sense of both); yes, the ego may possibly amplify because they are dealing with great spirit dynamics, but here’s the power point I’m getting to (and to help DIFFERENTIATE spiritual ego from just being ‘shadow’);
The question to ask (and in evaluating gurus, masters or guides that you may work with or not); is really >
Where are they living from; Light and Dark spiritual ego or Shadow spiritual ego? Where is their center?
THAT is what we want to differentiate.
Because the ‘fall’ of gurus exists in only shadows (and succumbing to them)…which may include their inability to hold pristine sacred temple space (which may just be shadow realm instead of more specifically ego-shadow nevertheless).
Can they maintain a healthy balance of (LDS; Light-Dark-Shadow consciousness) as their influence grows?
Read the earlier Dark vs. Shadow post here (opens in new window)
CAN YOU MAINTAIN healthy consciousness, behavior and lifestyle (and good karma) WHILE you grow in Spiritual Power (and Sorcery Power), and service itself (including in the face of new opportunities)?
Can you maintain INTERDEPENDENCE with others and healthy AGREEMENTS and boundaries (just b/c you have more power)?
Because more is possible then. So are you responsible and scalably so NOW – with Power and connection to Spirit itself. Can your L/D SE support it?
I’m essentially the founder of what will be a billion-dollar industry with ALLURE consulting.
That requires LOGOS to handle that scale as well as PRESERVE the spiritual codes and integrity around and with all of it.
BRANDS have ‘form’ and ‘construct’ rather than just ethereal formlessness…my IDENTITY has to match the SCALE of that; and yeah, that essentially is a form (direct) of spiritual ego…but a GOOD thing when managed in L/D vs. Shadow.
As a Temple teacher’s or practitioner’s spiritual egoless experience SCALES in awakening to more and more spirit-Truth, Beauty, Light, Bliss, Boundlessness, etc. of that which already exists…
What happens when they are NOT in those experiences?
Something kinda has to ‘hold things together’ just to operate and function in the mundane world. There has to be some lower self ‘awareness’ as well around it all.
So here’s a quick overview to help us differentiate spiritual ego more comprehensively.
You can refer to me, other famous teachers (heh; I’m not famous ‘yet’ ;), enlightened masters of different lineages, modern spiritual guides, even yourself with all of these evaluative dynamics.
So here we go:
Light Spiritual Ego:
Healthy self-awareness and self-recognition of one’s gifts, mastery, skills and techniques when OUTSIDE OF temple space or active spiritual cultivation and divine dharmic service to others.
It’s the moments in between that one has a conscious, inter-face-with-the-world identity construct that is near necessary just to survive and function.
Light spiritual ego (LSE) is INTEGRATED and aware of the scale of the spirit and adapts to hold some form of structure around it as a holistic divine-human being that can still function.
(HAVING LSE doesn’t take away or discount from any of the egoless TRUTH of their consciousness, history, experience, magic, powers, beauty, etc.)
Dark Spiritual Ego:
The ‘NO’. The ‘line in the sand’. The Warrior-Temple Guardian. Protector of the Sacred.
But it’s functional. The healthy Dark aspect brings a lot of ‘backbone’ to serving their spiritual purpose in the world, practically speaking and in facing threats that come against their purpose.
It helps PROTECT oneself consciously against different relational forces and influences.
DSE can cut cords, shape borders (including against unwanted interference), shamelessly own, accept and display aspects of self-truth expressively and with ‘no shits given’ when it comes to tyranny, people, egregores and things which would sway or corrupt the divine purpose and higher truth.
It is in SUPPORT of one’s greater purpose, dharma and provides structural integrity including for spiritual branding and integrity preservation.
It preserves the walls and integrity OF sacred Temple space and sanctuary.
Also you want to reference you Gene Keys IQ (Logos) here to reference a specific frequency band that is attuned to your healthy (Light/Dark) ego or spiritual ego.
Shadow Spiritual Ego:
Shadow or SSE is where any consciousness or behaviors of the master ‘take away’ from the divine purpose itself.
It’s not that they don’t EXPERIENCE, fantasize or have karma-free fleeting thoughts or temptations in consciousness ever about any shadows (and still live in balance), it’s really about if they karmically act on them or LIVE from them and when they fall living out shadows like (in harming others or their own codes);
Greed, hunger, virtue-signaling, deception, manipulation, switch and bait, false advertising, power misuse, power abuse, emotional or sexual power misuse/abuse, violation of agreements, corruption of temple space, psychic hooks, psychic expectations and attachments where they don’t belong, sexual self-service, siphoning, hijacking, misuse or abuse of status and the entire shadow logos that would give in to shadow intentions itself.
These may come from entities and Shadow forces (demons) that want to influence you in the astral realm if they can affect you btw.
That’s not a comprehensive list; but you get the gist of it…Shadow consumes and ‘self-serves’. It can neglect the Light and Dark gifts to exploit and become consuming.
It can ‘take advantage of’, exploit, consume and lead from hunger or narcissism (unfortunately so many people simply project this when they see what they think are signs without properly evaluating it).
As I’ve referenced elsewhere, there are ‘fallen gurus’ (including from India) who feel to shadow and the shadow of their spiritual ego or lived from it a lot behind the scenes. John of God in Brazil is an extreme example but you get the concept.
Awareness of one’s gifts is NOT a bad thing unless they’re so full of themselves all the time…it’s about the balance mixed with their service. Where are they centered?
Are they creating actual bad karma ‘behind the scenes’ with others and violating agreements?
STRONG EGO is not necessarily bad; same with strong spiritual ego; just…where are they coming from and when? And is it serving their greater gifts (supportively and in relative and service balance for themselves)?
Shadow SSE is different than healthy and INEVITABLE spiritual ego.
So practically; it’s finding a balance of ACCEPTING that.
Acknowledge that ‘I am a master’ for example is Light Spiritual Ego; it’s healthy self-recognition OF my gifts and earned experience…it may ‘come across wrong’ and ‘as shadow’ to those who misinterpret it. Remember; however that my lineage conflux it is anticipated and NORMAL to be called ‘master’ and there are no issues around it in the integrity of our lineage/s.
Others may be conditioned that any ego or self-acknowledge of mastery is shadow. I disagree. Self-awareness OF one’s gifts doesn’t discount or disqualify authentic spiritual experience and mastery. Living in 100% humility all the time and as egoless is simply impractical.
For me; my self-awareness as an energy master is actually BALANCED with my overall divine service, the scale of my service and my authentic and deep humility. HEALTHY spiritual (Light and Dark) Ego that supports self-awareness AND further growth of authentic experience.
I’m not living only FROM the SSE…I’m in divine service and temple space growing my gifts for example.
It’s the ego that interacts with the world and must have SOME form of practical self-awareness and self-consciousness of identity/construct.
It’s really whether the ego serves itself or if it healthily supports the scale of a master’s level of spiritual truth.
Light and Dark spiritual ego actually helps to HOLD UP integrity to the gifts of their spiritual magic and connection to Source.
Shadow or ‘SSE’ is what many people think spiritual ego is and conflate it with Light and Dark…That should be cleared up here nicely.
In such cases, I would say that they’re conflating it with that true temple space YES – which is egoless, but then we’re in effect denying everything practical OUTSIDE of Temple where daily ego is meant to FUNCTION and communicate practically speaking.
DAILY EGO = PRACTICAL…For all else, there’s temple time 😉 Which I can’t get enough of. Btw feel free to explore more of the Temple Code mini-series as well as the Darshan series on the categories.
Light SE (Spiritual Ego or the uncapitalized form of ‘spiritual ego’) gives a master breathing room to actually ‘talk about him or herself’ once in a while too even though such self-awareness might seem like shadow b/c he’s not ‘humble’ and self-invisible 1 million percent of the time to someone else who is likely also on a spiritual path and uses their ego daily.
If we deny or repress spiritual ego entirely; we’re left with ‘everything’ as shadow with impossible expectations (a shadow of its own) emplaced upon our spiritual teachers.
The ego in and of itself is not entirely BAD…but who is its master? Does it serve the soul and higher purpose?
If we neglect the spiritual ego; it’s just not only impractical but entirely unproductive b/c the reality is that even masters aren’t living FULL-TIME in temple space.
They have to interact with the rest of the world and have some AWARENESS and integration of their gifts.
It’s comparable to the Star and Starlet dynamic where there can be great ego but IS IT BALANCED and in SERVICE to without collapsing into shadow, self-immolation, greed, expectation and interfering with the purpose itself.
Maybe a true master isn’t always necessary meant to be humble and filled with humility every second of every day either. Divine AND Human.
They have to deal with atm fees and long grocery lines sometimes too….and dare I say – an idiot here and there too (albeit one who has earned the gift of judgment). Hey; spiritual humor I’d say fits into the healthy Dark classification!
(YES; everyone plays the fool and idiot SOMETIMES but you know you’ve muttered under your breath from the gift of judgment when someone ‘deserved it’ in your daily life!)
(I like to host idiot-free temple space…this is my thing – lol).
Sure; an experienced master knows what authentic siddhic humility is experientially, but should we also DENY THEIR HUMANITY? Realism and humor?
However; the healthy spiritual ego is BALANCED and integrated to be functional with awareness of their identity and being able to primarily support their spiritual consciousness, work and divine service.
So in evaluating hiring an expensive (remember; there’s always a price) teacher or guide yourself and how they could help quantum leap you, this should help you to get more clarity.
You should be able to SEE and evaluate their (healthy) Light and Dark spiritual ego vs. their Shadow/SSE…DOES their Spiritual Ego support their purpose and divine service or are they living from and falling into serving the ego itself and other shadows?
Does their energy and vibes align with light and dark consciousness or does something feel ‘off’ in their intentions? Can you trust them with deep temple space?
What does your body and intuition say when it’s assessing clearly? And with a tantra daka these are important and deep dynamics b/c his presence may be triggering to your past trauma BUT if he is embodied in Dark and can hold PURE pristine temple space, then THAT is the medicine whether part of you is confusing it with shadow.
SOME…yes…some gurus MAY HAVE STRONG SE but also PHENOMENAL MAGIC AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
So I wouldn’t be thrown off if their SE is strong. Even Tony Robbins has a super-ego so to speak but he’s also in great, scaled-up service.
Mine has to be because I am also building a brand and an empire; an infra-structure and identity to support my self-awareness in the social world as well and at scale (vs. denying or self-deprecating myself into mushiness spinelessness).
As I’ve mentioned previously on Grey’s Anatomy;
Without healthy spiritual ego (Light/Dark and an individual masters balance of it which can fluctuate but that which SUPPORTS their purpose); a master would just be mush.
They wouldn’t be able to function or operate in the modern world essentially. Meek, self-denial isn’t necessarily a good thing.
It would be like;
So I’m supposed to ‘not’ be a master anymore to fit someone’s distorted perception of what spiritual ego ‘actually’ is which has Light, Dark and Shadow (when my lineage has no problems being referred to as masters and we hire Master Electricians, etc.)?
So, if you ARE a temple-space provider yourself or a spiritual starlet or a signature spiritual ‘brand’ of influencer yourself (with your codex), you can self-evaluate with this awareness as well.
ARE you only serving the ego or are you in service to your greater spiritual path and growth?
I think I’ve covered this subject quite comprehensively here Smurfette!
See…it’s about living this (healthy) consciousness and behavioral balance of ego/human with spirit/divine.
The LD SE (Light:Dark Spiritual Ego) helps you to make practical decisions (and boundaries) with self-awareness FOR your spiritual influence, growth and brand.
Yes; L/D SE is important for BUSINESS growth and scalability as well for spiritual brands, living out the vision and managing an empire AS a spiritual guide.
It’s the qualities IN TEMPLE SPACE ITSELF that you want to be mindful of also; if shadow or SSE is creeping in…then THAT is a yellow or even red flag if they are corrupting the actual impeccability of TEMPLE SPACE itself. That’s a no-no Itzy.
But in evaluating their overall character, this awareness should really be helpful.
Also; I’ve said before that Gene Key shadows like Intolerance can actually become GIFTS when they are in Dark service or defense and Guardianship OF divine principle with backbone…ie. intolerance towards tyranny, direct psychic attacks and crapey vibes from attendees in a ritual for example.
Again; does their L/D Spiritual Ego SERVE their higher purpose and hold functional identity infra-structure so they can be who they are while preserving and serving their spiritual growth, magic and influence.
Maybe you can concur with me that this is the more mature perspective vs. just throwing ‘spiritual ego’ out with the bath-water classified only as ‘shadow’.
