Shark to Blood

Like a shark to blood is a good analogy of how ego is to pain. The shark has a keen sense that allows it to sniff out blood in the water. The shark can smell it from miles away and will pursue until it reaches its prey or loses the scent. The closer the blood trail, the easier it is for the shark to find the wounded prey.

Now let’s look at ego to pain. Using the same imagery, we can imagine that the ego is always swimming within each person, waiting for the pain to surface, be it physical or emotional pain. The pain puts out a scent that the ego can ‘smell’. Depending on the individuals overall well-being and balance, the ego is either miles away or very close to the pain. It may reach the surface quickly and boil over, or the pain may subside before the ego can even be called into action, or something in between.

If you are a person that is stressed, fatigued, angry, and lethargic or any other low vibrational state, then the ego is always circling close by, waiting for the emergence of pain. If you are decompressed, energized, light, calm, or any other high vibrational state, then the ego is miles away from the possible emergence of pain. In other words, the more balanced you are the less chance your ego has to take over. By the time the ego picks up the scent of the pain, the pain is healed or at the least you are in your right mind again, and you are no longer vulnerable prey.

Make no mistake about it—the ego is out to destroy you, just as the shark is out to kill its prey. It can and will make every vulnerable situation ten times worse, unless you are mindful. Arguments with loved ones, anger towards co-workers, parent/child altercations, sibling rivalry, fights between friends, road rage…all of these painful experiences can either be handled with love and tolerance or they can be ego-fueled, painful and hurtful experiences. And if your ego is not busy attacking others, it will just attack YOU. You will tell yourself that you are the dumb one, the worthless one, the problem.

Here is the good news; we can choose to look at the ego as something that is here FOR us. How do we do that?

Be mindful. Be present. Be aware. Some of the best ways to achieve these states of being are by creating outlets for yourself to decompress the stress, such as: having a meditation practice, being on a serious spiritual path, getting energy work done, practicing yoga, or reading spiritual literature. You have to do the work, consistently, and your spiritual self will be able to see what the ego is up to. Your mind will be in a state that allows you to see that rise in your blood pressure, and you will realize ‘oh, this is my ego right now that is going crazy. My ego wants me to send that email, or my ego wants me to say something that will really be a low-blow.’ And you will be able to censor yourself, to take a breath, and to be still until the urge passes.

When this is in place, the Spiritual mind will use the ego to grow and mature. You will find that each pain that you have is a gift to understand and grow as a human being. You will use the ego as a barometer of sorts, a healthy tool that furthers your understanding of your own triggers and weaknesses, and will help you achieve balance.