Dec 27, 2016

ego

Your concern about the overemphasis upon the self and ego echoes a central theme of the Manifestation Himself, and it is the subject of many allusions in His Writings wherein, for example, He speaks of "the evil of egotism" and of those who are "captives of egotism." The Master refers to "the rust of egotism" and tells of ". . . the subtlety of the ego of man. It is the Tempter (the subtle serpent of the mind) and the poor soul not entirely emancipated from its suggestions is deceived until entirely severed from all save God." In another passage He says: "As long as the ego is subjected to carnal desires, sin and error continue." And He promised that with assiduous effort "Man will become free from egotism; he will be released from the material world . . . ". 
- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 8 January 1949 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; Compilation: ‘Psychology and Knowledge of Self’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)