Book Excerpt
http://www.egoandspirituality.com
Drs. Nickolas and Linda Martin
Divine gifts we are all given:
1. We can see joy and abundance in the world.
2. We can create life via procreation and/or our personal and work creations.
3. We have eternal life.
4. Spirit lives within us.
Ego energy, aka, human energy can become dysfunctional because of imbalances in power, flexibility and/or vulnerability.
An out-of-balance ego can block us from our divine gifts.
Power (shows up as control, influence, will):
High power: Manipulator, narcissist, rebel, control freak
Low power: Passive, submissive, low self-esteem, victim, dependent
Where do I land on this scale?
|___________________|_____________________|___________________|___________________|
High Balanced Low
Flexibility (shows up as being able or not to change attitudes, prejudiced, people pleaser):
High flexibility: Gullible, cultist
Low flexibility: Closed mind, authoritarian, racist, religious extremist
Where do I land on this scale?
|___________________|_____________________|___________________|___________________|
High Balanced Low
Vulnerability (shows up as anger, fear of real and imagined threats):
High vulnerability: Anxiety, anger, insecurity, perfectionist
Low vulnerability: Emotionally cold, sociopath, insensitive, fearful
Where do I land on this scale?
|___________________|_____________________|___________________|___________________|
High Balanced Low
Mental Medicine comes from internal thoughts and self-talk, not external blaming.
Reality-based thinking can help to balance the ego.
Reality- based vs. dysfunctional thinking:
“I’m as important as others.”
“People need to treat me like I treat them and want to be treated.”
“I need to support my partner even if I don’t agree. I need to listen to see how s/he views life.”
“How successful I am as an achiever is not proven by the number of possessions I own.”
“Competitors are not my enemies.”
“Failure does not mean I am worthless.”
Path to Transformation:
* Figure out where we are on the balance scale between high and low ego energy in power, flexibility, and vulnerability.
* Look at what we can change in our self-talk to bring more balance.
* Notice unhealthy choices and dysfunctional behavior we use to cope.
* Understand that our version of the truth is not necessarily a universal truth.
* Teach our ego with our mind so that it becomes our friend. It doesn’t have to protect us as it did a long time ago – our
intelligence, emotions, and the truths in our heart can do that for us now.
* Attend to the things that make us joyful; the joy in living and in our surroundings.
* Be motivated by love and self-respect. Take advantage of the potential waiting to emerge in our lives and be free of too high
an expectation of ourselves.
http://www.egoandspirituality.com
Drs. Nickolas and Linda Martin
Divine gifts we are all given:
1. We can see joy and abundance in the world.
2. We can create life via procreation and/or our personal and work creations.
3. We have eternal life.
4. Spirit lives within us.
Ego energy, aka, human energy can become dysfunctional because of imbalances in power, flexibility and/or vulnerability.
An out-of-balance ego can block us from our divine gifts.
Power (shows up as control, influence, will):
High power: Manipulator, narcissist, rebel, control freak
Low power: Passive, submissive, low self-esteem, victim, dependent
Where do I land on this scale?
|___________________|_____________________|___________________|___________________|
High Balanced Low
Flexibility (shows up as being able or not to change attitudes, prejudiced, people pleaser):
High flexibility: Gullible, cultist
Low flexibility: Closed mind, authoritarian, racist, religious extremist
Where do I land on this scale?
|___________________|_____________________|___________________|___________________|
High Balanced Low
Vulnerability (shows up as anger, fear of real and imagined threats):
High vulnerability: Anxiety, anger, insecurity, perfectionist
Low vulnerability: Emotionally cold, sociopath, insensitive, fearful
Where do I land on this scale?
|___________________|_____________________|___________________|___________________|
High Balanced Low
Mental Medicine comes from internal thoughts and self-talk, not external blaming.
Reality-based thinking can help to balance the ego.
Reality- based vs. dysfunctional thinking:
“I’m as important as others.”
“People need to treat me like I treat them and want to be treated.”
“I need to support my partner even if I don’t agree. I need to listen to see how s/he views life.”
“How successful I am as an achiever is not proven by the number of possessions I own.”
“Competitors are not my enemies.”
“Failure does not mean I am worthless.”
Path to Transformation:
* Figure out where we are on the balance scale between high and low ego energy in power, flexibility, and vulnerability.
* Look at what we can change in our self-talk to bring more balance.
* Notice unhealthy choices and dysfunctional behavior we use to cope.
* Understand that our version of the truth is not necessarily a universal truth.
* Teach our ego with our mind so that it becomes our friend. It doesn’t have to protect us as it did a long time ago – our
intelligence, emotions, and the truths in our heart can do that for us now.
* Attend to the things that make us joyful; the joy in living and in our surroundings.
* Be motivated by love and self-respect. Take advantage of the potential waiting to emerge in our lives and be free of too high
an expectation of ourselves.