EGO and Personality traits

26 Oct EGO and Personality traits

A. Freud’s Model of Personality — Id, Ego, and Superego

Sigmund Freud proposed that our personality is made of three layers of mind.
Think of them as three “voices” inside us trying to steer the same ship.

1. Id – The Primitive Child

It’s the instinctual, impulsive part of you.

It wants pleasure now — food, sex, comfort, recognition, power.

It doesn’t care about rules, logic, or morality.

Governed by the “Pleasure Principle.”

Example: “I want to shout at him right now! He insulted me!”

2. Superego – The Strict Parent

This is your inner moral judge.

It represents societal values, religion, ethics, and ideals you’ve absorbed from parents, teachers, culture.

Governed by the “Perfection Principle.”

Example: “You shouldn’t get angry. That’s bad. Be nice.”

3. Ego – The Wise Manager

The Ego balances between Id and Superego — between impulse and morality.

It operates on the “Reality Principle.”

It decides how to act in a way that gets what you want without guilt or punishment.

Example: “Let’s calm down, talk it out tomorrow. That’s smarter.”

B. Advaita Vedanta on Ego and Self-Identification

Now, Advaita (non-dual philosophy) goes far deeper — it doesn’t just manage the ego, it questions its existence.

1. Ego (Ahamkara) – The False “I”

*In Advaita, Ego is not evil; it’s just a mistaken identity.*

It is the voice that says, “I am this body, this name, this role.”
→ “I am Chetan.” “I am successful.” “I am hurt.”

It’s the mask the infinite consciousness wears to experience individuality.

2. Self (Atman) – The True “I”

Beyond ego lies the Atman, pure awareness, witness consciousness.

It’s not limited by body, thought, or personality.

When you realize “I am not my thoughts, emotions, or roles” — you glimpse your true Self.

3. The Mistake (Avidya)

The fundamental illusion is identifying with the Ego, thinking that is who you are.

The moment you identify with the witness instead of the doer, the ego dissolves naturally.

C. The Three Gunas — The Inner Forces of Nature

In Sanskrit, Guna means “strand” or “quality.”
The world — and every mind — is woven from three strands:
Tamas, Rajas, and Sattva.

These are not “types of people,” but states of consciousness that mix and shift constantly within you.

1. 💤 Tamas (Inertia, Ignorance, Confusion)

Nature: Heavy, dull, sleepy, fearful, resistant to change.
It is the darkness in the mind that hides clarity and energy.

When Tamas dominates:

You procrastinate, avoid responsibility.

Feel stuck, lazy, confused, or victimized.

Act without awareness — driven by fear, addiction, or despair.

Seek comfort over growth, numbness over truth.

Modern example:
👉 Scrolling endlessly through social media at midnight, knowing it drains you but doing it anyway.
👉 Saying “I can’t change” or “What’s the point?” — this is tamasic helplessness.

Goal: Move from tamas → rajas through movement, routine, and accountability.
(Action breaks inertia.)

2. ⚡ Rajas (Activity, Desire, Restlessness)

Nature: Driven, ambitious, fiery, passionate — but restless.
It fuels all action, creation, and achievement — yet binds you through attachment and craving.

When Rajas dominates:

You chase results, recognition, and control.

You are productive but anxious.

You swing between excitement and exhaustion.

Ego strengthens — “I did this,” “I deserve that.”

Modern example:
👉 Working 14 hours a day to grow your business but losing peace and health.
👉 Achieving more but feeling less fulfilled — classic rajasic imbalance.

Goal: Move from rajas → sattva through reflection, detachment, and purpose alignment.
(Awareness balances action.)

3. 🌞 Sattva (Harmony, Clarity, Purity)

Nature: Light, balanced, joyful, and wise.
It brings clarity, compassion, discipline, and inner peace.

When Sattva dominates:

You act with awareness, not compulsion.

Work feels like service.

You’re content yet purposeful.

The mind is still, luminous, and self-mastered.

Modern example:
👉 A leader who acts from calm conviction, serves without ego, and inspires without control.
👉 Waking early, meditating, leading with purpose — sattvic lifestyle.

Goal: Stabilize sattva — and finally transcend even that, to pure awareness (turīya).
(Peace beyond purity.)