Unmasking the Ego: Reconnecting with Your True Self

In the modern world, we often find ourselves captive to our ego, as the pursuit of external recognition and status obscures the true vision of who we are and what we are capable of. Our personality begins to build itself around an illusory image, where deep convictions take a backseat to the desire to affirm our significance through the approval of others. This self-absorption leads us to lose the ability to perceive the multifaceted nature of reality, depriving us of the sensitivity to recognize life’s subtle, yet important, nuances.

When the ego takes the upper hand, inner wisdom and genuine desires are eclipsed by the dazzling illusion of self-sufficiency. Instead of growing through self-awareness and embracing the essence of who we are, energy is wasted on maintaining an artificial image that ultimately hinders us from opening up to new possibilities and preserving the integrity of our personality. The situation is further compounded by the constant fueling of the ego, which narrows our consciousness and forces us to perceive the world in limited, often uniform, tones—robbing us of the childlike capacity to marvel at life.

Yet, therein lies the true challenge: to overcome the influence of the ego by abandoning the superficial quest for approval and reconnecting with our true “self.” Growing awareness not only allows us to reshape our perception of the world but also to achieve harmony between our inner potential and the external manifestations of our personality. By taking this step, we open the door to a wealth of deep experiences, understanding our genuine desires and discovering opportunities that had previously gone unnoticed.


What characteristics of the ego hinder a person from recognizing their true desires and capabilities?


The features of the ego that obstruct one’s ability to realize their true desires and potential lie primarily in its focus on external recognition, self-assertion, and the pursuit of status—overshadowing inner truth and a profound vision of one’s identity. According to Father Anatoly Garmayev, as described in the source, a person may mistake a fragmented understanding of conscience for the conscience itself in order to affirm their significance:

“‘There exists a state within a person when the knowledge of conscience contained within is taken for the conscience itself. This is the state of the ego triad (ability, emotionality, and ego-drives)… The desire to succeed—to be perfect, great, recognized, significant, and respected—is a desire for pride, a striving for self-sufficiency…’”
(source: link , page: 241)

This approach results in inner, true desires and potentials being overshadowed by the drive to satisfy the need for status and external validation. Thus, the ego claims part of our conscious perception, as an excessive focus on our own importance limits our ability to perceive the world in all its complexity. In effect, the expansion of our consciousness occurs at the expense of the ego, depriving the psyche of the capacity to see the “twilight” of reality—that is, all the nuances and hidden aspects in which our true desires and potential may reside:

“‘The continuous intensification of the conscious within the ego and through the ego leads to the spread of darkness and the unconscious elsewhere. The diffuse conscious, on this intermediate territory, shrinks to the boundaries of the ego or falls into an abyss. We lose the ability to see the twilight in the world, we lose the childlike capacity to be amazed.’”
(source: link , page: 323-324)

Furthermore, excessive egocentrism causes the personality to undermine its own wholeness by being overly focused on the self without reaching out to the “you” and “we.” This limitation prevents one from opening up to new possibilities and realizing one's true aspirations, as all energy is diverted into maintaining an artificial image rather than fostering deep self-assessment and growth:

“‘The "I" can be egocentric, self-assertive, inflated, and incapable of reaching out to another. Egocentrism destroys the personality; it is the greatest obstacle on the path to personal fulfillment.’”
(source: link , page: 122-123)

Thus, the features of the ego—its tendency toward self-satisfaction, the craving for external recognition, and excessive egocentrism—create an inner conflict that robs a person of the ability to deeply perceive their true desires and to realize hidden potentials. This happens when the personality becomes absorbed by illusory goals instead of opening up to the broader, genuine reality of its inner world.

Supporting citation(s):
“‘There is a state within a person when they take the knowledge of conscience contained within as the conscience itself. This is the state of the ego triad (ability, emotionality, and ego-drives — editor’s note). It is recognized by the feeling when a person desperately wants to become someone or succeed in something. This desire to succeed—to be perfect, great, recognized, significant, and respected—is the desire for pride, the aspiration for self-sufficiency… It is difficult and prolonged before one realizes the falsehood when, to comfort one’s self-sufficiency, a person collects knowledge about conscience and attempts to implement it in actions. The question arises: ‘For what purpose?’ – To succeed. Only human pride desires to succeed because it strives for self-sufficiency…”
(source: link , page: 241)

“‘The continuous intensification of the conscious within the ego and through the ego leads to the spread of darkness and the unconscious elsewhere. The diffuse conscious, on the intermediate territory, shrinks to the boundaries of the ego or falls into an abyss. We lose the ability to see the twilight in the world, we lose the childlike capacity to be amazed.’”
(source: link , page: 323-324)

“‘The "I" can be egocentric, self-assertive, inflated, and incapable of reaching out to another. Egocentrism destroys the personality; it is the greatest obstacle on the path to personal fulfillment.’”
(source: link , page: 122-123)