Nearly all our problems of pride, insecurity, and/or rightness stem from a single cause, namely Ahamkara the sense of "I.

Sanatan Dharma refers to the sense of self as the "Ahamkara," or the "I-maker. It is the mind, which is able to make one feel a separate distinct self, away from everything else. Ahamkara is not something that is overlooked as a minor glitch in a system it's one of the four main faculties of the mind in the Vedantic consciousness model, along with manas (the sensing mind), buddhi (the intellect), and chitta (the memory-storehouse).

It is important to note that the Sanatan perspective is not that the ego is evil in itself. Ahamkara is necessary. It's what enables a person to function at all say "I am hungry" or "I will act. When Ahamkara begins to cross its boundaries and tells a person that this created "I" is the ultimate truth of the person, then the trouble starts. The tradition describes the ignorance or avidya as the mistaken identification of the temporary self, the self that is bound to the body, the mind, the roles and the status with the eternal self or Atman. It is said that this misidentification is the cause of suffering, more than anything else.

What the Gita Says About Ego

The Bhagavad Gita is constantly reiterating this theme. Ahamkara makes the person think that they alone do all the actions when really, all the actions are done in conjunction with the three gunas, the primary qualities of nature, namely sattva, rajas and tamas. Another of the Gita's most practical lessons is that a lot of the suffering that we go through has nothing to do with the outcome; it's because of the belief that what we accomplish, or fail to accomplish, equals our worth.

The answer given by Krishna is nishkama karma, which means action performed without any attachment to the fruits of the action. This isn't half-assed or apathetic, but very much the opposite. It is being present with your whole attention and tenderly to the work itself, without needing anything specific to justify it. If you're not so attached to the outcome, then there's less for your ego to cling to or defend.

There are four paths to loosen the grip of the ego.There are four ways to release the grip of the ego.

The way to deal with the Ego is not a singular Sanatan Dharma technique. Rather, it provides a number of yogas or pathways that are appropriate for various temperaments.

Karma Yoga or the path of selfless action is a giving back to the world, to one's family, community, duty or the Divine, of the fruit of one's action. Selfless service challenges the instincts of the ego, from the question “what do I get” to “what can I give.”

The path of devotion known as Bhakti Yoga is a way of surrendering away the ego. The "I" and "mine" are loosened when you are in the depth of love and surrender to the Divine. The devotee realizes that he is an instrument and not the creator, which is a humble and liberating position in the tradition.

Jnana Yoga (Knowledge Yoga) is a direct confrontation with the self through inquiry. Atma Vichara, or self-inquiry, is one of the more popular practices of this path, which involves the constant questioning of the sense of self, or "I," and the exploration of that "I" from within. This is the approach used by sages such as Ramana Maharshi, and ultimately brings to light that the self is not a permanent reality but a construction of the mind.

The path of meditation, known as Raja Yoga, uses mental discipline meditation and Patanjali's Yoga Sutra ethical restraints (yamas and niyamas). These practices help to pacify the mind's turbulence, much of which is due to the voice of the ego.

To the student's art of working with the Ego, the following daily practices are recommended:

The Sanatan tradition provides specific habits to practice every day, in addition to philosophy:

1. Play with the wise and the humble. Being in the company of lowly people or the sacred text and teaching, shifts the inner reference point gradually away from being self-important.

2. Reflect each day. Many homes have a short nightly review where they are being truthful about how ego, instead of wisdom and compassion, influenced the decision making of the day.

3. Engage in humility practices. Bowing to elders (namaste to the divine presence in others) is not a meaningless act or a simple courtesy, but a reminder of connection, not self-centeredness, every day.

4. Become aware of the Divine in others. Considerations such as Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam ("the world is one family") and Ishavasyam idam sarvam ("the Divine is in all things") help to eliminate the notion of superiority or separateness in the mind.

5. Be flexible with titles and positions. The Gita states that roles parent, boss, expert, achiever are like masks the soul wears for a small period of time. This is a useful reminder on a regular basis to make sure that identity does not become all one thing.

The difference between confidence and ego

One of the important differences between the Sanatan way of thinking and the inflated distorted form of the ego (ahamkara) is that the latter has no healthy self-respect. This tradition isn't about discouraging people from building their confidence in the real effort and action it's about upholding their self-respect and dignity. Warning: don't identify with results: success = "I'm good," failure = "I'm bad. It is not to abolish individuality, but to take it lightly and know that it is smaller than an ever changeless, more substantial Self that is in each individual.

The Sanatan attitude towards ego is not self-punishment nor is it the denial of the individuality. It is an invitation to shift the sense of "I" from the small constructed self, Ahamkara, to the bigger unchanging Self, which is the true self in Sanatan Dharma. This tradition is a practical toolkit of selfless action, devotion, self-inquiry, meditation and simple daily modesty, a proven way to bring the ego back into its proper, modest place, but not to live by.