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There is so much 'balance' to be set between the 'use' and 'annihilation' of the ego
in spiritual life.......we still need a sense of 'self' in this life...but the spiritual example is to make an example of
ourselves for others to see, where ego satisfaction (sense of worth, generation of loving behaiours, appreciation of value
and goodness) come from our obvious attachment to God and unwillingness to be 'attached to' or manouvered by the subjective
emotions of those around us........
The gifts we are given, spiritually, are still to be expressed through
our five faculties (sight, hearing, speech, taste and touch) and it is only as we control our wish for self gratification
that we can employ each of them in glorifying God .... there is no wrong in engaging each of the senses and gaining satisfaction
from their employ........it is just not healthy to engage them for our satisfaction at any time above and beyond the purposes
of God...if we engage each relationship in our life solely for Him ... then He will give us whatever joy is due from that
relationship, when it is due...
However, if we seek to force the other person or object to respond to
us on an ego level or seek ego level satisfaction from them, then God is put in second place...and that is a breach of our
relationship with Him and the benefits cannot flow as readily as they would if we put His relationship with them first and
sought to advance that as our primary aim of living.
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