DOMESTICATION AND THE EGO

Domestication and the ego work hand in hand. Domestication rewards the ego with conditional love when perfection is achieved through the eyes of the judge, and it punishes the ego with self-rejection when we fall short of our own expectations.

It’s a vicious cycle.

After years of reputation, the ego is artificially strengthened through domestication, and it works diligently to protect the rules of our domestication by constantly reminding us that our worthiness is tied to achieving this false image of perfection.

The key to breaking the cycle is unconditional self-love. When we love ourselves no matter what, we expose the ego and the system of domestication for what it is: a falsehood.

Practice

With awareness today, notice the moment you hear the voice of punishment inside yourself. When this occurs, stop immediately and instead say to yourself: “This is who I am, and I love myself without conditions.”

Living a Life of Awareness

~ Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.