Telling the difference between the voice of ego and the soul

I've been exploring my ego for many years of active self-healing and I find the best way for me to describe it is as the 'voice of my hurt and pain.' Sometimes my ego appears wanting attention and I can always trace that back to some buried hurt within me. My ego likes receiving compliments, but I don't let it expect them, instead I do my best to be surprised and humbled if they come. As the voice of my buried hurt, when loud my ego tends to come from an insecure and pained space.

I've been connecting with my soul (or some other words to use might be: spirit, higher self, highest truth) consciously for about twenty-two years. Of course this connection grows and deepens over time as I react less from ego and respond more from my soul (as a choice). My soul has prompted me forward, to break old habits, to let my old life go, and to soar to new heights in my life.

So how to tell the difference between them?

Firstly, let's look at the differences....

Your ego is your pained self - so it will actually want to keep you in a limiting and pained state because that's all it knows for its survival. It will want to vomit all over your happiness. It will present fear and resistance when you are approaching change which is good for you. It will seek attention and want to gloat in inappropriate times. It will think its right, and everyone else (mostly) is wrong. It will not see past its hurt.

On the other hand your soul is in alignment with your truth and heart. It will want change which is for your betterment and expansion as a being. It will want you to be happy, feel freedom, to learn new things, feel LOVE in life and to make the most of your moments.

Your ego will prompt you to constantly think in the past (what happened) or the future (what might happen) - whereas the soul only knows the power of the moment, and can stay very present in the now.

Your soul will encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and try new experiences as a way to grow and learn - however your ego doesn't and will try and sabotage this potential through self-doubt, self-criticism, fear, resistance or lack of self-belief.

Your ego will be pulled into the drama (personal, local or global) and it will not be able to let it go. This may include gossip, hearsay, news stories, strong opinions, television drama, politics or what is going on in other people's lives. Alternatively your soul will not care for drama in any form for it does not want you to give your power away to such things. Instead it will find and focus on what is truly important.

Your soul is strong, loving, compassionate, empathic, kind, willing, ready and is always seeking expansion and growth. Yet your ego is weak (although thinks itself strong - perhaps physically), child-like, pained, hurt, selfish, self-centred, scared and seeks limitation - or holding you back.

How do the soul and the ego sound - or communicate?

I've found the soul to be in alignment with my truth, my body, how I feel and what is best for me. I am pretty sensitive to energy and especially my own, so I feel it as a gentle intuitive pull.

In my experience I've found that my ego is more wound up with my lower thoughts / lower mind. It will feel uncomfortable in most new situations, and it will try and talk me out of things. I've noticed that the loudest resistance and fear I feel - when preparing to start something new - the more amazing that new thing will be. Now I have wised up to ego and I recognise its agenda and tricks.

How to handle the ego?

Because I can only share from my experience and what works for me, I find that sometimes I handle ego by listening to its hurt so I can let it go. Other times I need to ignore it and take it out from the driver's seat of my life with will-power. And then other moments I will need to make new choices so it isn't in control of my life.

I do my best to bring my attention to my heart, my truth, my body and how I feel and live from that space of flow. Although sometimes my ego does need to be heard, so whatever the issue is can be dealt with and I can move forward again in alignment with my soul.

How do you deal with your ego? What are the differences you notice between your ego and soul?

All my LOVE,

Lee-Anne