Brain Storming

Ego is built at surface of the tension. This tension is created because of the fixation of the energy at the self. This self becomes the cause of tension point in the being. This tension is created by not only the intellectual energy but all different forms of energies available to the human being are channelized towards this aspect of the being. This holding the tension fulfils the sensorial level of our beings, because they are really very gross. And mind you they are actually contacting the surface dimension of our being i.e. sense and the sensorial mind and emotions, but the subtler aspects of our being remains dissatisfied. Though one can have the grosser level of fulfillment but one can’t have total fulfillment. Therefore even after achieving the grosser level of satisfaction one even then aspires for some other forms of fulfillment. And actually one aspires for that completeness which can be achieved after one learns how to let go.
When we go to the root of it we find that it is the attachment as the very fundamental human tendency causes desire. Any desire leads to some form of turbulence which may happen at the intellectual level or even emotion level. And this turbulence finally leads one to the field of tensions. Ego is the principle of organization as it is known in psychology, but that ‘I’ ness which is created (in yoga better known as the sense of being separate called asmita), creates valence responses of desirable or undesirable, liking or disliking. Therefore to transcend this level of human plane of desires, cravings and tensions one has to reach the level of attachment and target the cause of craving and desires.
‘Letting go’ is one such technique which is also the hallmark of the yogic field of activities. It is not the letting go of the objects of desire but the letting go of tendency to desire. People always find it difficult and tedious processes because they start hammering on the objects of desire without trying to understand the mechanics of desires or manage the desires at the root level. Abstaining from the objects of desire won’t help because until and unless one starts managing the desires, existing as fundamental tendencies one will always fail no matter how forcefully you exert yourself. More force you will apply the craving will amplify in the same proportion. Why it said here about the objects that the abstention won’t help because the real sensorial satisfaction doesn’t come from the objects but it is the contact of the corresponding object with the craving that gives the pleasure but because it gross and impermanent the sensual craving remains transitory and slippery. Every craving and its satisfaction or dissatisfaction leaves a very strong impression in the mind. The ego or the empirical self works on the principle of identification. It establishes the identity with the objects, events and any form of experiences. And the process of identity works on the principle of recall and association. Therefore with the contact with new experiences a new chain of associations and impressions are created.
Now the question is after all why the self identifies with some objects so intensely positively or negatively?
There may be more than one reason. There may be reasons like previous experience with the objects or events, cravings, training etc. These all different factors condition the self. Therefore our mode or form of identification is also conditioned. There fore one can say that the way one identifies can be conditioned by socio-cultural and the individual factors and the depth psychology can go to the level of archetypes and the phylogenetic factors. But still this is only the surface of our individuality or our being which defines the mechanics of emotions, feelings and desires at the superficial level. These all operate within the realm of tensions and stresses.