Decoding the Ego Algorithm

A Path to Present Awareness and Surrender

If you've spent some time trying to be fully present, you probably know you can't go through this process without realizing that there is an opinionated voice in your head that hardly ever stops: your ego.

One day, as I was meditating and noticing my thoughts, and more specifically, how good my mind is at distracting me, it occurred to me that the ego could be compared to the social media algorithms and their sometimes shocking ability to anticipate what we like and keep us engaged.

So now I think of the ego as a self-created algorithm that manifests itself when we are not truly present. A false self that runs our life pretending to be us. It judges everything we perceive through the lens of our past experiences and conditions.

By definition, an algorithm is "a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations."

Since the moment we are born, we use our mind to interpret the world around us by asking it to solve what we don't understand; the mind then starts the process of labeling, associating, memorizing, and processing information we receive through our senses. That is how we learn. We train our minds very early to solve what we cannot comprehend, which becomes its primary function, and we learn to rely on it to solve what we perceive as problems or unknown situations.

And that is okay up to a certain point; otherwise, we wouldn't be able to learn. The problem starts when, instead of processing information through a clear lens and seeing and accepting things as they are, the mind starts categorizing events, people, situations, etc., as good or bad, desirable or undesirable. We resist what the mind labels as "bad" and desire what the mind labels as "good," we give our mind a new task: How can I get what I want and avoid what I don't like? - That's when the ego algorithm is born; we create it to solve that task. The mind gets very busy doing "its job," telling us what to do or not to do, what to fear, what to want, what to avoid, who to trust, who to admire, and so on. We use our precious intelligence to try to change the world around us and ourselves to fit into what the mind labels as desirable and undesirable. This is an exhausting and fruitless job. Simply put, it is a problem that can't be solved, hence insanity. We gave our mind an impossible task and that is why it can never stop thinking, why it can never find peace.

What is the alternative?

The alternative is acceptance of what is. To acknowledge that we live in an intelligent universe that does pretty good without our thinking and constant efforts to manipulate situations when they don't fit our expectations and paradigms.

No matter how hard we try and how much energy we waste, most of the time, we can't change what is. We can't change the weather, we can't change people, we can't change the past, and we can't change circumstances outside of our control. But we can change our attitude towards life, and assume responsibility for our life situations.

Once we have clarity on what we can control and cannot, we can take action from a peaceful perspective when necessary. Then, we can ask our mind to work with us in solving the situations that can and need to be resolved and surrender those that can't and don't.

Surrender to what?

Surrender, let go. We hear these words often and with good reason, but as with most things, they are easier said than done. It is hard to let go and trust after a lifetime of trying to control virtually everything. But when we know that a Higher Intelligence is taking care of things, it becomes much easier to surrender and put our problems in the hands of this Higher Power that creates and keeps life.

Nature unfolds effortlessly in perfect timing. Everything is planned and coded from the beginning. A seed "knows" what it will become and effortlessly does. No labeling, no strategizing, no manipulating, no complaining, no worries. That doesn't mean we don't ever take action. Lions know exactly when to attack, but they don't waste energy attacking everything all the time; they only do so when they have a chance to succeed. There is no chatter in their head comparing themselves to other lions or attacking everything that moves out of fear of lack. Of course, once they get their prey, they enjoy it and defend it - in the present moment - not in their heads.

On the other hand, we spend most of our awake time in the past or future, thinking about what happened and worrying about what will happen. The ego takes care of this. It thinks it knows best and is constantly sending us messages - our thoughts- to move us away from the present moment and to solve what can't or doesn't need to be solved.

Why?

Self-preservation is why. In the present moment, we only have to take care of what is in front of us; we can just be or give our mind a specific task to perform, which means no more idle thinking, just clear, focused thought or not thought at all. A different kind of intelligence takes place. The same intelligence that takes care of all life and creation.

We don't need the algorithm anymore.

So, the ego feels threatened by this presence and does everything possible to take us away from the present moment. The ego is very good at this; it knows precisely how to distract us and capture our attention because we created it; it literally knows what is in our minds because it took over our minds. Just like social media platforms know how to seize our attention, so does the ego, but at an unimaginable scale—it knows us better than we know ourselves, and it pretends to be yourself. That is why it is so hard to distinguish the voice of the ego from your own voice, which is the voice of your Higher Self, of the wise, creative, and highly intelligent being you are. They sound the same.

How, then, can we start to recognize our true inner voice? We need training, practice, experience, and a well-set intention to do so.

There are, however, some tips and tricks that can help.

The ego usually:

Lives the past.
Worries about the future.
Judges everything.
Is fearful.
Comes up with ways to change or manipulate things.
Tends to complain. A lot.
Attempts to impress. Is constantly worried about what others think.
Is constantly thinking and worried about the outcome.
Has a selfish agenda.
Does not like uncertainty.
Makes you feel guilty, not enough, or undesirable.
Holds grudges.
Creates false needs and distractions.
Is never satisfied. - Remember, it is trying to solve the unsolvable.
Thinks it is always right.
Is defensive.
Is needy.
Is clingy.
Is indecisive.
Overthinks.

Your True Self:

Lives in the present moment.
Trusts that the future will take care of itself in perfect timing.
Knows the past is in the past.
Accepts things as they are.
Loves unconditionally.
Is compassionate and forgiving.
Is fearless.
Doesn't complain, but it takes appropriate action when necessary.
Is unconcerned about what others think.
Is unattached to the outcome.
Does not have an agenda; it has a selfless purpose.
Embraces uncertainty.
Doesn't take sides.
Doesn't feel the need to defend itself.
Knows that it is enough and complete.
Knows how to forgive itself and others.
Appreciates what is.
Is always at peace.
Knows how to enjoy life.
Doesn't need anything.
Is detached.
Is assertive.

Start by paying attention to your thoughts and recognize where they come from and how they make you feel. If you feel at peace and your heart is open, they are truly Your thoughts. If you feel the opposite, they come from the ego. It sounds simple, and it is. You are either opening or closing your heart, which is the easiest way to know when You are present. But our inertia is to not be present, so we become unaware and distracted.

Make it a challenge to become aware of your thoughts and your feelings. And have fun with it. The moment you start getting frustrated or trying too hard, the ego takes over. I can almost hear it - "This is too hard; let me try to solve this. Otherwise, you won't be able to."

One of the things that helps me the most during this process is to recognize which situations are for the mind to solve and which are not, and whether they need to be solved now. If I catch myself "in my head" worrying, lamenting, overthinking, wishing, or doing any of the things ego loves to do, I ask myself: Is this a situation for my mind to resolve right now? If it is not, I simply say, "This is not for the mind to decide now" or "This isn’t something that the mind can solve." And I simply put it in the hands of the Higher Intelligence I am learning to trust and return to the present moment. If you know me, you can probably imagine that this exercise happens many times a day, and of course, sometimes it doesn't happen at all, and I am completely lost in thought. And that is okay; what matters is that I am exercising my presence muscles, and the more I do it, the more I'll catch my false self taking over.

Another precious gift we have to become present and still is our breath. Whether you become aware of your breath or work with it, when you truly connect with your breathing, you become present and can turn down the noise in your head. The more I practice breathwork, the easier this becomes. Once you "see" your breath, you can't unsee it, and it becomes a constant, gentle reminder that we are alive and a tool to let go of anxious thoughts and be present in the now.

Appreciate the world around you, notice things, use your senses, find stillness, and beware of the thought-making machine in your head trying to control and manipulate everything. If you accidentally turn it on, remember, you can always turn it off.