Is human ego the cause of suppressed inner feelings of happiness? Why?

1. 83

   K9keystrokesposted 13 years ago

   Is human ego the cause of suppressed inner feelings of happiness? Why?

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2. 59

   guided-imageryposted 13 years ago

   The ego is a very important part of our human operating equipment. Its job is to help us survive. We need it to stand up and get through the day, get things done, and more. It also tries to protect us by keeping a lid on our feelings so they don't get us into too much trouble. There is a balance between having a healthy ego, and having an overworked ego that's too busy managing unresolved feelings.
   
   So, the ego will suppress our feelings to some extent, because that's its job. But it's part of OUR job to deal with our feelings -- examine and release as needed. That's part of emotional health and well being. Counseling, therapy, exercise, sharing, expressing, crying, loving... all help us to stay emotionally healthy.
   
   You asked about suppressing happiness. If the ego thinks you'll get in trouble by appearing too happy, it will suppress your happy expression to try to help you survive. You pick up patterns like that in childhood, but then they go unconscious as you grow up, and it works on autopilot. Then you wonder why you're not happy! But you can learn to release the old patterns. Not easy on your own. Best done with a counselor or therapist who can help guide you.
   
   Hope that helps.

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3. 59

   C.V.Rajanposted 13 years ago

   We believe we get happiness through ego by suppressing the inner (true) feelings (eg: acceptance of our mistake and saying sorry, being too diplomatic instead of being frank etc) but we don't.

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4. 61

   Nicola Tweedieposted 13 years ago

   We cannot do without an ego - afterall it is the 'I'...but it is missing the complexity of it's function to ask if it just supresses. As guided-imagery says it does many things, all involving keeping the 'I' familiar - i.e. we try and keep roughly the same so that we know ourselves! That is part of what makes it hard to change.
   But the super-ego also tracks our choices and forays into the new and (like the critical parent) reminds us of past failures and misadventures. So that also has a function in suppressing...but all this depends on believing in the theoretical model that describes the id, ego and superego...which is now quite old.
   I often find it helpful to think of my self as a community of voices - all trying to get heard, but some more practiced at shouting and others more practiced at keeping quiet.
   Getting a balance of all things is at the heart of the stillness and calm that most people seek...
   Why do you ask?

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