The nature of the true Self is that It is infinite. The Self that I’m referencing is of course the eternal, timeless Self that is the source of all creation, pure consciousness. Some call It God, Source, Is-ness, or Shiva. It varies by culture, but all words point to the same Self. Since It is everything that means we, you and I are also It. However, we have forgotten this and instead perceive the Self, creation, from a limited perspective known as ego. The ego is the belief we hold about our self as a separate entity moving around in the world and having experiences. The egoic mind is the converse of the true Self. It believes it is separate from all other things.
Since the ego, sees itself as separate it identifies very strongly with every experience. This includes thoughts and feelings. They are seen as “my thoughts, my feelings, they are me, this is me.” Who are you really? Most people will list personality and physical traits or personal preferences and tastes. Are those things really you? What they are is thoughts, mind stuff. These collections of thoughts are what the ego identifies with and thus reinforces the belief that it exists.
We identify with each experience because there is no silence, no separation amidst the thoughts. The mind, from the perspective of ego, is tumultuous. It’s a maelstrom of thoughts which contributes to maintaining the egoic self. I commonly refer to this as the monkey mind. Alan Watts illustrated this perfectly when he spoke of the mind as a muddy pool that has been stirred up. If let alone, it will settle and become clear. It is then that your identification, your ego, who you think you are, will begin to unravel and you will notice that you are not the thoughts and you are not the body. Instead, you are aware of them.
In order for something to maintain its existence it must constantly struggle for homeostasis against innumerable variables that are all seen as threats to the order. Every living thing in this universe is fighting for its survival daily. Whether it be to find food, stave off infection from microscopic invaders (which are also just trying to find a host in order to proliferate), to searching for fresh water, or finding a suitable place to live. Life according to ego is a struggle because it is trying to maintain its perspective. The ego doesn’t want to die! Does this sound familiar? Most people won’t tell you they are afraid of death. Instead, they will list off things like fear of insects, snakes, needles, small spaces, inadequacy, failure, change, rejection, heights, being judged, etc. However, these are extraneous social fears. When you look at our society honestly you will recognize that we value our lives above everything. We take medication to fix physiological conditions and alter chemical imbalances, we undergo surgeries and treatments to reverse physical conditions that nature or we ourselves have imposed on us. Some have their bodies frozen with the hope of returning to it. Others suffer through deep depression and misery but don’t dare commit suicide. Everything we do is for the preservation of the ego. The ego will endure just about anything because its survival is paramount.
It is important to note that the ego is not a physical thing. It doesn’t actually exist. It is a concept used to communicate this idea of an identification with a perspective.