The Lethal Gang: Ego, Mind, and Intelligence—A Battle Within

‘The self, baffled by false ego thinks of himself as a doer.’ -Bhagavad Gita (3.72)

Understanding the Core:

Within each individual lies a formidable trio that quietly influences our thoughts, choices, and behaviors—the Ego, Mind, and Intelligence. This trio functions together, but they don’t always work in sync. The Ego serves as the leader, crafting self-focused narratives, while the Mind functions as an emotional filter, determining what to accept or dismiss. Intelligence, frequently viewed as the voice of reason, justifies the acceptance or rejection with arguments, logic, and analysis.

There’s a whole world inside you, parallel to the outside realm, something like the famous wizarding world of Harry Potter, with laws and people and even a mafia operating in there.

Influenced by Venugopal Acharya’s Mind Your Mind, this article explores the relationship between these forces and their impact on our reality. The book provides profound insights into comprehending and managing these inner abilities for a more aware and satisfying life.

The Mastermind: Ego—The Self-Styled Monarch

The Ego is an unseen commander that constantly asserts, "I, me, mine." He simply pronounces a decree like, ‘I am the greatest’ or ‘I deserve more than others’. It thrives on control, validation, and superiority, often distorting our perception of reality. The Ego does not seek truth—it seeks dominance. It takes offense easily, refuses to admit mistakes, and resists change if it threatens its self-image.

Ego fosters a false sense of significance, leading us to think that our value is connected to outside accomplishments and accolades. This ongoing desire for approval ensnares us in a loop of rivalry and discontent, preventing us from attaining genuine inner tranquility.

The Gatekeeper: Mind—The Emotional Affirmation

The mind is like a judge, deciding whether to accept or reject situations. As the first servant of the Ego, it immediately ‘accepts’ or ’rejects’ people, places, and situations based on the Ego's diktat. Its judgments are based on emotions, desires, and past experiences rather than objective truth. It constantly fluctuates between pleasure and pain, attachment and aversion. If something feels good, the mind welcomes it; if it feels uncomfortable, the mind resists.

The mind seldom challenges the Ego’s control, rendering it susceptible to hasty responses and illogical anxieties. In the absence of appropriate direction, it turns into a servant of temporary feelings, ensnaring us in repetitive patterns of desire and distress.

The Strategist: Intelligence—The Sword with Two Sides

Intelligence is the power of reasoning, analysis, and decision-making. It is second-in-command; it provides plans, justifications, and ideas to ‘accept’ or reject the Ego’s desire. Ideally, it should guide us toward the right path, but intelligence is not immune to influence—it can be hijacked by Ego. When it serves truth, intelligence leads to growth and wisdom. But when it serves the ego, it justifies arrogance, manipulation, and self-deception.

When intellect aligns with self-importance, it creates shrewd rationale to support self-serving interests, transforming deceit into validation. Instead of pursuing truth, it distorts reasoning to satisfy individual pride, rendering even poor choices seem prudent.

The Partnerships of the Trio

EGO AND MIND IN ACTION

Let’s delve into the interaction between Ego and Mind. The Mind serves as the loyal assistant and protector of the Ego, reacting according to the ego’s feelings.

Picture this scenario:

On the initial day, a highly esteemed scholar with two decades of experience commends you, describing you as insightful and intelligent. The Ego, feeling delighted by this affirmation, experiences a sense of superiority and entitlement. Observing Ego's contentment, the Mind quickly embraces the scholar as a friend.

On the following day, you discover that the same scholar views you as incompetent. At this point, the Ego feels under attack and hurt. The Mind intervenes to shield it—promptly dismissing the scholar as an adversary.

MIND-INTELLIGENCE PARTNERSHIP

The Mind derives its power from its faithful companion—Intelligence. Intelligence formulates arguments, devises plans, and uses ‘logical’ reasoning to validate whatever the Mind has chosen to accept or reject.

Let’s reconsider the previous example:

On the first day, Intelligence supports the Mind’s approval by arguing, ‘He is a scholar with two decades of experience, so his statements must be accurate. He is a person to admire.’ Yet, after the Mind decides against him on the second day, Intelligence swiftly alters its position: ‘His status as a scholar has made him conceited; he’s out of touch and should have retired long ago.’

All these directives from the Mind and Intelligence are executed through the senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Together, the Mind and Intelligence seem benign, but we often fail to recognize that we have become their captives.

Who Controls You?

The conflict between Ego, Mind, and Intelligence continues, frequently without awareness. If allowed to grow, the Ego can bind both Mind and Intelligence, resulting in skewed perceptions, hasty behaviors, and self-generated constraints.

In the forthcoming articles, we will examine methods to liberate ourselves from this hidden control, steering intelligence toward reality instead of mere self-defense.

💡 Who do you think is in control of your life right now—Ego, Mind, or Intelligence?

Reference

Acharya, Venugopal. Mind Your Mind: Three Principles for Happy and Conscious Living. Tulsi Books, 2020.