Your concern about the overemphasis
upon the self and ego echoes a central theme of the Manifestation Himself, and
it is the subject of many allusions in His Writings wherein, for example, He
speaks of "the evil of egotism" and of those who are "captives of
egotism." The Master refers to "the rust of egotism" and tells
of ". . . the subtlety of the ego of man. It is the Tempter (the subtle
serpent of the mind) and the poor soul not entirely emancipated from its
suggestions is deceived until entirely severed from all save God." In
another passage He says: "As long as the ego is subjected to carnal
desires, sin and error continue." And He promised that with assiduous
effort "Man will become free from egotism; he will be released from the material
world . . . ".
(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of
Justice to an individual believer included in compilation: ‘Psychology and
Knowledge of Self’, prepared at the Baha’i World Center, attached to a letter
written on behalf of the House of Justice to an individual believer, dated 23
October 1994)
