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 . . .
".
- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 8 January 1949 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi
to an individual believer; Compilation: ‘Psychology and Knowledge of Self’,
prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice)
