“You do not become good by trying to be good, but by finding the goodness that is already within you, and allowing that goodness to emerge. But it can only emerge if something fundamental changes in your state of consciousness.”

“The more unconscious individuals, groups, or nations are, the more likely it is that egoic pathology will assume the form of physical violence. Violence is a primitive but still very widespread way in which the ego attempts to assert itself, to prove itself right or another wrong. With very unconscious people, arguments can easily lead to physical violence.”

Facing facts is always empowering. Be aware that what you think, to a large extent, creates the emotions that you feel. See the link between your thinking and your emotions. Rather than being your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind them.

By far the greater part of violence that humans have inflicted on each other is not the work of criminals or the mentally deranged, but of normal, respectable citizens in the service of the collective ego.

“The blueprint for dysfunction that every human being carries within: the ego.”

“The ego isn’t wrong; it’s just unconscious. When you observe the ego in yourself, you are beginning to go beyond it.”

“If you don’t equate the body with who you are, when beauty fades, vigor diminishes, or the body becomes incapacitated, this will not affect your sense of worth or identity in any way.”

“Recognize the ego for what it is: a collective dysfunction, the insanity of the human mind. Once you see the ego for what it is, it becomes much easier to remain non-reactive toward it.”

“All that is required to become free of the ego is to become aware of it, since awareness and ego are incompatible.”

“The ego doesn’t know that the source of all energy is within you, so it seeks it outside.”

“The ego may be clever, but it is not intelligent. Cleverness pursues its own little aims. Intelligence sees the larger whole in which all things are connected. Cleverness is motivated by self-interest and is extremely short-sighted. Most politicians and businesspeople are clever, very few are intelligent. Cleverness divides, intelligence includes.”

Echart Tolle - A New Earth