Ego and the Destructive Perversions of the Human Mind

Lately I have been reflecting on how my ego affects the courses my mind takes and the part that has played in the evolution of my alcoholism. It has been said that alcoholism is a disease of the body, mind and spirit. Below is a comment left on DailyOm regarding an article titled Reflecting Self Image, Taming the Ego. "Humility and self-sacrifice escorts these perversions from your life."

We are always in unity consciousness, it is ego that gives us the illusion that we are not. It strives to draw attention to itself, and by giving attention to I, me, my possessions, ego thrives and may even develop pathology. Ego defense mechanisms serve to protect the ego, i.e. denial, rationalization, compensation, etc. But humility is what allows the free flow of the transformation process, which we call the human journey.

Below are the five major destructive perversions of the human mind, according to The Vedas. Their Sanskrit name with English explanation. They cannot take root in you unless invited in; self-indulgence allows all of these to occupy humanity. Humility and self-sacrifice escorts these perversions from your life.

KAM = Passion allowed to run into lust and abnormal demand. We grow like that which we contemplate. Kam binds us to the animal plane.

KROFT = Anger and hate. A mental carcinoma. Anger causes confusion to scatter the mind from the center. Slander, faultfinding, jealousy, destructive criticism, etc. are the “pups” of anger. When you speak ask yourself, is it true, necessary, and kind.

LOFT = Greed. This binds us to the mineral plane, lower than the animal plane, and creates a God of gold and silver for us. While Kam degrades us, Kroft consumes us, and Loft hardens us.

MOFT = Undue attachment to things. This will use up your time on earth and take you away from higher affairs. It makes you a slave to the lower planes.

AHANKAR = Vanity or egoism. Ahankar grows on the action of the other four perversions. Vanity operates with boasting long after the other four perversions have died. It is the source of error in humanity; it loudly says I am right and all others are wrong.