The ego is an actor
With a chest full of costumes suitable for playing its various roles.

A “true self,” however, will put away all those costumes
And become no one –
With no roles, no desire to manipulate others,
And, of course, not much power or riches either.

The ego is an actor
Playing to an audience of one – and sometimes many –
But, primarily, manipulates itself
In the vain hope of, one day, overcoming the world.

The “no self” is spontaneous –
Empty of everything except for joy,
But, certainly, overflowing with that!

The ego carries out the roles
That family and friends recognize –
And never, ever, forgets the specific part it’s supposed to play.

A lifetime passes
During which we’re regularly fed, entertained, and comforted –
But this type of quotidian ego can never reflect the person we really could have been –
That is, someone who solely serves God –
And whose real name is “Freedom.”