A Spiritual Ego Is… Normal?
Let’s be real: having a spiritual ego doesn’t mean you’ve failed on your inner journey. In fact, it’s part of the process. It’s how the ego adapts and “upgrades” to survive when we evolve spiritually. But let’s also admit—it’s not what we envisioned when we set out to live from the heart instead of the mind.
We dreamed of freedom. Of waking up to who we really are, shedding the layers of conditioning and identification. Not of ending up trapped in a more “enlightened” version of our old patterns.
Here’s the twist: you can either resist your spiritual ego or recognize it as a powerful opportunity for deeper awareness.
Becoming Conscious of the Spiritual Ego
There are levels to this. Sometimes, you can clearly observe your ego creating narratives—grabbing for attention, trying to shape an identity. Other times, it completely slips under the radar. You believe you are this new version of yourself, and the idea of questioning that doesn’t even occur to you.
This is when things can get tricky—especially if your ego begins to believe it holds the keys to humanity’s awakening. That others should follow your path, or see things the way you do.
Sure, there are dramatic cases of inflated spiritual egos causing harm. But more often, spiritual ego shows up in quieter, more subtle ways. And that’s where we’re focusing today.
The Uneasy Feeling of Waking Up
If you’ve ever had a moment where a belief about yourself crumbles, you’ll know it’s not always pleasant. It’s like Neo waking up in The Matrix—realizing he’d been plugged into a false reality.
Yes, seeing the truth can sting. But it’s also the doorway to liberation. Facing these uncomfortable truths is exactly what leads us to more authenticity, more connection, more life.
Let’s Get Real: You Probably Have an Ego
Whether it’s spiritualized or not, chances are your ego’s still hanging around. Maybe it tells you you’re past the ego entirely. Maybe it’s dressed itself up in light and wisdom.
That’s okay. What matters isn’t whether you have an ego—it’s how conscious you are of it.
So, how do you know when your spiritual ego is running the show?
7 Signs You’re Operating From a Spiritual Ego
1. The Spiritual Judge: “Judging Others Is Terrible!”
You’ve moved past your inner critic—until now it reappears with a new disguise: the spiritual judge. Suddenly, you find yourself irritated when others express negativity or judgments.
You think, “They shouldn’t be like that. That’s not very evolved.”
But here’s the catch: your reaction is often a reflection of a part of yourself you’ve disowned. The judgment you feel toward them might actually be the judgment you’re secretly placing on your own “unspiritual” thoughts and feelings.
2. Living in Ideas, Not Embodiment
You talk about surrender, acceptance, love… but are you actually living it?
Many fall into the trap of speaking from concepts, rather than from felt experience. You might even have a moment of deep connection, then wrap it in a narrative about being “a grateful person” instead of simply allowing the feeling to be.
Notice: are you sharing from your heart or from your head?
3. Belief Stacking: “Let Me Just Add New Beliefs”
Swapping “I’m not good enough” with “I’m successful and worthy” seems like a fix. But unless the old emotional charge is cleared, you’re just layering frosting over… well, let’s just say a not-so-sweet cake.
Beliefs don’t shift just because we say something different. They transform when we feel, process, and release what’s buried underneath.
4. Shame Around “Bad Days”
If you beat yourself up for feeling anxious, off-balance, or emotionally low—you’re not alone. But expecting yourself to be positive 24/7 is spiritual perfectionism in disguise.
True growth comes when we allow ourselves to feel everything, even the discomfort. Shame around struggle only reinforces the belief that “bad” feelings are a failure.
5. Spiritual Bypassing: “I Should Be Grateful”
Ever used meditation, affirmations, or mantras to avoid difficult emotions? That’s called spiritual bypassing.
Yes, these tools are powerful. But if they’re being used to skip over pain rather than move through it, the wounds remain. Buried emotions don’t disappear—they just shape your behavior from the shadows.
6. Conditional Well-Being: “I Need My Practices to Feel Okay”
There’s a difference between discipline and dependence. If your happiness depends on sticking to a morning routine of meditation, yoga, journaling, green juice, and breathwork—or else you spiral—you might be placing your well-being in spiritual rituals, not in true presence.
Your ego might say, “If you skip this, you’ll fall apart.” But true peace doesn’t hinge on perfection.
7. The “Special One” Syndrome
Do you sometimes feel like you get it and others just don’t? Like you’re carrying a sacred secret that separates you from the “average” folks?
This belief in your specialness might feel subtle. It might even show up as “humble silence”—not speaking in groups because “they wouldn’t understand.”
But these assumptions—believing you’re further along, assuming you’d make others feel bad—are projections of the ego. The moment we start assigning meaning to our experience as superior, we’ve wandered into the land of spiritual ego.
The Most Telling Sign? Saying “I Don’t Have One”
If your first response to all this is, “Well, I don’t have a spiritual ego,” then… that might be your biggest clue.
We all have ego. The question isn’t whether it’s there—it’s whether we’re aware of it, curious about it, and willing to grow through it.
Two Self-Inquiry Questions
To help explore this gently:
- What part of me feels threatened by the idea that I still have an ego?
- Where in my life do I feel superior or “more evolved” than others?
These aren’t meant to shame—but to open the door to deeper awareness. Ego awareness isn’t a failure; it’s a sign you’re on the path.
Final Thoughts: Let It Be a Mirror, Not a Monster
Recognizing a spiritual ego isn’t a red flag. It’s a mirror. It’s the universe giving you an invitation to drop deeper into presence, honesty, and connection.
So next time your inner spiritual judge flares up, or you feel shame about not being “high vibe” enough—pause. Breathe. Smile. You’re human. And awareness, not perfection, is the real path to freedom.