The Death of the Ego in East-Meets-West Spirituality: Diverse Views from Prominent Authors

Abstract

Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, have traditionally held to the view that in order for an individual to fully benefit from their practice it was important to lessen or eliminate one’s individual desires. Such practice was sometimes referred to as the “death of the ego” in order to emphasize its importance. However, the relatively recent popularity of East-meets-West spirituality in Western consumer cultures tends to emphasize the acceptance and transformation of one’s ego rather than its death. This essay discusses sociological changes that have shaped and contributed to the popularity of East-meets-West spirituality in Western culture that in turn have brought about a modification of the principle of ego death. The views of six Western authors and practitioners of East-meets-West spirituality on the importance of the principle of ego death are compared and contrasted. Theories related to the management of self-identity in consumer society can partly explain the modification of traditional Eastern religious practices, such as ego death, in order that they become relevant and appealing to a society that increasingly reifies the concept of the self. The implication is that the excision of the concept of ego death from the practice of East-meets-West spirituality may affect its efficacy.