For some time now, I imagined that the self (das Selbst) – the part which doesn’t care about achievements and wants to connect with the whole universe – is close under the surface, the skin, right behind the eyelids. Now it turns out – according to Siegfried Essen’s Systemic Constellations Therapy Method – that this space is actually taken by the ego (das Ich), the hardened core of one’s being, the part which consists of so-called character traits we think we “own” because of years of affirmation by the outside world. Actually, our surface seems to be the part which is dotted with contact points that connect to the higher order of things, thus subverting the idea of superficiality and depth.

This also means you don`t have to dissolve the ego, you just have to handle it consciously. Sometimes, it is beneficial to lose focus of your ego and “expand” yourself until you reach the shell of your self.

For more information on the topic (in German): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoKKHsRodys&list=PLSM6fwI58V8pTM8dOx8S4P5fnwevjNndO&index=9