Of what use is that old fellow, the ego?

"The ego in the life of the individual has its useful purposes, I'm sure," I was musing. Probably trying to justify some recent, egregious out-of-bounds move of mine. 

But really. Since we've evolved to have an ego, along with our amazing physical bodies, and all the layers of bodies that go along with -- it must be of some use.

Or, to use the saying that the kids brought home from sixth grade environmental camp up at Woodleaf, "God made dirt. And dirt don't hurt!"

I just found, re-found, a very clear little passage on the role of the ego. It's from Sad Vani: A Collection of the Teaching of Sri Anandamayi MA as reported by Bhaiji, translated by Atmananda. More about these remarkable folks in a future post.

69.
You often declare that the ego is the root of all evil; in actual fact however, this is not so. While the ego is the cause of birth and death, it also helps toward liberation. 

The development of the ego and of the spirit of independence has made the individual feel cut off from God. To uproot this sense of separateness, the use of will power is indispensable. 

The man who has merged his ego in the Divine or surrendered it completely to God Almighty, the Lord of the universe, may depend on the working of Providence; but a person with a strong sense of self-reliance, who feels that he is the doer, must exert himself in everything he undertakes. 

So long as intelligence rules a person's life, it means that the ego still exists and that the person is responsible for actions and their results. 
Resign yourself entirely to the One or else be intensely absorbed in Self-inquiry. Although karma may still have to be worked out, by and by the perplexities and problems of the ego will diminish and finally fade away.