Is "ego" a bad thing?

Question from Brayden Schmitz
​Hey there 🙂coming back for a taste of wisdom. I remember someone talking on manifesting from a place in the head rather from a place of the heart. It may have been Wayne dyer but that doesn't matter. What I'm getting at is this - I remember them stating that when manifesting from the head (or the ego) you create manifestations of duality. Which to my understanding means that if per say you wanted a home for egoic reasons then you would manifest a home but it would come with some problems or hiccups along the way whereas manifesting from the heart or a place of love and compassion will create flawless manifestation. Would you be so kind to elaborate on this matter? My aunt and I recently moved out and I got my own room now (yay😁) and I would say that she most definitely manifested from a place of egoic wants. She wants to change the cabinets/doors/etc whereas I have the bare minimums and feel completely content. I don't have a feeling of needing more or changing anything although I wouldn't be opposed it it either. I kind of went on a ramble there - it's a topic I'm looking for clarity on. Thank you Zehra ❌⭕❤️

Hi Brayden, terminology can be confusing at times because different people use different words and terms to mean entirely different things. I know that a lot of people talk about the “ego” as if it is a bad thing. But is referred to as ego has nothing to do with the head or the heart. The Oxford dictionary defines ego as “a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance”. I personally love what Abraham says about the ego: “ego at the top of the emotional scale is a very good thing; ego from a place low on the emotional scale, not so much”. What they mean is that a person who is high on the emotional scale would never do anything to hurt themselves or anyone else. Ego gets a bad name because of people who act from a place low on the emotional scale – they think they are a big deal and don’t care who they hurt, and that is not how people high on the emotional scale behave.
In reading what you have written, I get the feeling that what you’re really saying is that one should be satisfied where they are and wanting more is egotistical. I want you to know that wanting more is what being alive is all about...its not egotistical in the least bit. Let me explain.
Being alive is about being excited about the future. Our preferences about what we want is a way in which we create that feeling of excitement – the feeling of having something to look forward to. If we didn’t have something to look forward to life would be very boring. So manifesting is a good thing – it means that we are giving birth to desires, getting excited about them and getting aligned so that we can manifest them. Our ability to manifest what we want is a measure of our alignment. Alignment is a good thing. It means that we are one with the Universe.  As I see it, Duality is another word for contrast. Contrast us a part of life and never goes away – we will always have preferences. Our ability to handle contrast improves when we start understanding the law of attraction and using it deliberately. The trick is to want more while still being satisfied with what you have...I believe this is the difference you are observing between your attitude and your aunt's attitude. You are satisfied with what you have, and part o that satisfaction comes from the fact, that you desired it and now you have it. But you have not stopped wanting more things, have you? You have your own room, and now it’s time to want to sky dive on your birthday…You see there is no end to our desiring more.
What would be better in your aunt’s behaviour would be to appreciate her new home, be in love with it, even as she goes about renovating some of it to make it more of what she wants. And isn’t it fabulous that she can…that means that she is in alignment with her desires.
Be well.
Zehra.