Daniel is a young man in his mid-twenties, living what seems to be a stable and orderly life. He grew up in a small town but moved to the city to pursue a career in marketing. His job is secure, but it doesn’t spark much passion in him.
Every morning, he walks the same route to work, buys his coffee from the same café, and returns home exhausted, spending his evenings scrolling through his phone or watching TV shows.
His days are repetitive and monotonous, and he’s increasingly feeling that something essential is missing from his life. On the surface, Daniel appears to have it all , a steady job, friends, and an active social life, but deep inside, he feels empty.
Lately, he’s been waking up in the middle of the night, haunted by the thought that his life is passing by without meaning. This inner tension led him to start reading books about self-awareness, meditation, and spirituality. What began as mere curiosity soon grew into a deeper pursuit, as he realized that he was searching for something beyond his everyday routine.
He tried various meditation techniques, attended spiritual talks, and even participated in retreats. However, the inner peace and progress he sought always seemed just out of reach. His mind constantly pulled him back into old patterns. His thoughts, worries, and internal dialogues kept distracting him, dragging him into what he later came to recognize as ego games.
ecently, guilt has become a persistent feeling. Daniel often feels disappointed in himself for not being able to sustain spiritual growth, convinced that something is inherently wrong with him.
One day, after an especially difficult morning, he decided to take a walk in a nearby park to clear his head. Little did he know that this walk would lead to a life-changing encounter.
As he sat on an old, weathered bench, staring at his shoes, he didn't notice someone sitting down beside him.
– Heavy thoughts, huh? – said the stranger.
Daniel looked up, surprised. An elderly man sat next to him, wearing a gray coat and a hat. His face was calm, his gaze deep and wise.
– Sorry? – Daniel asked, confused.
– Your thoughts. I can see it. You spend too much time in your head and not enough time here. – The man gestured around the park.
Daniel let out a nervous laugh.
– Well, yeah… I guess you're right. I'm trying to grow spiritually, but my mind keeps wandering. I can't stay present.
– And why is that? – the old man asked.
Daniel shrugged.
– Maybe it's my mind. My ego… it's like it's always coming up with new games to distract me.
The old man smiled.
– The ego loves to play games. That's its nature. But the real question is, how long will you let those games control you?
Daniel looked at the man, feeling an odd sense of peace. For the first time, it seemed like someone truly understood what he was going through.
– I don't know how to stop it, – Daniel admitted.
The old man nodded thoughtfully.
– I can help you. If you're willing, I can teach you how to dismantle these ego games. But there's one condition.
– And what’s that? – Daniel asked.
– We need to meet regularly. You have to be committed. This won’t be an easy path, but if you trust me, you’ll get to where you’ve always wanted to go.
Daniel hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
– Alright. I accept.
The old man’s smile widened.
– Good. Then let’s start with the first lesson. The first step is to recognize when your ego is playing games. And it’s happening right now. Your ego is telling you that you might be making a mistake by trusting me. Can you hear it?
Daniel froze. Indeed, a voice echoed in his mind: "You don’t even know this man. What if he’s deceiving you?"
– Yes… I do hear it, – he admitted.
– Well, that’s where we begin. I will teach you how to distinguish the true voice from the whispers of your playful ego.
And so began Daniel’s spiritual journey, the path of dismantling the ego games.
Excerpt from the book Frank M. Wanderer: Beyond Ego Games