Taken from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Id,_ego_and_super-ego)
Id, ego and super-ego are the three parts of the psychic apparatus defined in Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche; they are the three theoretical constructs in terms of whose activity and interaction mental life is described. According to this model of the psyche, the id is the set of uncoordinated instinctual trends; the ego is the organized, realistic part; and the super-ego plays the critical and moralizing role.
If you're my Facebook friend you know that I fully flesh out Id, Ego and Superego in my mind, and nearly every day I give voice to their (my mental) dialogue via my status updates. Largely I do this to be witty and amusing, to make people smile, laugh, to shock and awe, and I find my friends' reactions range from amusement, to amazement, to fear (oh, my god, she's batshit crazy). But ever since I began breaking their voices out this way, I've become shockingly in-touch with that oh-so-subtle inner voice behind so many strong but often baffling feelings.
An example post from last week: I've noticed that, when it comes to self-discipline, my Id is the most vocal part of my mind, with Superego tending to be the strong, silent type, and Ego nervously filling in the tension with chit-chat, trying to keep the peace. Early morning is a great example of this. Id: "*pout* *stomp* *crosses arms* I don't WANNA BE AWAKE!" Superego: "(silently gives off the it's-too-early-for-this-shit vibe and heads for the kitchen to make the coffee)" Ego: "(wearily) Fucking Wednesday, right, guys?" (crickets chirping) "Ah, screw you guys." Id: "WEEEEEEEAK!" Every morning, in my head, two weary parents get a toddler ready for another day.
If you've done any sort of soul-searching at all, read any self-help books, ever seen a therapist of any kind, you know that we all have an inner voice, an inner dialogue with ourselves. Give it 3 sides like Freud did, call it your Conscience like so many moral and philosophical scholars have, the angel on your shoulder and the devil on your other, whatever you like. Inside your mind you are talking to yourself constantly. Some of the voices are louder and more urgent (Add milk to the grocery list, don't forget to pick up the kids from school, dammit I need this project completed by Friday, where is my coworker with that critical component I need to finish it?), whereas others are a little quieter and more subtle (*sigh* I am not spending enough time with my family, and I really want to go back to school but where will I find the time/money?) and others are far, far below, more feeling than thought, because we are too afraid of what they say to us to really hear the words, so instead we just feel their effects (I'm a terrible parent and missing out entirely on my childrens' lives while I toil away at this job I don't really enjoy, but I'm afraid to follow my dreams; I would probably fail, I don't know how to even start, and what makes me think I'm good enough or talented enough or smart enough to do what I really love? I'm better off staying meek and quiet and working my way to the grave like everyone else. I'm nothing more than average, at best. I don't deserve better.)-so here instead of hearing this voice we feel guilt, sadness, hurt, fear, and resignation. Those feelings are feelings of vulnerability, so we switch into secondary emotions that are easier to handle; resentment, recalcitrance, anger. And then we often lash out at things around us, perceiving them to be the source of our discontent; our marital partners, our children, our coworkers or supervisors...we blame politicians and people whose political or religious views are oppositional to ours...we blame the state of the world, and we feel hopeless and helpless.
That's what happens when you don't listen to Id.
See, guys, Id isn't really so much your "uncoordinated instinctual trends", she's your heart. She's the purest part of you. She's the sweet little child inside of us all who just wants to give and get love. That's all. She's the inner puppydog who just wants to wag her tail and lick your face and have you pet her in return. She doesn't ask for much, but in return, she'll give you *everything*. All you have to do is give her love.
The problem is, the constructs of our society are built on Superego. Supress, Repress, Conform, Deride, Degrade, Deny, Judge, Punish...in every major philosophy and walk of life in modern society, we exalt perfection and the machination of mind and body, and we punish any sort of desire or impulse. Religion calls it "original sin", psychologists call them our "basic, animal instincts", but no matter who is labeling it, the underlying judgment is the same; they're dirty, base thoughts that need controlled at the least, and ideally, expunged.
Except they're *not*. Sometimes the nasty, dirty ways that Id is expressed are really just confused cries for the same thing we all want deep down; that feeling of love that fills us up, that radiates from us when our cup runneth over. People who turn to drugs, or alcohol, or food, or sex...they're just *empty*, they don't know how to fill Id up, and so they turn outside of themselves for the answer...for a feeling of "fullness" or of "rising above" their misery. But the effects are temporary, and every time we're brought lower, because when we come back down we feel the judgment of Superego; shame, guilt, denigration. Superego punishes our attempts to fulfill Id, and so Id's voice retreats further, quieter, but the feelings are no less intense. And so we get further and further from what it is Id really wants and needs, until we're shrivelling and dying from the inside, dessicated little shells of the people we could be.
Folks, the solution to every problem on this planet is to Know Your Id. All your Id wants is to feel love. Not "love-D". That's another false way of filling up. Your Id wants to *feel love*. Love. Any and every kind of love. It wants to be its joyful, childish self, running through meadows without a care in the world, knowing that it's safe and cared for...by YOU. Superego is there to keep you from doing the WRONG things to fulfill Id, and Ego is there to help make sure that neither takes over completely...to keep your balance between giddy childlike joy and severe, withered and cruel denial and deprivation. When Id is fulfilled, Superego can relax, because there are no impulses to do foolish things. When Id is love, she *is* conscience; without guilt or shame, she can turn away from those things that falsely fill up and provide a temporary feeling of "love", because she knows they won't deliver. She doesn't need to look outside herself to find it, she already has all she needs inside.
So what is it your Id needs, to feel love?
She needs nurtured, heard, understood. What do your children need from you? Set aside all the things you have to teach them for societal constructs; I'm not talking about teaching them manners or safety or math. I'm talking about your infant, your toddler. Sure, they need to *be* safe, but they need to *feel* safe...safe physically and emotionally. They need to be accepted, not reviled. Look inwards at your ridiculous, childish self, and love her, rather than judge her. Take joy in her, believe in her, let her dance and sing without shushing her and telling her this is neither the time or place, or that such jubilations are silly and should not be given in to. Feed her the things that bring her joy; take care of your body so you feel good physically. Feed her good food so that she grows strong and healthy. Exercise to keep yourself sound, to keep your body functions, hormones, etc. balanced, all of which affect your mind and mood. And experience beauty and joy. What is it that makes your heart sing? Jumping into piles of leaves? Dancing and singing out loud to your favorite songs? Playing on a swingset? Indulge in all of those innocent things that make your heart feel like it's glowing and swelling, fit to burst with butterflies and sunshine! Id is *simple*. She revels in beauty, in play, in wondering at the magic in the small things like butterfly cocoons and thunderstorms.
Literally, get in touch with your inner child, and let her be.
People don't abuse substances, or food, or sex, or other people, because they want to. They abuse them because they're empty, and they need to feel love. I really even believe that the concept of dieties, and their unconditional love, are substitute parental constructs for the adult Id, feeling empty and lost and looking for external fulfillment; for a way to return to that feeling of simple joy and love.
Your inner radiance will never be found in a religion, in a box of donuts, in a needle or pipe, in another human being. But it might be brought out by a song, or a season; a boat ride, or a pumpkin patch, or watching a stick bug walk up a tree.
Know your Id. Break down your inner dialogue. Identify the parts of you getting you through the constructs of your day; the voice telling you all the things you must do, that gets you up to your alarm clock in the morning and gets you to work, to your workout, and through all of the boring and mundane parts of your life. Identify the reluctant, pouting part of you that sounds like your moody toddler on a bad day; NO! when the alarm goes off, I DON'T WANNA! When it's time to go to work, YOU CAN'T MAKE ME when it's time to work out. And then listen to your consoling, cajoling voice, mediating between your two halves, trying to find acceptable compromises for Superego so that Id will come along more compliantly, working for inner peace. And then take a minute to ask Id what it is she *really* wants, what would make her heart sing today. Dig deeper than "call in sick to work and sit on the couch watching soap operas and eating ice cream"...what is it she feels she's missing? Maybe she feels superfluous at work, and you need to find a project at work that makes you feel VALUABLE as a person. Maybe she feels like life is one have-to after another, and today you need to make time to take your lunch to the park and have a picnic in the grass, or drive to your child's school and surprise them by having lunch with them, and being a silly kid at a cafeteria table one more time in your life. Maybe after work you need to go ride bikes with your kiddo-not some planned ride, a joy ride! Or maybe you need some face time with someone who brings you joy, or to volunteer to help people (because handing out love just for the joy of it brings it back to you tenfold).
True love is kindness, it's simplicity, it's beauty, it's gratitude, it's humility, it's all give and incidentally and accidentally but universally tons of get. You act out of love, you receive love, and Id is full.
Life is confusing right now, and we're at war inside, and therefore, out. Know your Id, folks. Feed her beauty and kindness, fill her with love, and watch life become perfection in a way you could never hope to achieve by scheme and design. You don't need a different job, or a different mate, or more money, or a nanny, or everyone to convert to your religious or political views for you to feel happy and fulfilled. What you need is love.
Today, identify one thing that makes your heart sing and your soul surge. Then utterly ignore Superego, don't think, just GO, and do it. Id is love, and you need her as much as she needs you.
Namaste, friends; may you find much love to feed your Id today!
