the education, the job, the promotion, the house, the right car, and marry the one person who is our soul mate. While all of this is important to strengthen the ego through self-identity at these early stages of development, ego identity becomes a defensive structure later when one deepens with their spiritual journey. At this later stage of development (a stage I refer to as post-ego development), the ego understands that it is not in charge and must submit or become vulnerable to a larger force. From this vulnerability, integration of the spirit with the ego occurs. As more and more ego integrates with spirit, then the person walks with presence.

Presence is the ability to engage life openly not defensively, truly in the moment. We are okay with what is. It is not focused into the future with I need a partner, this house, this job or even to be more conscious to be truly happy. Out of this space we find ourselves to be always lacking and in need of something more or outside of us to be fulfilled. As I became aware of this structure from an intellectual viewpoint, I understood what I would be exploring experientially over the next several years. Upon that realization the song, "Only the Good Die Young" began to play on the car’s radio. Tears welled up in my eyes and I thought isn’t life’s mystery wonderful and full of little gifts of such magnitude.