So much of spiritual sentiment in the 21st century is wrapped up in “transcending the ego” – the aspect of Self that is rooted in humanness, validation and is ultimately formed as a tool for self-protection for navigation on this earth. We asked our speakers to elucidate on the depth of the “ego” as both a friend and a foe in our lives. The ego requires consistent attention, nurturing and self-reflection; and a healthy ego can allow us to be bold in our choices, in our self-belief and expression of ourselves. On the other hand, it can also risk us being judgmental, self-deprecating or cynical in the chaos of this world. We rarely stoke the fire of this topic from a place of honesty; as an unbridled ego usually stems from a place of embedded internal fear. We are very interested in understanding the ego as a part of us that we can foster to guide us – much like our intuition – with the utmost care for ourselves, each other and this reality that we share.