@theredheadedyeti: Carl Jung viewed ego dissolution not as the total destruction of the self, but as the collapse of a rigid, artificial identity so the psyche can reorganize around a deeper center. The Ego as a Tool, Not an EssenceProvisional structure: Jung saw the ego as a necessary survival tool for navigating the external world, work, and relationships, rather than your permanent core identity. Much of the everyday ego is made up of the persona, the social mask worn out of fear and a need for external approval.