A temporary but profound ‘Alteration of Consciousness’ that has fascinated philosophers, spiritual practitioners and psychologists for centuries. A moment where your sense of ‘I’ fades… replaced by a profound feeling of interconnectedness. The lines between you and the world become blurred. This captivating and often paradoxical experience is known as Ego Dissolution.
Or: Ego Death, Ego Loss, Self-Loss, Transcending the Ego… This is the Illusionary Self of the Spiritual Traditions (Definition of Ego).
Ego Dissolution is not about losing consciousness. Your awareness continues but without the individual, the boundary between ‘me’ and ‘not me’ dissolves… Creating a significant reduction in self-referential awareness.
Terrifying and/or Profoundly Liberating
From Buddhism and Hinduism to Sufism and Christian Mysticism… And also found in modern psychology… Ego Dissolution is a state deliberately sought after for the restructuring of thought patterns… Leading to new ways of being.
Buddhism: Ego Dissolution is the liberating realization that the self (Anatta) is an illusion, born from attachment and a source of suffering.
Vedic Philosophy: Transcending the ego (Ahamkara) means recognizing unity and connecting the individual soul (Atman) with divine consciousness (Brahman) and moving beyond separateness.
Sufism: The spiritual path involves purifying the ego (nafs) through stages to achieve a complete ‘passing away of self’ into mystical union with God (Fana).
Sigmund Freud defined the ego as the conscious mind, mediating between the primal instincts (id) and the moral (superego).
Carl Jung viewed the ego as the ‘Center of Consciousness’. The primary viewpoint from which an individual consciously experiences the world.
We’re talking a complete surrender of control over thoughts and emotions… Where perception of time and space profoundly alter. A transcendence of ordinary temporal and spatial awareness… Feelings of unity, interconnectedness and oneness with everything. Euphoric and meaningful to anxiety-inducing and terrifying.
With historical roots in ancient mystical rites and rituals… Ego Dissolution is growing in recognition in modern psychological approaches, pointing towards a deep-seated human desire to explore beyond the individual identity.
Inducing Ego Dissolution
Temporarily dismantling the rigid structures and defense mechanisms of the ego… the ‘me’ versus ‘not me’ line of thinking. Transcending this dualistic thinking and realizing ‘non-dual’ consciousness (oneness) can be induced through a number of methods:
Contemplative Practices: Advanced meditation techniques in Zen Buddhism and Hindu Philosophy aim to slowly dissolve attachments to the self through deep mindfulness practices and surrender. Practices like Vipassana, Zen Zazen and the Soham Mantra Meditation (I am that).
Psychedelic Substances: Psychedelics like psilocybin, LSD, DMT and mescaline are well-known for their ability to induce profound Ego Death… They do this largely by disrupting the brain’s Default Mode Network (DMN) which is associated with self-referential thought (only to be attempted with highly trained facilitators).
Profound Life Events: Ego-dissolving states can be triggered by intense life experiences… Such as near-death experiences (NDEs), bringing feelings of peace and unity. Existential crises may lead to spontaneous Ego Dissolution as a ‘Spiritual Awakening’.
From the deliberately induced fast track (entheogens and psychedelic’s) and the slower meditations practices to the spontaneous life events, it is common for people to experience lasting shifts in viewpoint following Ego Dissolution. Having an expanded perspective allowing them to see deeper connections with others and the environment… Increasing compassion, empathy for others and a feeling of ‘open heartedness’.
In spiritual contexts, ego death is understood as an ‘Awakening’ or ‘Rebirth’, a mystical experience or enlightenment. Modern psychologists would say “Ego Dissolution is a key component tied to beneficial therapeutic outcomes” or some such wordy jargon.
After this a reconstruction of Identity takes place… the integration of experience into a new understanding of self. A more fluid, less rigidly defined, and more authentic self.
“Me, Myself, Bye: Regional Alterations in Glutamate and the Experience of Ego Dissolution with Psilocybin.”
The above is the title of a study published in Neuropsychopharmacology in 2020 that showed the Neurotransmitter Glutamate was in higher levels in the ‘medial prefrontal cortex’ when associated with negatively experienced Ego Dissolution… While lower levels in the ‘hippocampus’ were associated with positively experienced Ego Dissolution.
This opens doors (of perception) for understanding why it is that some experiences are blissful… While others are challenging or terrifying. The levels of glutamate in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex in this study were due to the pharmacological effect of psilocybin (the mushroom’s active compound), and this altered the neurochemistry of the brain.
Ego Dissolution and Ego Strengthening
So, we want to dissolve or transcend the Illusory Self of the Ego and boost the Functional Self of the Ego…
Ego Dissolution: An experience one learns from and is potentially different afterwards. It’s about temporarily letting go of that ego structure to gain new perspectives, leading to profound personal change and a re-evaluation of the self.
Hypnotic Ego Strengthening (HES): Focuses on the ego as a vital psychological structure that can be made more resilient and effective. It’s about building up and reinforcing the existing self to better navigate life.
Read the next Blog Post which explores the Hypnotic Ego Strengthening Technique: Released Friday 4th July 2025