Can ego be diminished by practices? Yes, definitely. So if you let go in this way, what does it produce? I would say freedom, joy—abandonment itself gives large-heartedness and joy. Why would you let go if it does not give you freedom and joy? Why not hold on and at least feel gratified? Does gratification give you joy and freedom? I for one would say no, though for the time being it does give a sense of happiness.
      Here lies the difference between joy and happiness: gratifying yourself with anything, whether it is pizza or ambrosia salad, you feel a sense of happiness in it to start with, but it is so temporary, so transitory and changeful that happiness does not remain. Freedom and joy do not come from gratification or holding on to things. That is why letting go is necessary: in order to unload the mind, to unload the ego, to reduce or soften or lighten it up with joy. This is the method I would say that works.
      This spiritual method may seem ascetic but it is not. Sublimate or humble the ego, even if you cannot eliminate it, so that when the ego becomes less of a burden, less heavy, you will slowly begin to feel freedom and abandonment. You may have heard or seen or read in books or biographies that those who sing or chant God’s Name daily, for some—not all—at a certain point it becomes inspiring. And if you have seen pictures or paintings of them, at the inspiration level they get up and sing and dance in abandonment. That singing is quite different than normal singing. It is not only inspired; you get exhilarated—I don’t mean emotional—and the kundalini¹ begins to rise. At that time you don’t know anything else. You won’t care for anything else. In self- abandonment you just don’t want anything. Therefore, letting go is very easy.

¹ In classical Yoga treatises, the kundalini is described as a coiled serpent of spiritual energy that resides at the base of the spine. When the soul becomes purified through meditation and spiritual practices, the energy rises toward the Sahasrara, the Crown chakra, where Illumination or Samadhi (spiritual absorption) is attained.

      What prevents us from this reaching sweet abandonment? Part of it is shyness. Part of it is fear. Part of it is—a strong word—hatred. Hatred of what? “I know it is the truth, I have to do it, but I hate to let go!” You will always see that one or two or all three of these reasons are holding you back: shyness, fear and hatefulness. Hate may be a strong word, but that is actually the word Sri Ramakrishna used. It’s not so clearly seen as hate but inside it is. You don’t like to do it because you have been habituated. You are stuck in certain attachments, certain comforts. You don’t want to leave that familiarity. But at the same time there is no other way to get to freedom and joy.

HE QUESTION IS, FROM WHERE DOES THIS INSPIRATION COME? One is the kundalini, when it rises. But beyond that, from where does it come? It comes from the Light. Light inspires. Emotions do not. When you are emotional, whether your emotions are good or bad, you will see that they do not inspire you; that is why the effect dies out soon. True inspiration comes from the Light, which uplifts and awakens.
      That inspired life is the spiritual life, not human anymore. With all due respect to the animal kingdom, have you ever seen animals get inspired? Even good animals are never inspired. Emotions are a product of the mind, which is made up of darkness and ignorance; they are unruly like wild animals unless you tame them. Even if you tame the mental emotions, still they do not inspire you. That is why you may have heard that human beings still have some animal heritage in them. The emotional nature of human beings is a product from the animal kingdom and therefore does not inspire.