Waking Up: Liberation from Ego

"Waking up to the true nature of your being means essentially
only one thing, and that is liberation from the confines of your ego,
thereby letting yourself be more fully yourself and more responsible for
your personal experience of the reality game. Waking up does not
mean developing paranormal powers or anything mystical or
mystifying at all. It simply means liberating yourself from your ego
and thereby living a happier and more satisfying life. It doesn’t mean
you’ll be able to “manifest” anything you want, or “create your own
reality,” as are popular beliefs among New Age aficionados. Nor does
it mean developing psychic powers as Buddhism and Hinduism claim.
And it especially does not mean developing an ability to travel in astral
realms or visit alien civilizations or any such fantastical nonsense.
Waking up is simply about being fully present and authentic with your
energy at all times and is best described as being energetically open.
When you can do that, your ego will no longer have a hold on you.
When your ego no longer has a hold on you, you won’t be taken in by
fantasy and ego-projection. You won’t engage with others’ self-created
dramas and power-plays and you’ll understand how to avoid making
ones of your own. You will be happier and you will feel supreme love
for yourself and for God (which are one and the same). You will be at
peace."

Martin Ball, from Being Human