I regard the Ego as 'The Skin of The Soul'.
Just as the skin is composed of dead cells, the Ego is composed of reflexes.
Reflexes are remnants of the past, locked outside of time.
In a sense, our reflexes (and our Ego) create our “Hell”.

System Boundary

Hell (from old English: "Helling Off") means a “Closed System”.
Enfer (In French) comes from Enfermer ("Helling Off", isolating).
The system boundary never isolates, but only insulates.
An isolated system dies due to lack of energy exchange with its context.

A “Black Hole” is by definition a parasitical dying system.
By definition, it takes energy from its environment.
By definition, it gives no energy to its environment.
This belies the law of Lavoisier: "Energy can be created nor destroyed".

The notion of a Black Hole is described in System Theory as a Sink.
Whatever is a Sink in the System, is a Source for its context.
The System boundary/definition determines the difference.
Every system boundary is a separator as well as a connector.

Ego = Reflex construct

The cell membrane, organ capsules and skin serve that purpose in our body.
Our decisions, beliefs and ego, do the same for our body of knowledge.
The earlier texts described how bones, reflexes, beliefs, and reality are the 'same'.
The ego therein can be compared to the periost (Membrane) of the bone.

Many people operate by "Reflex Driven Behaviour" (“Ego”).
Societies operating by "The Writ of Law" express the same syndrome.
Religions driven by (so-called) "holy books" express the same syndrome.
All exemplify the notion of Hell: assumed/imposed lack of freedom of choice.

The ego is the complex of reflex driven behaviour.
Because of its nature, it cannot interact with the context.
Reflex operation takes consciousness down to more primary levels.
Those are deeper in consciousness, and back in time.

The same is seen in cancer growth, and in bible/book-based societies.
The cancers operate at an earlier, more primary, cell function.
Bureaucratic Societies likewise stun consciousness/awareness.
Both aspects come together in form of the individual Ego.

Ego pathology

There is no evil in the Ego; nor is there evil in dead skin cells.
But just as bathing sloughs off skin dirt, the ego needs hygiene.
The cleansing of the hygiene comes as meditation and Gezelligheid.
"Gezelligheid" (Dutch) is “feeling well yourself in being with others”.

Many people are not aware of the role of reflex in their thinking.
As a result, they do not know the extent to which they are reflex driven.
They only notice this when their reflexes interlock with those of others.
By then it is too late: a vicious cycle became activated.

Reflexes operate out of time'; as memories of the past.
Reflexes re-enact actions that were done in the past.
Reflexes are triggered by conditions that existed in the past.
Reflexes operate without conscious involvement.

Many people operate by reflex; without knowing it.
They do not meditate, this do not see their reflex in action.
They have not learned to see that/when reflexes act for them.
In fact, education often conditions the inverse: reflex denial.

Ego’itis

As a result many (most) people operate (only) via their ego.
When the ego contains unresolved issues, that can be toxic.
Circumstantial triggers can fire the unresolved old issues.
The result is Ego-itis; the syndrome of inflamed ego.

An inflamed Ego is red, hot, swollen and ill-functioning.
When poked, there is a sudden loud startled response.
That has nothing to do with the other, nor the context.
Neither is it related to the person suffering from the Ego'itis.

Ego-itis is simply symptom of insufficient mental hygiene.
Inflamed mental defensive response; as in a skin disease.
The remedy is not merely rest and bandaging; as for skin.
As for skin: the regimen is also a change to sound nutrition.

The skin of the body is one with the skin of the gut/lungs.
Likewise the skin of the soul is one with the skin of the body of knowledge/mind.
When there is an affliction in the one, the other is affected also.
That is how asthma is in essence not a disease of the lung but of the gut.

Healing Inflamed Ego

For the mental/psychological/psychic functioning the same is the case.
Afflictions of the ego, originate not in the present but in the past.
The present response is symptomatic for in part unresolved issues.
As in diseases: the solution lies in restoring proper digestion.

Often such healing is needed; just as sick skin can be sickening.
Like skin, the ego can be abrased, infected, inflamed, or calloused.
A calloused Ego can be as problematic as an inflamed ego.
In either case, contact with the context is lost or backfires.

Ego-itis is a reflection of lack of mental/psychic hygiene.
The cure lies in digesting the unresolved past issues.
In other words: 'bringing the bones back to life'.
Not being lived by reflex; but by freedom of choice in decisions.

Calloused ego can be resolved by restoring proper contact with the context.
Just as callous on foot soles arise from shoes of the wrong size, calous of the ego arises from the wrong size of self-image.
The self-image can be restored by introspection, only.
By resolving (wrong) expectations, (wrong) perceptions will be restored.

The (Un)Importance of the Ego

The Ego is as important to the soul as is the skin to the  body.
But beauty/wisdom/being/life goes MORE than just skin deep.
Likewise, the Ego is merely ‘the wrapping of the candy’; formed by past choices.
Not the Ego (reflex system) is important, but right use of freedom of choice.