dear 46,
This is not just for you however, in spirit of charity, to support our discussion on EGO, so here it is.
 According to John Cassian, fourth century monk, four renunciations are required of us if we are on the spiritual journey.
1. renounce our former way of life & move toward interior life.
2. We must do the inner work (of asceticism) by renouncing our mindless thoughts.
3. We must renounce our own images of God so that we can enter into contemplation of God as God.
4. Renounce the thought of "self".  The "I" in our minds eye (EGO) must go.