Crack The Ego

What is a cracked ego?  It is where something opens up the ego to let out self-centeredness, resentment, know-it-all attitude, judgments, and false pride.  They ooze out and with them goes their power to hurt us and others.  What cracks it open?  We read or hear something that is so true, honest, and humble, that it strikes to the core of the ego, and breaks it open.  I think this is what spiritual recovery is about, and religion, scripture at its best.  A spiritual solution rushes into the empty space, but it seems not to be able to empower for long. If the spiritual path is not pursued again and again on a daily basis, the ego closes up quickly enough and suffocates that spiritual life.  This is why we are encouraged to pray daily, read our scriptures and wisdom books daily, talk to others on the path daily, and try and practice a less ego-centered life on a daily basis.  I call this love, the verb.