ego...

Reality is simply loss of the ego.
Destroy the ego by seeking its identity.
Because the ego has no real existence, it will automatically vanish, and Reality will shine forth by itself in all its glory. This is the direct method.
All other methods retain the ego. In those paths so many doubts arise, and the eternal question remains to be tackled.
But in this method the final question is the only one and is raised from the very beginning.
No practices (sadhanas) are even necessary for this quest.

~ Ramana Maharshi