The practical part of Concentration is, Mortification, Muttering, and Resignation to the Supreme Soul. This practical part of concentration is for the purpose of establishing meditation and eliminating afflictions. The afflictions which arise in the disciple are Ignorance, Egoism, Desire, Aversion, and a tenacious wish for existence upon the earth. Ignorance is the field of origin of the others named, whether they be dormant, extenuated, intercepted, or simple. Ignorance is the notion that the non-eternal, the impure, the evil, and that which is not soul are, severally, eternal, pure, good, and soul.
Egoism is the identifying of the power that sees with the power of seeing.
I.e., it is the confounding of the soul, which really sees, with the tool it uses to enable it to see, viz. Desire is the dwelling upon pleasure. Aversion is the dwelling upon pain. The tenacious wish for existence upon earth is inherent in all sentient beings, and continues through all incarnations, because it has self-reproductive power. It is felt as well by the wise as the unwise.