As a religious studies major, I studied Islam and Sufism. I much preferred the Sufi ideas of mysticism and that is why many Muslims deny Sufism is Islam, although it is.

And the danger of spiritual growth comes from your Shadow, which is darkness that tries to stop you from further growth. And yes, the ego is powerful and that is why it needs to be overcome. It can/will try to fool a spiritual person into the belief that it is real, when in reality, it only has power that you give it.

Nice article, thanks for sharing.