Can Enlightened People have Big Egos?

Can enlightened people have sex, money, power and big egos…….? Been contemplating the notion of the noble sage, the broke teacher… Ken Wilbur has been challenging my preconceived notions of unconditional love and self-less-ness… Have I been trying to fight and destroy my ego through this process.. Should I perhaps be becoming conscious of my ego, making friends with, and engaging with my ego? Is it ignorance and egotism to reject the is-ness of ego?

To elaborate my question, because I don’t think I was clear … perhaps “destroy” was the wrong word.. “ignore” the ego, or “belittle”, and “overcome” the ego. Illustrated by the ego being labelled “insane” and called the “nutter”. I wasn’t just thinking about, considering this simply as a process to regain control of the thoughts in our minds, and learn the techniques for doing that. My observation was more contemplative…

I was reflecting on the developmental stages of the ego, and the capacity for disinterested awareness, the development of the witness. I am now wondering if I am feeling like the ego has to be understood and developed into full form perhaps… and then the awareness of the whole can be coherent and aligned, the development of a strong witness, I feel now, that this may require a strong ego. A healthy ego, a strong ego, not a nutter. I am recognising that to write the ego off as an “insane nutter” , or a "dingbat" is a risky, and limiting business.

Perhaps I am talking about the next level, the next stage. The capacity for disinterested awareness, I am coming to understand, requires a strong ego, a strong ego ”leading to a strong witness that is able to witness what happens and not get knocked over by it” (K.Wilbur) . It’s maybe further on the Way than acting on ego intentions.. but if the ego is rejected at this level, then I am feeling that this is leading to a potential loss on my journey towards being in the state of strong witness, and the capacity for ever present awareness, witnessing the present moment in its fullness and Truth.