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"Since this divine Maya of Mine which is constituted by the gunas is difficult to cross over, therefore those who take refuge in Me alone cross over this Maya." Bhagavadgita 7.14.
After considering the above mentioned facts, the path to freedom is the realisation of the subjective way of experiencing the world, i.e. realising of one's world as a mere imagination of the mind. Further, one must eliminate the mental construction which divides the imagination into "I" and the surrounding world. Both the fundamental mistakes must be uprooted and one must further abide in the primary state of mind consciously.
There is a special type of schizophrenia called alternating egos. The affected person has two or more personalities appearing in the mind. The first personality more or less corresponds to the state signalled by the senses. The other personalities are constructed and independent of one's own sensory perception. This may mean that an adult man experiences the states of a four-year-old girl who likes to draw flowers. The surroundings more or less correspond to the senses, but the self-perception is completely altered, making the imagination totally credible for the affected person.
This phenomenon is considered a mental disorder. In Hinduism, however, the existence of the primary personality is considered an identical disorder. This ego is considered an unjustified construction and labelled a wrong sense of "I". This wrong construction then causes all the other mistakes and problems.
The path to correction is very difficult, however. Destroying the ego is nearly impossible for a being who lives only through its mediation. That is reason why religion has been introduced for people, which brings some of the consequences of mental liberation into the lives of the ignorant via the rules. Everything is done in the context of an eternal, omnipresent God, who has stipulated these qualities Himself and adheres to them. Thanks to this practice, ordinary people are given certain virtues that are projected in their lives in greater contentment and peace.
There are people, though, whose imagination allows them to understand the subjective manner of perception and the disadvantage of having an ego. Individuals appear from time to time who discover discrepancies in the subjective experience and are liberated without special effort; these are just rare exceptions, though. The path to destroying the ego is very demanding for the others. It is them that yoga has been made for. Yoga is a comprehensive system of intellectual and physical exercise which gradually undermines the deeply rooted wrong ideas, and applying it correctly and thoroughly, one can reach the state, when destroying of the ego and purifying of the mind is possible.
It must be noted, however, that the goal, the destroying of the ego, is always close at hand. All the methods are there only to remove obstacles, to calm and purify the mind, but the reality can be realised by anybody at any time. One need not exercise for years, one just needs to realise the actual face of affairs.
Another thing to point out is that the ego is not changeless, and it is not waiting for us to eliminate it. Ego is remarkably adaptive. The ego is able to use of anything to become stronger. It is capable of turning any method we use to its own profit. Ego creates conditions in the mind favourable to the use of the method, and gains importance and strength from experiencing it. The method then becomes joyful and full of pleasure. But who is that one who enjoys the method? It is the ego. Therefore, always take care about that you use every method to examine your own mind and thus the ego. Such a method must seek the sources of the ego, feelings of own individual importance, and destroy them. That is when you are moving around the edge of an unknown territory. The ego will fight back fiercely; it has many tools to use. You, however, have a simple weapon. Ask yourself where the thing that prevents you from simply being happy comes from. You will always find a root of the ego. You must have the courage to examine your ego, and strong belief that it is right there, in the unknown territories, where the goal you seek is. This goal is the knowledge of your true Self, the endless bliss and real existence associated with it. 
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