Ahamkāra – pride

«It is very easy to remove this Ahaṃkāra. Within the time taken in the squeezing of a flower or the twinkling of an eye, this Ahaṃkāra can be easily eradicated» (Laghuyoga-vasistha, 10).

The ahamkāra is studied in the yoga and samkhya systems as that part of the mind that makes you perceive the sense of “I”, the fact that you feel yourself. The term is often translated as “arrogance”, “pride”, “conceit”, “pride”. These words all represent a condition in which the sense of “I”, necessary for survival, undergoes inflation and becomes the main character of the mind. This generates suffering because of the expectations it creates and the separation between yourself and the rest of the world.

You can go on with your own strength, Virgo. But who says that the help of others always hides pitfalls? If somebody offers you a hand, it’s not always out of opportunism. It is not always necessary to prove that you do not need anyone. Moreover it is impossible for any human being to do everything alone, in the end we need each others. Setting pride aside does not necessarily mean you’re weak.

IN PRACTICE  

Dharmika-āsana, devotion pose

It is a pose that teaches humility. Observe if you are comfortable or not, look at what is bothering you, where do your feelings originate from? Repeat it at least a couple of times a week gradually increasing the maintenance time.    

Awareness exercise:

Sit in a meditative position. Think about the last time you were helped in anything. Consider if you could have done it by yourself, if and how much easier it was with that help, if that help has affected your life. Remember the feelings and emotions experienced before, during and after that episode. Then go back in time and look for another similar episode and do the same analysis and so on back into memory, looking from the most trivial to the most important help. Don’t judge, just observe. Perform this exercise once a week for 10 minutes.

Mantra of the month:

«Thank you for your help».