Stambha – pretentiousness

 «The siddhi of the Kakshaputa has various divisions and subdivisions: Vaśya (controlling others), Ākarshana (attracting others), Stambha (immobilizing others)…» (Kakshaputa-tantra, 1.11-12).

Stambha is an interesting word. According to the Monier-Williams dictionary it means “inflation” (of the ego), “pretentiousness”, “arrogance”. According to the Vastu-shastra, architecture treatise, stambha indicates a pillar, a meaning found in many Puranas, hindū religious texts. The most curious reference is undoubtedly the one of the magical language of Tantrism, where stambha is considered one of the powers, siddhis, which can be conquered through practices and special formulas. This particular power makes it possible to paralyze people.

Don’t you think, Taurus, that there is a link between the idea of ​​pretentiousness and that of immobilizing people? And perhaps even with the pillar, so rigid in its pose.

I’ve been telling you for a long time that you have to work hard. I still think so. But be careful not to go to the extreme. Perhaps you have so much desire and haste to do, that you risk overwhelming the people around you. Not everyone is willing to do things the way you want, to follow your own pace or to understand at first sight what you have in mind. If and when you find opposition, stop and think for a moment if you are asking too much or you are not clear in your intent. If you develop this awareness, then you will feel the effects of it the very last days of the month when Venus and the moon will give you a moment of deep harmony with those close to you.

IN PRACTICE  

Stambha-āsana, pillar pose. 

I couldn’t avoid suggesting this pose to you. In the picture only the legs are raised, but you should raise your arms to 90 degrees too. Imagine holding the ceiling (or sky) with your hands and feet. Are you working hard? Do you stiffen? Do you feel that everything depends on you? I have good news: you are not the only one holding up the sky. You are contributing to the support, like everyone around you.

Awareness exercise:

Every day when you enter a shop or get on a bus or whatever… observe a person. Take five minutes and try to imagine how that person’s life can be: the commitments he has, the runs he has to do, the obligations he has to fulfill, the fatigue he can feel.

Mantra of the month:

«Me and the others».