Informative

What is Ahankara (Ego) and How Can We Let Go Of It For Spiritual Progress?

In the Vedic tradition, Ahankara (ego) is identified as the source of all suffering. The ego creates desire and attachment to things, people, and ideas. It creates aversion towards anything we view as opposing our desires or threatening our sense of self-worth.

The ego also creates karma–the cycle of cause and effect that keeps us bound in a materialistic world, restricting our progress in the spiritual realm. The ego is a source of self-centeredness, pride, and self-importance. It prevents one from attaining enlightenment and spiritual progress.

The ego is a barrier to seeing the truth because it blocks one’s perception of reality by creating an illusionary world around us that we perceive as real when it isn’t. In this blog, we are trying to understand the true nature of ego and how we can expel it from our lives to open ourselves to spirituality. Let’s begin.

The ego is a poisonous weed. It can grow in anyone, but it’s particularly prevalent in those who work in fields where they are expected to be humble. It can infect any aspect of your life—from how you talk about yourself to how much money you make and what kind of car you drive. The ego affects our relationships with others and ourselves; it keeps us from setting boundaries with those closest to us and prevents us from acknowledging our failings or seeking help when we need it most.

But what is Ahankara (Ego)?

Ego comes from a Latin word that means “I” or “me.” It is what makes us feel like we are separate from everything else around us. The ego is a source of self-centeredness, pride, and self-importance. It prevents one from attaining enlightenment and spiritual progress. The ego is a barrier to seeing the truth, and spirituality is all about the truth. Hence, you can say that ego and spiritual progress are antonyms to each other.

The ego creates an unhealthy attachment to things like money or status, which can be seen as symbols of success in the modern sense. When we attach ourselves to these symbols, we become unhappy when they are taken away from us because our sense of security has been threatened by not having them anymore–this leads to more suffering!

If you want to avoid suffering and find happiness in life, it’s important that you learn how not to feed your ego too much by taking care of yourself first instead of focusing on other people’s needs before yours. That is the precise reason why there is a concept of Seva or service at religious institutions across the world.

In Gurudwaras, you might have seen people setting their social status, reputation, or financial status aside and cleaning the shoes of the devotees. You might have also seen people washing utensils at the pilgrimage sites for free as a form of Seva. You might have seen people crawling to the pilgrimage sites, either half-naked or wearing normal clothes, surrendering themselves completely to the divine. All of these practices are nothing but mental exercises to reduce your ego.  

Ways to reduce your Ahankara (Ego).

Practice Kshama.

Kshama means forgiveness, and it takes huge power and courage to forgive someone, especially when you are in a powerful position to punish the people at fault. Learning to let go of our egos is the most powerful tool we have in making life easier. One way we can do this is by practicing forgiveness—we must learn to forgive others, but above all else, ourselves. Accept your failures, forgive yourself, and move on. Forgiving others will open you up to new possibilities for happiness: everyone deserves a second chance.

Be Honest

If we hide our feelings, they may well turn into mental illness. Always tell the truth to yourself and others—and take care of your emotional health by doing so. Being honest with ourselves helps us to be at peace with who we really are. Build a life that you’re proud of—by saying yes to the things that matter and no to everything else.

Give up Control

If you allow your ego to control your life, you will never reach near happiness or relaxation. A person’s worth does not come from where he or she lives, what kind of car one drives, or what clothing brands that individual wears, but what kind of human being he or she is within. A person is defined by his or her actions, and when they give up the illusion of control, they open up to new possibilities, risks, love, and curiosities.

Gratitude

It’s a saying that not all happy people are thankful, but all thankful people are happy. This is the true miracle of practicing gratitude. At the beginning, or before sleeping, Think about what you are grateful for. Make it a point to think every day about all the people who have positively influenced your life. Spend 5 minutes each day reflecting on the people, experiences, lessons, and mistakes that have made you who you are now. This daily exercise will aid in lowering your ego.

Manipura (Solar Plexus) Chakra Meditation

Also known as the third chakra, or the Solar plexus chakra, the Manipura chakra acts as an energy powerhouse of the body. Imbalance in this chakra may lead to arrogance, selfishness, narcissism, and the urge to control others by any means necessary. In short, excessive ego is the result of an imbalance in the Manipura chakra.

Meditation is a great way to cleanse the solar plexus chakra and reduce the ego if practiced daily. When the seeker focuses on their solar plexus chakra during meditation, their confidence, self-esteem, and sense of self-worth become stronger, reducing the overconfidence and narcissism.

The Beej (seed) mantra of the solar plexus chakra is “Ram.” Chanting this mantra while focusing on the Manipura chakra clears blockages from it. Other mantras will deepen your meditation and make you more aware of the divine, but it is best for beginners to stick with a guru’s advice.

Even though there is plenty of literature available on chakra meditation, it is highly recommended that one learn these steps under the supervision of a Guru. Everyone has unique spirituality, personality, and experiences. One solution cannot fit all, and therefore it is imperative to seek guidance from spiritual experts to get that unique mantra and method crafted exclusively for you. And hence, we recommend you practice these chakra balancing methods mentioned above under the guidance of an expert. 

The ego is an obstacle to spiritual progress. It prevents us from seeing beyond our own needs, desires, and fears, which means that we cannot truly connect with others or the universe at large. We hope this article has given some tips on how best to deal with this ego issue, but ultimately it will be up to each individual person to decide what works best for them personally!

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