One grave danger faces us in undertaking the above de-programming of our old habit patterns. “I am Brahman” has the potential to make us feel proud, because now we may begin to feel that we are “a cut above the rest”; that we are not ordinary beings but someone special – after all, who can be more special than “Brahman”!
The Ego tries to creep in through the back door!
The subtle or Sattvic pride of being superior has to be carefully warded off. This is the problem addressed in this step. With accomplishment comes subtle pride. While the intellect may be quick to recognize its growth, the Ego is even quicker to claim the credit!
The methods we used earlier will not help now. At that time we were dealing with Tamasic and Rajasic pride, so we used Sattva as an antidote to overcome it. We told ourselves, “It is not me, I am just an instrument”. That method cannot work now.
The “I am Body” thought and the “I am Brahman” thought appear very similar. We know that the former comes from the mind. The chances are that the latter, too, can come from the same place, and with greater intensity! The intellect has grown strong and powerful now, and so too can the Ego-feeling if we are not careful.
When we are engaged in grappling with the thought that “I am not the body, nor the mind, nor the intellect; I am Brahman,” the arena for this struggle starts in the intellect. But it should not remain there. That is where the danger of Pride setting in lies. The intellect has to be transcended. These affirmations need to come from the Witness, not the intellect.
In one of the sessions, the author clearly explained, “it is very much possible for one on advanced stage in sadhana to mistake intellect for SELF. Intellect is pure, Intellect keeps the sadhaka above body consciousness, Intellect always gives the correct direction, It stops Raga Dvesha from influencing the sadhaka’s thoughts / actions. With all these qualities of one’s intellect, it is possible to get stuck up at one stage in spiritual sadhana, thinking that this is the pinnacle in sadhana.”
To overcome pride that has reached the Sattvic level, we need to get help from a higher level than the Sattvic intellect. That comes from Meditation. In meditation our effort is to be the witness of the mind. That is where the help comes from. We take recourse to the deepest level in our being – the innermost Self. The removal of Sattvic pride lies in identifying with a centre higher than the intellect, namely, the inner witness consciousness.
It is not possible for the mind to instruct itself in such matters. The danger of self- deception is too great. The witness consciousness has to feed the thought, “I am not the body; I am Brahman.” Then alone will the Ego vacate its stronghold.
Pride is assurance born of conscious awareness of one's own capacity and capability to lead one's life based on one's attributes and inclination. Such a one resorts to detachment after examining the worlds acquired through performance of actions with full realization that there is nothing in the worlds that is not the result of the performance of actions, then why should one perform actions which does not reward one the wisdom of Brahman.
Knowing the truth, such a one then goes with due respect to a qualified Teacher well versed in Wisdom and becomes absorbed in Brahman, declares Mundaka Upanishad.
Swami Sivananda says,
“Mind is compared to a garden. Just as you can cultivate good flowers and fruits in a garden by ploughing and manuring the land, and removing the weeds and thorns, and watering the plants and trees; so also you can cultivate the flower of devotion in the garden of your mind by removing the impurities of the mind, such as lust, anger, greed, delusion and pride, and watering it with divine thoughts.
When the garden is clean, when there are no weeds and thorns, you can get good fruits. So also, when the mind is pure, the mind is free from lust, anger, etc., you can have the fruit of deep meditation. Therefore, cleanse the mind of impurities first.
Spiritualize all your activities. This is very important.”
Love.
