Ahamkara

~ A Tendency to be Eventually Overcome ~

Prior to the awakening, the goal of evolution is to develop the personality into an effective ego within the outer world. When this is achieved, it indicates that the three aspects of the personality are unified, and effectively work well together. The mental, emotional and physical dimensions of the lower self are no longer at odds with each other. Instead, the personality now works as a coordinated whole. Though selfishly oriented, such a personality is a powerful force in the world. Within the Esoteric Philosophy, this is referred to as an integrated personality, and its crowning tendency is prideful self-reference. In Sanskrit, this is inclination is called ahamkara.

The destiny of the integrated personality is to be the soul’s outer garment and act as its creative agent. Essentially, the soul needs the mental body of the personality in order to generate thoughtforms on its behalf; it needs a healthy and balanced emotional body to give warmth and magnetic appeal to them; and it requires a physical body that can intelligently give outer expression to such creative ideations.

Yet herein is found a dilemma that the soul must face when working through the personality. While the threefold personality acts as an instrument through which the soul expresses, its ahamkara tendency will often distort that which is created. The removal of ahamkara is therefore an essential objective when walking the Path. Ever so slowly, the soul must convince the personality to take its eyes off itself. This is accomplished when the personality finally realizes that it is not an independent entity enlisted by the soul, but instead is merely the soul’s outer appendage.

William Meader
Emergentlight.com