By: Jim Ryan    
Source: The Daily Guardian https://epaper.thedailyguardian.com/view/1714/the-daily-guardian/14    
Dated: November 30, 2024

As we engage with our world, each one's life becomes a battleground for the two great antagonists- arrogance and humility. Not a day goes by without this confrontation and feud manifesting in one form or another, affecting our emotional well-being, relationships and connections.

We can deal with this by having an attitude of humility which creates a keystone to feelings of personal well-being and an ability to develop a better appreciation and positive relationship with others.

Yet, any form of arrogance destroys this and creates a barrier to empathy and understanding. No matter how we try to develop a working relationship with others, the ego of arrogance moves us into jealousy, blame, opinion blocking and the stance of self-justifying rightness. Arrogance demands and needs respect, recognition and position. Generally, it originates externally, but it is nurtured and deepened inside, penetrating every aspect of our thoughts and attitudes, destroying any natural positivity we may have accrued.

Arrogance, acting like an imperious dictator, develops anger and a dislike for the ideas and circumstances of others. It blocks empathic feelings that try to understand the ways and needs of others. It isolates and separates and becomes a barrier to taking and receiving help, even from God.

However, change is always possible, yet, in this instance, a determined approach is needed before the almost inevitable self-destructive implosion that comes with all artificial behavior's and personalities. For change to happen, it should be recognized that the stance of arrogance is non-productive and extraordinarily harmful and that what is needed is, the counter-balance of humility.

Once this equation is accepted, spiritual self-realization, via its active arm of meditation, engages and emerges the power of humility, filling words and actions with thoughtfulness and gentleness.

Humility enables the soul to step back from reactive behavior's, and move to assessing individuals and situations as to what is really needed and required, and how I can cooperate? There is then a benevolent relationship established with everyone involved and beyond.

Jim Ryan has a background in    
education. He is an author and a Brahma Kumari's Raja yoga teacher,    
based at the Global Retreat Centre, Oxford, UK.