Page 33 - NAMAH-Jul-2024

Namah Walk Away from Self-Pity

“The first is purely egoistic and comes from a for this condition. Inner ownership of the
feeling that one’s rights have been violated, that malaise is overlooked.
one has been deprived of one’s needs, offended,
despoiled, betrayed, injured, etc. This whole There is a strong feeling of being wronged.
category of suffering is clearly the result of There is a surface response which proliferates
hostile action and it not only opens the door through lack of introspection or enquiry. The
in the consciousness to the influence of the only question asked is, ‘why me?’. It is classic
adversary but is also one of his most powerful victim mentality.
ways of acting in the world, the most powerful
of all if in addition there comes its natural and The remedy for self-pity
spontaneous consequence: hatred and the desire
for revenge in the strong, despair and the wish First, we must admit it is present inside.
to die in the weak (2).” Virtually everyone possesses it in different
degrees. This meagre self-knowledge is
For one individual imbued with a strong life- essential. We have a way of unconsciously
force, it will provoke violent reaction and camouflaging the hidden defects of our
revolt while for another, it will induce self- nature. If one doesn’t even know it’s there,
pity, which is the subject of this article. there can be no remedy. Once aware, we do
not accept it. If you have sufficient strength,
Whatever the answer, the underlying origin look at it with detachment as if it is something
is always ego. Self-pity accumulates in an foreign to your being (which it essentially is).
atmosphere of self-obsession. It is “always Do this as a part of your inner work. Look
born of self-love....”* at it as a process of necessary cleansing.
Summon the aspiration to shed the light
of your consciousness upon it. It is another
aspect in the path of purification. Try looking
at it as not a part of you. Keep your station
above the affliction. Its roots may often go
very deep, but we can still learn to walk
away from it and refuse to give it shelter.
Summon all your courage and determination
to overcome this affliction. Most of all, deny
it all access. It won’t be conquered overnight
but we must refuse to give it sanction and
When one gets wrapped up with oneself, this acknowledgment.
condition can easily step forward. One places
one’s woes at the centre of the universe. We need to summon the warrior inside and
Blame is directed at others and even on make a monumental effort to reverse all these
oneself. Self-blame is almost an adjunct of negative tendencies. We need this quality in
self-pity. Blame is the inevitable justification abundance in Integral Yoga and not much

*“Self-pity is always born of self-love; but pity for others is not always born of love for its object (3).”

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