July Theme - Ahamkara (the mind)

Our theme this month is on Ahamkara, one of the four main aspects of Antahkarana, our inner workings, or as it is referred to in the west: the mind.

Ahamkara is the “I” identity that the buddhi protects and serves. It plays a big role in the evolution of our society: whether we become constructive or destructive hinges on what we identify with, how strongly we identify with it, and what our buddhi will do to protect it. Throughout history, so much harm has been inflicted upon mankind from an ahamkara attached to certain ideas, territories, race, gender, religion, etc. Yogis therefore emphasize the importance of transcending the ahamkara. If we can even just soften the self-centered “I,” then the buddhi can be freed and be of service in the more expansive realm of pure discernment, and inner awakening.

In western philosophy, the mind primarily refers to the amorphous field in the brain where our thoughts occur and get processed. It doesn't have a direct parallel in yogic philosophy, which breaks down our inner processes into 4 basic functions:

Buddhi (intellect)

Ahamkara (“I" identity)

Manas (memory and sensory processor)

Chitta (pure intelligence) 

Each of these four can be further broken down, but they work together as an instrument that perceives and processes experiences and information. In the Upanishads, antahkarana is likened to a wheel with four spokes that interact with each other to drive our decisions and actions.

Ahamkara is the “I” identity that the buddhi protects and serves. It plays a big role in the evolution of our society: whether we are destructive or constructive depends largely on what we identify with, how strongly we identify with it, and what our buddhi will do to protect it. If we attach our identity to a certain religion, for instance, our buddhi will do all it can to rationalize and protect it — even go to war for it. Throughout history, so much harm has been inflicted upon humanity from a limited ahamkara identified with territory, race, gender, religion, ideas, etc, 

Yogis therefore emphasize the importance of transcending the ahamkara. If we can let go of the self-serving “I,” our buddhi can also break out of its limited role. By embracing the entire cosmos, our buddhi also gets to expand and achieve pure discernment.

A meditation mantra that helps expand our limited ahamkara is the question: “Who Am I?"