PRIDE

INTRODUCTION

In the book AN OCEAN TRAVELLER'S enigmatic verses (Jörg Fitz, 2003), the following verse appears:

The pride of self-promotion,

feeling of superiority,

surpassing others,

ego-feeling,

conceit,

praise of incorrectness,

and self-deprecation

- if all these seven are not recognized and dispersed in one's psyche

then significant self-knowledge cannot exist.

In this present essay, the meaning of this verse will be presented in a literary form where the narrator reflects on the underlying meaning of pride as personal experiences. We thus have here an analytically reflecting narrator who, unlike persons too burdened by pride, exercises a holodynamically mirroring function, which can mean that she presents confessions and comments from different observational positions, e.g., analytical psychotherapeutic reflections and Buddhist method-wisdom analyses. This narrative form should make it easier for the reader to also make similar recognitions in themselves, which instrumentally speaking is the main purpose of the explication below, since significant insights regarding pride are usually not so easy for us humans to obtain. We conclude with reflections by briefly characterizing pride chords in different areas on our earth.

Pride contributes shadowing to prevent, among other things, phenomena and beings from reflecting enlightenment to us. We can analogously relate this to Plato's cave allegory: we generally do not recognize phenomena and objects as shadowy projected reflections of aspects of ourselves and are unaware of the enlightening sun behind us... instead, we usually experience the shadow-like projections as concrete and independent formations. When certain aspects of pride operate, one can also readily place oneself in the way such that one desires most of the sunlight to fall on oneself, whereby one closes one's eyes to the fact that it is naturally equally intended for everyone.

Let us below primarily characterize the first-mentioned variant of pride, the pride of self-promotion, in a holodynamically mirroring and somewhat more generalizing way. This pride variant is one of several aspects of pride's many facets and expressions. Below, we will mainly characterize and clarify, sometimes a bit dramatically, the pride-toned self-promoting marketing, but simultaneously also here and there complement and analogize it with other pride perspectives to enrich understanding.

To show off often aims to strengthen and clarify one's ego, one's clan, one's tradition, or the culture one belongs to and which one experiences oneself as being identified with or belonging to and which is usually regarded as being one of the best systems to be part of. Some of the main variants of showing off are those indicated in the verse above. In brief, it's about among other things:

• liking to market and promote oneself and one's group membership at all times and disliking ending up in obscurity..

• nurturing the feeling of feeling superior and disliking dwelling in inferior conditions..

• liking to surpass others and disliking such conditions that those who are surpassed end up in..

• making a number of and lubricating one's ego-feeling and regarding the we-all-earth-dwellers-together-feeling as something vague and peripheral and not so important..

• conceitedly cultivating one's vanity and not finding natural simplicity so interesting or valuable..

• divertingly praising certain faults in others, so that one hereby oneself - implicitly - appears in a more valuable light..

• praising my self-deprecation - e.g.: "we virtuous humble servants here on the workshop floor" - and avoiding an attitude with naturally generous and general humanity-respecting dignity..

To show off thus means to with certain attitude nurture an ego-centering approach at the expense of more naturally human and dignified generosity. One unreflectively experiences that showing off is about an intelligent appreciation-promoting approach and closes one's eyes to, among other things, genuineness, significance consciousness, ego-attachment-freed dignity, and naturally non-performing generosity. One also often fishes for confirmations and applause from others and hereby uses our ingrained forms of togetherness by staying in the same pride-expressing vessel. One can then also emphasize - directly or indirectly - precisely one's clan, association, family, nation, or tradition and more or less isolate it from other systems, which one experiences do not have the same "honor culture". Members who here do not actively want to apply their tradition-bearing perspectives can within the system membership sometimes be regarded as jeopardizing the tradition's pride and thereby even be punished for this.

Mainly

THE PRIDE OF SELF-PROMOTION

I readily present myself as an important person. I can enter someone's house fully dressed and expect the hostess to notice me. I consider myself someone who should stand out from the surroundings and don't like to blend in among other similar people. I may even find it okay to psychologically push aside the hostess somewhat - even if she is the main person or the birthday person being celebrated at this event. So, I like to place myself centrally in the foreground and others peripherally in the background. I want to be in the spotlight and have others more in darkness further away. Mingling naturally and comfortably among similar others is not my style... it's more about others paying attention to me.

I enjoy presenting myself in a self-centered way, serving myself on a platter, sitting on a front branch and being first among demonstrators. Thus, I find pleasure in highlighting myself for viewing. I can stand on my toes for others, want to be among the foremost in my party or in my family, show myself on TV or on a stage. I desire to become known through a film I've directed or to have a book I've authored praised and reviewed by many.

I expect others to also promote me as a person who possesses talent, virtue, qualities and all sorts of other applaudable things. Yes, why not be regarded as a queen, as an excellent teacher, or a really decent bean who always shows up.

I like to celebrate myself, take opportunities to present an excuse to get many to praise me for having lived more than four decades. I like to display and market myself. I want my company to be called 'Ulla Person's Marketing Inc.' I want my name to be included. It should be visible.

As a woman, I sometimes also spice up my self-promoting pride with more or less exhibitionistic tendencies, such as painting my lips red in contexts where this has no other function than to divert attention so that it is directed solely towards me and my erotic signaling. Revealing clothes and eye-catching ornaments also serve the purpose of carrying my sometimes peacock-like attitude.

Sometimes I wonder why I need to use so much energy on marketing myself. The answer is in some respects simple: I have not been sufficiently seen in an understanding way in relation to my needs, so that I have been satisfied. And the sad thing is that I now unfortunately also use methods that have actually caused my ailment. In the sibling group, I was often a secondary person. I have had to endure that my siblings were more talented, that they received more attention, and that they have been educated more than I. My parents never expressed genuine and insightful appreciation with calm and heartfelt presence awareness. When other people were present, they could often express their "positive" thingsabout me. But this was done more as a display, somewhat compulsively, often quite loudly and without any empathic sensitivity to how I actually experienced it. They were mainly occupied with promoting themselves as capable parents who have capable children. It wasn't about them having an insightful distance to normal pride that some parents can lovingly have toward their children. In the end, I became infected and tragically similar in several respects. This has meant that I often end up in contexts where similar social constellations arise and where I am not really seen in a way that satisfies me - but instead often receive confirming capability declarations and applauding calls like "wow, what a nice dress you have sewn"! What I really want is to be seen with love, understanding, warmth, tolerance, respect, patience, and insightful humanity. Instead, I am promoted as a performer, diligent worker, or mannequin. When I then - through this - have not notably developed creative and free-wheeling social talents, I seek to compensate for this with, among other things, sports, competition, or becoming an efficiently effective scout-like leader - why not sometimes with small guilt-inducing and martyr-like elements. Because it would surely be something if I could not sometimes be promoted in a way that I really wish for myself! Perhaps, after all, being celebrated, cheered for, honored, talked about among relatives and friends or in the press, will do the trick. Yes, in the worst case, I might as well do something really eye-catching that can provocatively interest others. I contact Robert Aschberg and market some idea to him that can earn me the designation "civic courage" or something similar. In the worst case, I might act on the principle "better infamous than unknown."

When I am atmosphered with promoting myself in the spirit of pride, the substantive reason why I am displayed or advertised is actually something secondary. The important thing for me is that I in particular am noticed in the square, in the market, and get to come to job interviews, to be selected... and preferably as the foremost among the applicants. In this regard, I like to show myself on the "tightrope," "show my best side," be like a "circus artist" or a "traffic cop" and similar. My pride can here also collaborate with an envious competitive attitude.

I also like, by extension, to be appreciatively talked about, mentioned, not forgotten, and commented on as a qualified person. Yes, why not be openly recognized as a generous donor or as an ideally active soul who burns for those in need. Yes, my means are numerous.

It is, of course, a disadvantage for my development that I never get satisfied with the need - or tired of the habit - of promoting myself as excellent, in order to hopefully receive recognition, understanding, and similar. Especially if I actually, inside me, long to be uplifted with unconditional intimate and community-conscious love, praised in heartfelt love poems, carried over the threshold by my new husband, and similar. My neurotic self-promotions are usually bad business for me: a lot of work and little return. In addition, I will find it difficult to take the step into more responsibly conscious and enlightenment-oriented development. Even if I were sufficiently satisfied within ordinary life and had access to short-term need satisfaction, I am prevented from actualizing more ethically reflective questions with existential awareness. Such questions extend too far beyond ego-orientation, the nuclear family, the survival of one's own company, the information of the local press, the survival of one's own religion or tradition, and similar. And think: I have lived for several decades and not once sincerely, wholeheartedly, open-mindedly, and with conscious presence and heart filled with clear community love, uttered: "I love you." And it is unlikely that I will do so if I live several more decades under current conditions. Pride can contribute to one rather quickly becoming a self-righteous and narrow-minded old woman than - if one were to give up pride - welcoming the chance to generously expand with love on golden yellow flower fields to an earthly watery-happy and precious-jewel-like radiating woman.

These new questions are about self-realization, the meaning of life, insight into the essential nature of reality, humanity, and all of us. Such questions can be actualized when one has understood that development cannot easily lead to new levels, as long as we do not integrate a relevant holistic view, which also includes insight into fundamental principles of causality, responsibility, and the difference between different spiritual and, above all, wisdom-conscious levels of existence, as well as what it means to fully develop one's potential as a human being: to realize enlightenment. If such intentions and perspectives begin to truly integrate, we will soon discover that what we have had as a motivational hub so far - including the promotion of our ego and short-term survival - can now also constitute obstacles in our development. And the more I have fought for my right, defended my ego, my impulsivity, or my fixed ideas, etc., the harder it will be for me going forward when I insightfully have to practice separating from my unreflected life and broaden my horizons. The more identified I have been with some ego-promoting image of myself, the less likely it is that I will actually actualize the question of whence and whither with all our lives. I will probably merge with the crowd that mostly engages in operational being without relating this to a vision of life that includes the question of what I want to contribute to the Whole in the long term.

One of the trickiest obstacles I, as a typical human, am confronted with is precisely pride. As long as I have not seen through the nature of this ailment in myself, certain significant insights will remain beyond my reach. Pride can lead to an unfruitful ego-strengthening and limiting approach. If one then cooperates with, for example, dualization while adhering to identity, it becomes more difficult to freely and with mirror-like consciousness recognize how one is colored by, for example, one's traditional system.

But what would I now gain by abandoning the pride of self-promotion? Generally, pride prevents us from, among other things, being naturally generous and making significant recognitions of some of our shortcomings... and through this, motives for inviting significant insights also arise to a lesser extent. We thus prevent ourselves from achieving interesting self-knowledge, among other things. Players like me also avoid putting ourselves in a position from which they can recognize their own shadow sides in a way that entails urgent consequences for development. Such avoidance can, in some variations, be likened to placing oneself in the way between the sun and the moon, so that the moon cannot reflect the light back to oneself/the earth. A pity! I am unable to recognize that it is I myself as the ego-promoting earth that has caused the "moon's" shadowy appearance. It is simply just a "lunar eclipse," they say, as if the moon over there is darkened by itself. Our pride-limiting psyche only allows experiences of more limited fields... and moreover "harmless" ones, i.e., spheres that cannot reflectively question one's self-perception.

Pride does not easily let itself be recognized, because as long as it is harbored in one's psyche, I don't really understand the significance of seeking to dispel it at all. Besides, I see no "ailment" at all. I can here be likened to a dog that cannot see any evolutionary point in, for example, learning another language (e.g., a cat language), understanding symbols, seeing wider spheres, developing mirror-like consciousness, and gaining insight into the essential nature of reality and humanity. Instead, I want to be given reason to wag my tail and plan a vacation to Disneyland or to some wax cabinet with celebrities - where, by the way, I want to end up after my passing.

When I am under the influence of some form of pride, I also have difficulties understanding the difference not only between different variants of pride but also different - both positive and negative - relatives to these, such as being arrogant, self-conscious, self-confident, filled with self-esteem, self-respecting, authoritative, prestige-bound, dignified, divinely proud, heroic, naturally respectable, an extreme in humility, having self-confidence, and many more.

When I finally understand the aforementioned things, I will become aware that the pride of self-promotion impoverishes life. When I promote myself in an ego-prideful spirit, I seek to place myself on a front branch of my life tree and want the viewer to praise just this branch. I can thereby, for example, expose my female attributes, perform a strenuous sports round in front of spectators (preferably also for momsy and popsy), make a properly announced exhibition with my paintings, publish an attention-seeking intense book, invite many to celebrate something so that I get the opportunity to show myself, etc. But, the filling of my inner longing is often not affected much, because my motives are not supported by simple, natural, generous, heartfelt conscious and humanly loving and empathetic chords.

With more mental degrees of freedom and heartfelt chords, I could more easily experience, among other things, mutually holodynamic reflections between different conditions and between people. I would hereby also more easily and more reflectively be able to view myself from an observer's position and make comparisons between the viewing reflections of myself and others. I would then, for example, also be able to see when others are more generous and freer than myself and also be able to recognize people who have a need to promote themselves and who, in addition, largely identify with precisely that aspect of themselves that they market, and how they through this in several respects can also limit and dull their experiences. Such a person can, at the start of their journey, turn onto a smaller path that lacks turning radius and can then tend to use their energy to manipulate others into also viewing this limiting maneuver as something virtuous and applaudable, especially if the intention is also supported by compulsive chords. And this just because I - impulsively - chose this path this time! I could just as easily, in a similar way, have highlighted another fairway that could have been equally limiting or, on the other hand, even more meaningful. Yes, and now I also feel compelled to defend my choice, which was produced by unconscious imprints... and all this completely unnecessarily. Why not, when it is discovered that I have acted carelessly or inappropriately, just comment with something like: "oops, what am I doing?", or: "haha, didn't think about that!", or: "oh sorry, I was snowbound and in other thoughts"! In other words: my responsibility, conscientiousness, and self-respect are dulled and gradually erased with pride-toned defensive expressions, if they are not recognized and corrected in a fruitful manner. Recognizing one's mistakes or one's meaninglessly repeating defenses is an excellent education. I have also learned a lot by recognizing, among other things, how my impulsive will life has cooperated unfairly with my self-promoting pride.

Promoting myself to too great an extent leads to a too egocentric toned life. I am so home-blindly preoccupied with my chords being praised and liked that I don't notice that most people around - not least more insightful and mature persons - can withdraw, because they gradually grow increasingly tired of my both direct and indirect self-absorption and the unreflected excellences with which my repeated self-promotion is cultivated.

However, one should not forget, as mentioned, that the background to the proud marketing of myself is motivated by the fact that I have not so far been seen, understood, and related to in a significant way. I can often understand how other self-showcasing marketers have had upbringings where people around them have lacked important experiences and relevant approaches in many respects. They may lack nuanced knowledge about, for example: typical living conditions for humans of different ages, integrity, respect, sincerity, existential meaning, humility, patience, natural dignity, spiritual evolution, civilized social interaction, etc. One compensates instead with something more unreflective and unnuanced... which can indeed appeal to some. This can, for example, consist of praising achievement, saying the right things, and appearing neat and competent in the neighbors' eyes. One gladly shows off instead of interpreting what we humans actually need or wish for and adapting our approach accordingly.

We pride-burdened individuals often make certain types of evaluative comparisons - both occasionally and generally. We gladly engage in the following four special variants of comparisons...

The first comparison is based on the notion that we can pridefully consider ourselves as having lower status than those with low status. We can hereby boastfully present ourselves as being the poorest among all beggars or as the lowest-paid and most exploited waitresses or as bank clerks who have the most laborious jobs at a bank. We desire to present ourselves as a sort of virtuous martyred servants who certainly survive with fewer means than the other unemployed, social welfare-dependent, and single mothers with small children. So you should all certainly know that we are real champions at persistently and virtuously going on our knees. Yes, we can even put on a uniform and persistently play virtuous tunes in a square with a beggar's bowl in front of our feet. The point then is not to creatively play music for other passersby to please and enrich them... no, it's about how we certainly have virtuously uniformed ourselves and endure the misery that we don't get any applause or money. Yes, we are not only beggars, but simply proud self-deprecators. We should even sometimes be able to endure with similar conditions as Jesus was forced to when he hung on the cross... for this is indeed virtue's tuning fork!

The second kind of comparison we usually make is to, in some boastful or self-praising spirit, present ourselves as equal with the equals. To regard oneself as an equal flight attendant among other flight attendant colleagues is apparently a pride-free attitude. But, if one now seasons this approach by also highlighting oneself somewhat extra as a praiseworthy democrat among one's colleagues, the cup is somewhat sullied with unnecessary pride additives. It's not about me as a flight attendant naturally and obviously being a democrat in our human Earth-dweller family - what else? - no, I am more than that and certainly a pronounced virtuous and commendable democrat.

The third kind of comparison implies that we can self-promotingly regard ourselves as more qualified than those who have more limited conditions. Of course, it is impeccable to compare one's living conditions with others, whereby one can establish that one happens to have better ones. But, to accompany such an observation with some, more or less audible, pomposity - that one would be rightfully or karmically deserving of it - can contribute to embarrassing disturbances for ears that thrive with naturally harmonious and simply humble and healing dignity music, which rather in such comparisons would naturally respond with gratitude and generosity... it is obviously valuable for everyone that some of us have good karma! The more, the better.

The fourth comparison that we self-promoters can engage in is to proudly regard ourselves as equal with those who have more limited conditions than ourselves. Let's take a psychologically interesting example, where I as - let's say - a 40-year-old recreation leader consider myself as equal with 4-5-year-old children for whom I am responsible. I play with them in a childish way, demonstrate my understanding of their mentality, and show my perky competence in all manner of ways; all to indicate that I hereby surely am a commendable person who associates with the children at their level. BUT: who is really interested in such an approach? Understanding children at their developmental level is of course important and valuable; but, to become like a child as an adult is only beneficial in special role-playing contexts and not in a generalized sense. Children like to play with children and they like to be understood, but they have no use for adults becoming like themselves. The children can become frustrated, confused, manipulative, and acting out because of this. They also need role models. As a childish recreation leader, I am also mostly active when parents of the children are present. I want them to regard me as an impeccable and fair childminder, who doesn't resort to authoritarian methods, but is the children's best friend. But, this somewhat comical variant of self-promoting comparison, where I ego-praisingly regard myself as equal with children who are less responsible and less educated than myself, eventually leads to me becoming increasingly stupid, losing respect, and perhaps being viewed with a kind of indulgence that will not grant me any responsible and age-appropriate tasks in life.

A creative person does not enjoy repetitions. This often does not apply to a proud and self-promoting person. I can always defend my repetitions by stating that I hereby maintain an important tradition or essential routines. I am often a skillfully manipulative marketer and I can just as easily argue for breaking a tradition. The main thing is that I avoid losing face, avoid recognizing my shortcomings, and having to question my motives. I am so good at marketing myself that I eventually lose awareness of my conditions completely. This means that I increasingly fail to notice how my life may become rather pathetic. I simply devote myself, blind to my own home as I am, to increasingly qualified bullshit and I will entangle myself in marketing talk and mix it with everything else in my life. I will probably develop bodily symptoms in my interior - areas that I have ignored - and would of course prefer to have it surgically removed or medicated away without understanding why these symptoms arose. It is enough for me to get a technical medical diagnosis of the symptoms that gives me a believing sense of understanding... "I suffer from hereditary anorexia. Period. My elevated blood pressure can fortunately also be kept down with the help of certain medication. It's in my case hereditary too, so there's not much I can do about it. Dr. Andersson made that clear to me."

Upon a conscientious and honest retrospect before a possibly imminent passing, I should be able to summarize my life like this: I have not been entirely honest, rather manipulative, superficial, and irresponsible, even if I never had any deliberately malicious intentions. My motives in the background were just that I wanted to be noticed in an understanding way, so that my human needs would be satisfied. Nothing strange. However, I unfortunately hereby relinquished among other things self-respect, insight, and being true to my more genuine gut feeling and my heartfelt inner chords - and thereby also my psychological and human interest in others, whose essence is in all essentials like mine. I will also in the future, under certain conditions, experience maturing manifestations of the consequences of all imprints and tendencies that my self-promoting actions have left behind in my psyche, in my character, and in others. If I desire to disperse these imprints, I need to present them to the empathically clear mirroring consciousness, which is colored with generous, unmanipulable, and everywhere essence-similar impartiality. This pride-free essence-similarity is like a naturally radiating jewel in the clear and blankly watery nature of Reality. If now the karmically matured formations' "courtship" to this stripped significance-consciousness still occurs with too much self-promoting pride, the "suitor" will not be able to be embraced without hindrance and received with recognition-smiling in this illustrious sphere. For this, more originally genuine and generous lovingness and significant dharma-consciousness are needed. Becoming completely free from pride can take time, but it pays to pursue this dynamic attitude, until one naturally always has self-evident generosity readily available.

SOME CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS

Let us now round off our pride reflections here by taking a little tour around our planet sitting on a light lotus-shaped dharma cloud and traveling to some countries, areas, and spheres and observingly pause here for a while and let characteristic chords in the pride atmospheres glimpse forth.

In Norway, the inhabitants are solemnly great and best at most things... not least at being vigorously and greenishly good competitive people.

In Sweden, we have quite a lot of competence pride... preferably accompanied by parental applause... medals are also desirable and collecting many during one's lifetime boosts pride... but also not standing out and with hidden subtle ignorance in the background pridifying the state of moderation.

In France, there is a fine arrogance and rather angry pride-arrogance in relation to culture, food, music, etc... The French consider their culture to be the most distinguished and most refined and beautiful. No one should come here and poke them in the nose.

Austria has a more subtle pride behind magnificent concerts and high mountains. A deeply ingrained pride is baked in here in the culture and nature, even if there is some natural dignity here.

The Swiss live in a motherly beautiful country with harmonious nature... they can easily feel haughty and somewhat superior to people in other cultures... they lack naturally sincere dignity and compensate by refining themselves with superiority pride.

Greek culture is lush and generous... but, they are also proud of their abundance and their "rich" and ancient cultural history, towards which the various demigods can become envious.

Crete's multicultural atmosphere is full of "heroes" - enviously proud demigod warriors - who fight against each other.

In Spain, not least in Barcelona, there is quite a lot of surpassing pride and being superior in relation to animals, for example bulls.

In Portugal, it is a milder culture than in Spain... one does not have such great needs to be proud here... but, it has been a discovering seafaring nation, so one has a certain pride because of that.

In the Azores, further out from Portugal, in the middle of the Atlantic, one has no one to compare oneself with, so one doesn't need to be proud in relation to anyone... it is calm here.

On the island of Tristan da Cunha, "the loneliest island in the world" - as it is usually called - which also lies in the middle of the Atlantic, but in the southern hemisphere, one has to manage oneself and one's family... one can handle living in solitude here and one has to a large extent contact with the sea and the elements... there is a valuable natural humanity here... no pride is needed.

Scotland's pride is about wanting to be free and independent and for themselves... and break away and celebrate with kilt and bagpipe traditions.

England's pride consists of their better-than-pride attitude... "we are much more cultured than the wild, uncultured Scots". The English want a cup of tea and a biscuit... and the more snobbish the English dialect is, the better.

The Russians have Putin-like survival chords in their pride... here one has to be strongest... yes, preferably most powerful, like... and be gruff and be able to drink as much vodka as possible without passing out.

Mongolia's culture radiates... they have the yellow Ratna horse on one of their national emblems... so there are conditions here for the dissolution of pride... but, they unfortunately also have a harmful hunting culture with birds... the country's pride is related to their culture and to their predatory hunting.

The Chinese are very ignorant and proud of managing on their own and being economically and effectively large. One is not kindly disposed towards children and people in general here.

Bhutan is proud in relation to its royal family, to GNH, and to its culture and country, which they seek to protect with many means.

Indians are mostly proud of their numerous and large gods.

Japanese are proud in relation to achievements and have much shame in the absence of achievement.

Africans are proud of their identity and of their lower body parts, not least the buttocks, and they like to drum... they stay within their flock frames.

Latin Americans are peacock-proud and like to Brazilian-feather themselves and shake their body parts.

Americans are often out to shine, but are also social animals and like to talk and show themselves... they can be very social... they can well boast about themselves that they are the best, but they also do it to secure a place in the social hierarchy.

Indians are proud in relation to their shamanistic religion, with all its symbols and rituals...

Christians are proud of their churches and all their possessions and status... and that one is a member of one of the largest religions. Protestants are more proud of morality than Catholics... here pride is more related to church leadership.

Muslims' pride is related to Mecca and Mohammed and that one should not touch their religion. Pride is also related to the man's place in society.

In Buddhism we also have quite a lot of pride. In Sutra Mahayana one is proud that their perspective is more inclusive than Hinayana's. In Thailand's Hinayana one is with pride occupied with both ascetic renunciation and with their palaces and their riches. Zen Buddhists are proud of their freedom in relation to not being identified with anything at all... one has to remain standing upright in chaos of all thoughts and phenomena, etc... In Tantric Buddhism all four traditions (Nyingma, Kargyu, Sakya, Gelugpa) have their proud "hats", which they wear as crowns on their heads in ceremonial contexts. This attitude leads to one tending to become identified with one direction and not with the whole or with all. In the Sakya tradition there are even old royalty chords included. After about 800 years, an ecumenical Rime movement developed in Tibet, where one has sought to integrate the four traditions as four method branches on the same tree. Here there is almost no pride... one has no "hats" here... :).

Certain Dharma writers can also on a subtle level in the background be toned by know-it-all pride, which has not yet completely clarified and matured into generous contentment with natural dignity in significant being.

In summary, it can simply be said that with pride we ego-boostingly seek to feel and assert ourselves to be good and valuable... yes, often preferably also better and more valuable than others. This is what we are occupied with here on our planet... unlike other planets in our galaxy. We Earth dwellers have to take care of our rare and very precious conditions by, among other things, transforming the pride variants into natural dignity and to effortlessly generously become like a golden-like jewel that radiates precious energy equally in all directions. We have to tune our basic attitude to become increasingly significance-conscious, among other things by essentially reminding ourselves that:

.. we all

always exist in the same reality base

and are essence-similar

and mirror each other

and have to develop enlightenment

and together perfect our destination..

Jörg Fitz

2001, 2020