Pride: friend or foe?

Today, let's talk about P R I D E.

Why pride? Because it’s Leo season!

According to funtrivia.com, “A group of lions is collectively called a pride because of their stately quality. Lions were traditionally seen as regal and elevated so their group is called a pride.”

Being a proud Leo myself, I relish the month of August, the summer season and all the qualities that Leo and lions teach us about.

When I think of lions, I think courage, bravery, golden, protector, loyalty, the group mind, teamwork, leadership, ferocity, power, family... and of course, pride.

Pride is an evocative topic which feels ripe for exploration. Especially for those of us who study yogic philosophy, shadow work and the structures of ego in our psyche, pride can be painted as either friend or foe.

Looking at pride’s shadow, we easily recognize that being overly prideful is a slippery slope into an ego careening out of control. 

Snobbery and turning our nose up at what we perceive to be “less than” are ugly but common symptoms of our pride gone unchecked. 

However, it’s just as easy to see where a lack of pride in ourselves casts long shadows of self-doubt and self-consciousness, feelings of worth-less-ness, scarcity, and constantly comparing ourselves to others. 

It is so hard to see someone who we know is amazing, yet unable to claim the fullness of their own power, stand in their sovereignty and be present with their gifts and abilities.

If you’ve spent any time in either of the places mentioned above, you know that neither one feels good or authentic to your soul, which is after all beyond ego and exists in an unquestionable, eternal state of worthiness and belonging.

So how to take pride in ourselves, our body, our work, our accomplishments, and our lives, without becoming egocentric and self-focused?

C’mon over, humility!

I can’t talk about Pride without including Humility, because they feel like natural confidants for one another. 

I would argue that humility has become a spiritual buzzword in recent years.
(Have you ever heard someone proclaim publicly how humble they are? Yes. That. )

To be truly humbled is an initiatory experience. 

It often comes with humiliation, shame, regret, or some splendidly awful blend of all three. When we think of a humbling moment in our lives, we flush redhot in the face, unconsciously roll our eyes at our own stupidity, or curse the forces that be for making such a damn fool of us (someone else must be responsible!). 

And yet, herein lies the gift. 

Pride without humility is unhealthy. It’s a wildfire feeding on acres of dried brush with a hot wind to fan the flames.

But the blessed moments that humble us remind us of our humanity, our fallibility, our beautiful imperfection… and they create stunning contrast to our moments of glory!

In this way, we’re reminded that healthy pride manifests not despite our moments of humility, but because of them.

So my dear luminary, where in your life can you claim a sense of healthy pride right now?

What have you created, participated in, or devoted yourself to that deserves a rightful happy dance?!?

Cheering you on for your heroic human efforts and a job well done,