One of my favorite fiction novels is “Everything is Illuminated” by Jonathan Safran Foer. In the book, the main character regularly states that he needs to “eat a slice of humble pie”– an apt reminder for us all!
Aside from this book though, this phrase is fairly common, and the concept of humbleness is brought up a lot in this world: in movies, quotes, songs, books, and — for better or for worse — it’s often the subject of many religious sermons and scriptures.
Recently this got me thinking about what true humility actually was.
What does it truly mean to be humble?
If you’ve ever stood at the foot of a vast ocean, witnessed a remarkable sunset, or — as astronauts can attest — viewed the earth from outer space, you can probably say that you know how it feels to be humbled; that is, to understand the small but important role you play in this cosmic drama.
In that sense, to be humble means to set aside the ego and realize that you are just a part of the whole, a unique yet relatively insignificant drop among the backdrop of space or the power of Mother Nature. This might seem belittling, but humility does not imply weakness. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
Humility According to Jesus and the Yoga Masters
Jesus often said things like, “whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12), and
“He that is least among you all, the same shall be great.” (Luke 9:38)
This sentiment is often echoed in the Yogic tradition as well. Paramahansa Yogananda referenced humility as being both a prerequisite and a result of full Liberation: “Humility is the natural expression of every soul who knows God.” (God Talks with Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita)
Through these references we can see that humility is not a sign of weakness, but a character strength and a sign of spiritual maturity. It is both a virtue and a part of the spiritual growth process.
There is also a deeper, more esoteric meaning to being humble.
Humbleness & the Ego
In the study of higher realities as encouraged through Kriya Yoga, we come to understand that egotism (aka the opposite of humility) is essentially the diverse expression of Infinite consciousness. It is the subtle “I-ness” that causes separation and diversity (“diversity” meaning, separation from the whole; non-unity). This egotism and separation causes us to forget our true nature and therefore leads to confusion and suffering while embodied.
Humility, on the other hand, is defined by spiritual masters as being the absence of egotism. Yogananda said that real humility is transcending the ego and freeing the soul to identify with God. In Autobiography of a Yogi, he writes that “to humble the ego or false self is to discover one’s external identity.” (p. 355)
Liberation — the ultimate aim of spiritual practice — is nothing more than remembering or realizing (realize: verb meaning to “become fully aware of (something) as a fact; understand clearly”) our unity with the Wholeness of Life (aka God). This is also the major aim of most major religions as we are asked to humble ourselves enough so that we can know our true selves in relation to the Whole. This is also what yoga literally means: “to yolk” or “to unite” our individual sense of awareness with the greater Consciousness.
“By banishing ego consciousness, man awakens to his divine identity, his Oneness with the Sole Life – God.” (Yogananda, Divine Romance p. 469)
Therefore, from a Yogic standpoint, to be humble means to fulfill the necessary spiritual requirement of giving up our false sense of self (the ego or egotism) which keeps us small and set apart from the Source of all creation. And again here we are reminded that humility refers to “the state of soul awareness when egotism is absent.” (Roy Eugene Davis, Absolute Knowledge That Liberates Consciousness p. 112)
Letting Go of Our Egos
On a more micro level though, humility is essentially a variation of this cosmic truth. In this sense it means letting go of your ego (aka the “big ego” that many people are often accused of having) and instead seeing yourself as equal to all others, and them as equal to you. This of course includes all plants, animals, humans and other life forms.
This is easier said than done of course, and sometimes many years of dismantling internalized systems of oppression and rewriting our limiting beliefs may be required in order to become truly humbled. However, in the meantime it is still possible to imagine and try to recognize and acknowledge our unity as a people and a planet, no matter our race, creed or religion, location, social standing, career, etc. These are all just illusionary labels that distract us from what really matters.
After all, Jesus and all other truly exalted beings treated all men the same through selfless service, no matter who they were.
One story to illustrate this is about Mahavatar Babaji. It is said that one time a younger version of his disciple, Lahiri Mahasaya, came across a seemingly ignorant and unkempt person at a festival. Seeing the man, he thought to himself that the man was weak and unworthy due to his condition. Suddenly Lahiri Mahasaya noticed the Great Master, who appeared and began washing the feet and cooking utensils of the apparently unenlightened and homeless person.
Seeing the shocked look on his young disciple’s face, Babaji explained:
“By serving wise and ignorant sadhus, I am learning the greatest of virtues, pleasing to God above all others – humility.”
Mahavatar Babaji
We’ve seen this type of humble service in the Bible and through Jesus’ teachings as well, of course. Jesus himself also abhorred those who egotistically sought only prestige and title, and he often advised his disciples (“disciple” meaning “student”) to never flaunt nor desire social standing, title, fame or otherwise.
“Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts . . . these shall receive greater damnation.” (Mark 12:38-40)
In other words, instead of focusing on outward appearances, titles and fame, focus on mastering your inner self and shedding the ego awareness that keeps us separate from each other and also from God. This can be done through the process of Kriya Yoga.
Therefore, let us all eat a slice of humble pie and remind ourselves what is truly important in this lifetime: to Realize one’s true nature and to awaken to your highest potential. That is, being liberated from this limited existence and reunited with an awareness of God consciousness (to reach Samadhi, which is a Sanskrit word meaning “to bring together completely”).
