Ahamkara (Sanskrit) (from aham ego, I + kara maker, doer from the verbal root kri to do)

I-maker; conception of egoity or I-am-I-ness. In its lower aspect, the egoistical and mayavi principle, born of avidya (ignorance), which produces the notion of the personal ego as being different from the universal self. In Sankhya philosophy ahamkara is the third emanation: from prakriti (primal nature or substance) issues mahat (the great), standing for universal mind, which in turn produces ahamkara, selfhood, individuality; from ahamkara come forth the five tanmatras, the subtle forms of the elements or principles and "the two series of sense organs" (Samkhya-Sutra 1:61).

In the Bhagavad-Gita (7:4), prakriti manifests in eight portions -- "earth, water, fire, air, ether (space: kham-akasa), mind (manas), understanding (buddhi) and egoity, self-sense (ahamkara)

" -- all of which relate to the object side, which gives an erroneous sense of identity or egoity.

As universal self-consciousness, ahamkara has "a triple aspect, as also Manas. For this conception of 'I,' or one's Ego, is either sattwa, 'pure quietude,' or appears as rajas, 'active,' or remains tamas, 'stagnant,' in darkness. It belongs to Heaven and Earth, and assumes the properties of either" (SD 1:335n).

(See also: Ahamkara, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Ahamkara:

Ahamkara ("I-maker"): the individuation principle, or ego, which must be transcended; cf. asmita; see also buddhi, manas

(See also: Ahamkara, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

ahamkara:

ahamkara - tendency to identify oneself with external phenomena, 'the I-maker'

(See also: ahamkara, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Kundalini is the cosmic power in individual bodies. It is not a material force like electricity, magnetism, centripetal or centrifugal force. It is a spiritual potential Sakti or cosmic power. In reality it has no form. The Sthula Buddhi and mind have to follow a particular form in the beginning stage. From this gross form, one can easily, understand the subtle formless Kundalini. Prana, Ahamkara, Buddhi, Indriyas, mind, five gross elements, nerves are all the products of Kundalini.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Kundalini: The Mysterious Kundalini

During the course of practice, one day you will feel that you have separated yourself from the body. You will have immense joy mixed with fear; joy in the possession of a new light, astral body; and fear owing to the entry in a foreign, unknown plane. At the very outset, the new consciousness is very rudimentary in the new plane.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Astral Plane: Meditation and Life In The Astral Plane

The enormity of death is felt by people when they lose someone close to them. Knowledge and spirituality are often the light at the end of the tunnel in such moments of sadness. A human being who has died, is like a torch extinguished.

However, the flame of his life burns in his children, friends, work, and in his ideas. He has enriched the earth on which he has walked, the rivers in which he has bathed, and the living beings with whom he has been in communion.

(See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul)

The Subtle Bodies: The Yogic Anatomy of Human Potentialities

Through exceedingly detailed meditations over thousands of hours, the yogis determined that the human body is far more than a configuration of fleshy organs, bones, and fluids. Composed of five gradients or koshas, literally, "sheaths," with each one more interior and more subtle than the previous one, we are the actual "bridge" from the physical to the spiritual. Each sheath exerts a guiding intelligence over the next more dense sheath in the following order: the individual soul and causal body (jiva and anandamaya kosha), the reflective-intellectual body (vijnanamaya kosha), mental-emotional body (manomaya kosha), vital energy body (pranamaya kosha),and the physical body (annamaya kosha). Through this anatomy of increasingly interior bodies, yoga maps the emotionality and sentient capacities of the intimus itself and thus the way toward deepening our intimacy with one another and the world.

Read more here: » The Subtle Bodies: The Yogic Anatomy of Human Potentialities

Hinduism and Jiva: The Constitution of Man - The Jiva

In Hinduism man is the microcosm who contains within himself all the constituents and manifestations of the Universal Self. It is by looking into oneself, by knowing and understanding oneself, one can experience the Truth of the Supreme Self. In the Katha Upanishad, Lord Yama declares to Nachiketa that it is through self-contemplation (adhyatma-yogadhigamena) that the wise man realizes the Primal God and leaves behind him both joy and sorrow (mortal existence).

Read more here: » Hinduism and Jiva: The Constitution of Man - The Jiva

Hinduism Lexicon on A

From aadheenam to axis.

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hinduism Lexicon on A

This is a world of diversity. Intellects are different. Faces are different. Religions are different. Sounds are different. Faiths are different. Colours are different. Faculties are different. Tastes and temperaments are different. But one thing is common in all. Everyone of us wants Nitya Sukha (eternal happiness), infinite knowledge, immortality, freedom and independence. These things can be obtained by knowledge of the Self alone.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Self-Knowledge: Who Am I?

An introduction to Vedanta.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Vedanta: Introduction to Vedanta

Samkhya Nyaya Vaisheshika Yoga Purva Mimamsa Advaita Vedanta Vishishtadvaita Dvaita Carvaka Jain Buddhist Logic Samkhya, also Sankhya, (Sanskrit: सांख्य) is a school of Indian philosophy, and is one of the six astika or Hindu philosophical schools of India. It is regarded as the oldest of the orthodox ...

Including:

• Samkhya - Epistemology
• Samkhya - The metaphysics of Samkhya

Read more here: » Samkhya: Encyclopedia - Samkhya

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Ahamkara:

Ahamkara: Ego, ego(ism). (SSS-III)

(See also: Ahamkara, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

ahamkara: (Sanskrit) "I-maker." Personal ego. The mental faculty of individuation; sense of duality and separateness from others. Sense of I-ness, "me" and "mine." Ahamkara is characterized by the sense of I-ness (abhimana), sense of mine-ness, identifying with the body (madiyam), planning for one's own happiness (mamasukha), brooding over sorrow (mamaduhkha), and possessiveness (mama idam). See: anava, ego, mind (individual mind).

(See also: Ahamkara, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

ahamkara: (Sanskrit) "I-maker." Personal ego. The mental faculty of individuation; sense of duality and separateness from others. Sense of I-ness, "me" and "mine." Ahamkara is characterized by the sense of I-ness (abhimana), sense of mine-ness, identifying with the body (madiyam), planning for one's own happiness (mamasukha), brooding over sorrow (mamaduhkha), and possessiveness (mama idam). See: anava, ego, mind (individual mind).

(See also: Ahamkara, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Ahamkara:

Ahamkara: egoism or self-conceit; the  self-arrogating principle 'I', 'I am'-ness; self-consciousness.

(See also: Ahamkara, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Ahamkara:

Ego or "I-consciousness"; one of the functions of the inner organ. (See Antahkarana.)

(See also: Ahamkara, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Ahamkara:

Self-sense of ego.

(See also: Ahamkara, Kundalini, Kundalini Yoga, Kundalini Dictionary)

mahath-ahamkara:

mahath-ahamkara (-ahamka ara). The primordial great ego.

(See also: mahath-ahamkara, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)