Kundalini Yoga Glossary
Ego
The ego sense that claims the impressions of the mind for its own and reacts to them.
Meaning
What the Ego Means
Ahangkar is the ego sense: the part of the mind that claims the impressions gathered by the senses as its own, and reacts to them.
The mind is described as divided into four areas. Manas is the lower mind of the senses and reactions. Ahangkar is the ego. Buddhi is the mind that rationalizes, made up of memory, intellect and the subconscious. Chitta is the aspect of mind susceptible to constant change.
In Practice
How It’s Used
Ahangkar shows up most clearly when life circumstances are ruled by Rajas: circumstances become expansive and outward-facing, a time to take risks, and the ego is what claims those circumstances as its own doing.
Working with the ego, rather than being run by it, is part of what the training practices toward: letting the ego go, along with the defense mechanisms personality tends to build around it, so that humility and compassion have room to develop.
