Self-importance is our greatest enemy. Think about it – what weakens us is feeling offended by the deeds and misdeeds of our fellow men. Our self-importance requires that we spend most of our lives offended by someone. ~ The Fire from Within

Humility is a virtue that is rapidly slipping away. Self-importance is prevalent in this day and age and humility barely exists. This is unfortunate and the cause of much unrest in the world. Every spiritual belief system talks about releasing the ego yet so few people actually do it.

It is frustrating and sad to live in a world where everyone constantly needs to be right or worse yet, one-up somebody. The level of competition for existence is maddening and proof of just how many petty tyrants there are constantly surrounding us. The trick to overcoming self-importance is to ignore the petty tyrants! As long as you continue to allow a petty tyrant to push your buttons then you are still swimming in the arena of self-importance.

What is self-importance? It encompasses a wide realm of things that feed the ego; conceit, arrogance, pride, self-righteousness, superiority… On a deeper level, self-importance is fear and disconnection. Disconnection from the source, from the pulse of the earth and the intangible and seemingly elusive indescribable force.

Disconnection from men and women and most importantly, yourself. Too many people live outside of themselves and repetitively bounce along the surface of their total being becoming stuck, or fixated, in the constant and noisy chatter that resides on their exterior, sometimes impenetrable shell.

Self-importance goes hand-in-hand with taking things personally, as though people are actually out to get you. And even if they are out to get you, for some unknown and twisted ulterior motive, how could one be so self-important as to take it personally? This is, after all, their drama, their creation and it has nothing to do with you.

In the Journey to Ixtlan Don Juan says, The hardest thing in the world is to assume the mood of a warrior. It is of no use to be sad and complain and feel justified in doing so, believing that someone is always doing something to us. Nobody is doing anything to anybody, much less to a warrior.

Freedom does not include self-importance. It is indulgent behavior and only serves to prevent you from being completely liberated from the drama of the world, a story that doesn’t even belong to you. Or perhaps it is your story that prevents you from being free and everyone who seems to go against the grain of your story is the adversary.

The warrior moves through life with fluidity and ease, letting things go like water rolling off a duck’s back. The warrior doesn’t take anything personally, she recognizes that the drama created by others is exactly that…their drama. The warrior doesn’t get insulted, irritated or aggravated by others actions, words or nuances, she continues on her journey unperturbed, composed and collected, knowing she is one with the source.

The next time someone does something that pushes your buttons or makes you cringe or incites you, take a few breaths and recognize that feeling important makes one heavy, clumsy and vain. To be a warrior one needs to be light and fluid. ~ Don Juan, A Separate Reality