Page 355 - Mystic Pathways through the Bible

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many negative impediments develop in life. Hatred, greed and sel shness torture human relationships and cause chaos within the world.
As you go on sacri cing your egoistic attitudes with vigilance and valor, you constantly af rm the Cross. If you only pursue the individualized, physical life of your personality, you gain nothing. But if you stop clinging to individuality—a development that is possible in the state of Enlightenment, you gain eternal life. This is what Jesus implied when he spoke to his disciples about taking up the Cross.
According to Raja Yoga, there are ve kleshas, or af ictions of the unconscious: avidya, asmita, raga, dwesha, and abhinivesha. Avidya is ignorance. Out of ignorance arises asmita, or egoism. Egoism sets up two currents: raga and dwesha, or attachment and hatred. These create karmic entanglements causing one to become attached to one’s physical life. This attachment or “clinging” to physical life is called abhinivesha. These kleshas are eradicated when one takes up the Cross.
The vertical movement of transcending ego negates the horizontal movement of a life steeped in ignorance. This uplifting movement is the secret of bearing the Cross in your everyday life. Instead of perpetuating the same egoistic vision of life, caught in the repetitive boredom of sensual enjoyments, include the vertical, transcendental