Daily Meditation: Thursday, June 13, 2002

Pride and vanity are generally linked, but there are …

06/13/2002

Pride and vanity are generally linked, but there are differences between the two of which we must be aware. Vanity shows itself good, kind and generous; it goes everywhere so that it may be seen, it does good so that it may be noticed, it is helpful so that it may be appreciated. But there is no doubt that it is often harmful to those who manifest it, because it destroys them. Pride, on the other hand, is of no use at all, neither to the individual nor to those around them, because it pushes people to become harsh and contemptuous. A person who is driven by pride wants to be appreciated and respected without doing anything for anyone else. Satisfied with the good opinion they have of themselves, they do not go and parade themselves to the world, they want the world to come to them and discover them. And when they find that people neither respect them nor approve of them, that they are not seen as a superior being, they close up and become morose. With a person who is vain there is at least some light; it may be somewhat hazy, but at least they are doing something to make it shine. The person driven by pride is gloomy, dark, without any light. They are under the influence of Saturn whereas the vain are more under the influence of Jupiter.