In the philosophy of Kundalini Yoga, there's a central principle: Ek Ong Kar. It describes the fundamental oneness — the deep connectedness — of everything that is.
Yogi Bhajan, who brought Kundalini Yoga to the West, translated this wisdom for everyday life into five concise guiding principles, the “Sutras of the Aquarian Age.” The first, and perhaps most powerful, explains “Ek Ong Kar” as:
“Recognize that the other person is you.”
Let's follow this thought all the way through.
If we take this sentence completely literally and treat it as a psychological axiom, our entire perception of the world shifts. What happens if we assume that every encounter — no matter how fleeting or intense — is an encounter with ourselves?
It means:
Everything another person triggers in us happens exclusively within our own system. The other person merely provides the impulse; the resonance, the feeling, and the judgment arise within us.
So what does that say about our anger? About our longing? About what we actually want, need, but maybe can't yet name clearly? What if our reaction to the trigger doesn't primarily say something about the other person — but about us?
The Mirror of Potential
This logic works in every direction. We often use it to understand conflict, but it's equally the key to your own greatness:
• Admiration – the mirror of your values
When you're impressed by how appreciatively someone acts, this encounter shows you an attitude that's already present within you. You sense: this belongs to me — and I'm ready to live it.
• Anger and friction – the mirror of your shadow aspects
When someone's manner challenges you or makes you angry, this mirror shows you a blind spot. A part of you is seeking boundaries, space, or expression — and has been overlooked until now.
• Envy – the mirror of your untapped potential
When you meet someone who makes bold decisions, takes risks, or makes themselves visible, and you feel envy, that feeling shows you a potential within you that's waiting to be lived.
• Insecurity – the mirror of your inner stability
Some people unsettle you because they're very clear, direct, or analytical. This insecurity shows you where you don't yet know your own boundaries, or don't voice them. The other person makes visible where you're allowed to strengthen yourself.
In this way, the person in front of you becomes the most precise diagnostic tool for your own inner world.
The mindshift: From Demanding to Discovering
The conventional reaction to strong emotions in our interactions with others is to demand that they change. We invest enormous energy trying to correct other people's behavior so that we feel better.
The mindshift that the principle “the other person is you” sets in motion leads us into full self-efficacy.
Instead of trying to make the outer world fit, we use the other person's impulse to discover a blind spot about ourselves.
When we work with conflicts, relationship issues, or situations involving other people, this is exactly where we start. We look at what arises within us in contact with the other person — anger, shame, envy, admiration, insecurity. We acknowledge that this feeling belongs to us. And then we ask: which part of ourselves are we recognizing here?
What Does This Mean for Your Work With Me?
When you work with me, you'll experience that we use exactly this perspective:
Observation: You notice what arises within you in contact with others (joy, pride, shame, anger, envy, insecurity).
Ownership: You acknowledge that this feeling is 100% yours. The other person is the trigger; you are the creator of the reaction.
Exploration: You ask yourself: “Which part of me am I recognizing here?”
Growth: You work with this newly discovered aspect within yourself.
By no longer seeing the other person as a “problem” or a “solution,” you reclaim your freedom. You recognize that you're in a constant dialogue with yourself — moderated by the people around you.
That is the essence of Ek Ong Kar in modern life: a deep bow to the recognition that we are never separate.
Every encounter is a chance to learn a little more about yourself — about your feelings, needs, triggers, and heartfelt wishes — and to actively engage with them.
If this idea makes you curious — about the approach, about the work, about yourself — then let's talk.
the mindshift
Veränderung. Bewusst. Gestalten.
Saskia Ricker
welcome@the-mindshift.de
(+49) 157 - 39350887
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