Sometimes things work out so well, that a sort of pride arises and I imagine having everything under control by being able to direct the world in whatever way I like.
However, as commonly known, pride goes before a fall because such pride tempts to be careless and perhaps one might oversee things that should better be taken care of by protecting oneself.
As long as our soul resides in this earthly body, there are always new things to be discovered and it is advisable to be cautious.
Therefore, humbleness is a good idea in order to be less vulnerable for provocations and in order to look at things from a certain distance instead of feeling threatened. It makes it easier to remain in a state of love etc.
Nevertheless, an exaggerated humbleness can easily become a dogma. Probably neither pride nor distorted humbleness are useful for best results. Anyway, what exactly are 'best' results? Is it not more about having all potential experiences that are possible within the entire range here on earth?
Within some Shaolin Monasteries humbleness is explicitly exercised before anything else is taught.
New arrivals simply have to carry water buckets for a long time at first. They take one water bucket from one barrel and pour it in another until the first barrel is empty. Then they start from the beginning by taking the water from the second barrel back to the first, bucket by bucket.
This exercise certainly does have various effects on different levels, especially as pride disappears and a deep healthy humbleness arises.
Previously very important issues become meaningless and the mind easily comes to a rest because there is nothing else, nothing more important than carrying the water bucket by bucket.
Sometimes I think such an exercise might have spared a lot. Anyhow, there are many ways to get to the bottom of things.
Proudly falling on one's face and humbly getting up again is one
of many possibilities in order to empirically figure out the consequences
of one's actions. Every path has its validity and its sense.