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We are all on a path that leads back
to God or the "nameless one who has all names", or
whatever you prefer. We originated there, we each carry
a piece of that and we are all on different points along
that path, a wonderful and most intriguing path. We are
not at better or lesser points, just different. We
are also all connected to each other, other beings and
the earth. How can one indulge in false pride,
judgments or comparisons under these conditions?
According to the dictionary, humility
means to exist in the world and within oneself without
pretense - no pretending. No grandiosity or false pride,
simply being honest and “right sized”. Also no
degradation of self or self-deprecation. As Marian
Williamson points out no-one is served by playing small.
This position requires that one sees the world and their
place in it accurately, a very difficult thing to do.
This position also allows for a better connection with
God. It is up to us to decide who or what can help us on
each of our paths.
It is impossible to be attached
and also to see the world realistically If I am invested
in any particular outcome, I can and will distort
reality. For example, if I am fasting and convince
myself that I need to drink water (fasting means no food
or water in this case) then I will probably drink,
rather than realizing the reality that I am fine.
Another example is if I am in pain and have an
attachment to the idea that I am helpless to overcome
that pain without seeing a doctor and/or taking
medication, then that will probably happen. If, on the
other hand, I believe that I can overcome some or all of
the pain through my own actions such as relaxation,
gentle exercise/stretching, biofeedback and
visualization, that will happen.
I think of myself as tending a
magnificent garden - my life. I can till the soil to
make it ready (become willing). I can also watch over
the garden and hoe the weeds (defects) and even keep the
garden free of pests and disease (attachments). Other
than that, God is in charge. He/she/it takes care of
what gets planted in the garden and supplying the water.
If I start thinking that I am in charge or even aspire
to be in charge, I am in trouble. The biggest problem is
that I will lose my connection and go off into a
non-fulfilling and self-willed life.
Using the garden analogy, if I
decide that one plant is better than another, that is
not humility since that is not my responsibility and I
am not qualified to judge another being. If I compare my
garden with someone else’s and envy theirs or decide
that mine is better, I have diverged from my own
business. Another way that I can diverge is if I attempt
to hide or call attention to parts of my garden. I
simply should do the best I can with the plot of land I
am given. A relatively easy job which leaves me
responsible for myself, what I say and what I do.
I find that viewing myself and the
universe accurately a hard line to walk. When people
tell me that I changed their lives, I need to realize
it’s not me. I am the tool and I do many things to
continue to be a good tool, but I am clearly not in
charge. On the opposite side if they tell me that I have
destroyed their lives, it usually means simply that I
have been led to help them confront one of their
attachments. I certainly take a regular inventory of my
own words and actions and aspire to always act out of
love, rather than fear. I speak the truth, when asked,
to heal not hurt. |