How We See Things
Two great quotes I recently came across are definitely worth sharing.
“We don’t see things the way they are, we see them the way we are.” – Anais Nin
“It is never too late to give up your prejudices.” - Henry David Thoreau
A Twist on Selfishness
The majority who come to spirituality for power, even if they wish to help others with that power, do so for personal reasons. “They” want to improve. “They want to have more abilities, stronger abilities”. Many would say that this approach will not work because it is self centered; but a little twist on this, and a bit of insight, may have you seeing things differently.
God is one consciousness fractionalized into all of the trillions of trillions of beings in the Universe. God’s consciousness fills and permeates all that exists. God is learning in this dimension by using our micro consciousnesses as information gathering centers. In the end, all information returns to the source, the One.
Mystics have talked for thousands of years about realizing the truth of oneness. Gaining the insight that all beings are connected, because all beings are in actuality one being is what spirituality has been seeking since its existence. That one taste. All the forms and variations of consciousness are really variations of the One consciousness. All life and consciousness is an outgrowth of the one consciousness. All is one.
Now take the idea of selfishness in spiritual development. People would probably say that to want to do cool tricks and have different abilities would be a selfish endeavor. But consider that when you develop, God develops. When you experience, God experiences. Since there really is no such thing as separation of being, when you learn, God learns. This idea that “You are God” has been given by many of the masters in history. It is a literally true statement, not just saying something about potential or something about motivation. You aren’t just connected with god, YOU ARE GOD.
Using this knowledge you can put a spin on your practices by changing your perspective. Knowing that any growth you accomplish will help God grow and learn can help you become freer psychologically from the programming that “if you gain, it’s not right”. By acknowledging what you really are, you change your energy from one of a self centered and closed pattern to an open pattern of infinite possibility.
Milarepa, a Tibetan Yogi who gained enlightenment, decided he would be a beacon for all of mankind. That through his efforts, by raising himself to the highest level possible, he would be raising all of mankind with him. We must ask ourselves, how can this be? Is it because he realized at some point that we are all connected, that we are all one? That when I improve, I pave the way for you to improve? That when you improve, it helps me as well?
Eric says that it’s all about how you think, how you view the world. Have you ever looked at something that was dark or far away and it looked like one thing but when you got closer and had a bit more information, you saw it was something completely different? Think about how this piece of information, in this context can change your perspective in a radically new way.
Maybe you can’t accept throwing yourself into service and still want things for yourself. Put a twist on that selfishness and realize it isn’t so selfish at all. When I gain, we all gain. When we gain, God gains. Service is rendered.
Perspective.
Can you move outside of your bubble?