Spiritual resource to share: self-examination and relationships
I was reading a self-help article in a popular magazine the other day. It suggested that the way out of a snarly relationship issue may be to write a letter to that person (the snarler, no doubt) and share all your concerns and hurts and criticisms. Then after you have written it all down, you (the snarlee) are to erase that person's name and replace it with your own. Then re-read it with your name at the top.
Ouch.
But I saw that there was great merit to this. It is based in part by the timeless idea of casting the log out of one's own eye before removing the speck in your neighbor's. Many of you will recognize this from Christ Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. (See the Bible Matthew chapters 5 to 7.) We won't see what is snarly unless we know it. And we may know it because we may already be acting a bit snarly ourselves. This little letter writing exercise helps to uncover that in thought.
But Christ Jesus' work takes us farther than this exercise. His healing work was based on the principle of perfect God and perfect man. He could see "the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals." In Christian Science, we are taught to see the perfect man, and this starts with ourselves. We are made in the image and likeness of God. We are not a mass of unresolved issues, reactions and temptations. We are made to be the expressed likeness of all that is good, pure, productive and brilliant.
And so are others.
The deepest self-examination takes humility to pierce the self-imposed justifications and condemnations that may be jamming the systems of our thought to reveal God's very loved and lovely man or woman (or child). Letting go of the log of false and hurtful view of ourselves frees us to be at peace with the child whom God has created. This brings more freedom - because now we can see others - without a speck - and in the clearer light of God's creating.
Showing posts with label pride. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pride. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, July 07, 2008
having fun with humility
Spiritual resource to share: freedom from limitations
It has gotten to a point where I can recognize the tight binding that happens with pride. It sometimes comes into thought as an affront - like when I am deeply offended by someone's actions. Justification is quick to follow, proving why they are wrong and I am right. Ego stomps around with claims of how I am more smart, more right, more experienced, blah blah blah. Then it grows to a crescendo and then I recognize that all this grandstanding is empty. Totally empty.
Humility is the genius of Christian Science* and I am ready to let go of all of ego's claims to personal superiority (good riddance!) and wait expectantly to see God (as Love) move the situation from binding and limiting to freeing and spontaneously joyful solutions.
I realize I have nothing to lose! That God truly is omnipotent and in charge. That good is not helpless and evil or "error, urged to its final limits, is self-destroyed." I can stand back and see God work. My trust in God continues to grow. I see more clearly that my purpose is to glorify God and not my own agenda. I actively and insistently resist anything unGodlike in my own thinking and refuse to entertain anything unGodlike about others.
I love the surprise of God. God tenderly cares for each one of Her children and is leading us all to greater peace, understanding and harmony. I trust God to be always talking to each of His ideas/Her children, just as I trust God is constantly communicating to me. The more I dive into humility, the more I can let go of self and swim around in a sea of growing possibilities. I can trust God's action to bring about good exponential blessings and peace. I can also trust error to dissolve itself for lack of an audience and lack of attraction.
Can I say this is fun? Well, yes! I have nothing to lose by giving up my pride. I replace it with a growing confidence that God governs and we all have a irreplaceable role in glorifying God.
* See Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy, p. 356
To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.
It has gotten to a point where I can recognize the tight binding that happens with pride. It sometimes comes into thought as an affront - like when I am deeply offended by someone's actions. Justification is quick to follow, proving why they are wrong and I am right. Ego stomps around with claims of how I am more smart, more right, more experienced, blah blah blah. Then it grows to a crescendo and then I recognize that all this grandstanding is empty. Totally empty.
Humility is the genius of Christian Science* and I am ready to let go of all of ego's claims to personal superiority (good riddance!) and wait expectantly to see God (as Love) move the situation from binding and limiting to freeing and spontaneously joyful solutions.
I realize I have nothing to lose! That God truly is omnipotent and in charge. That good is not helpless and evil or "error, urged to its final limits, is self-destroyed." I can stand back and see God work. My trust in God continues to grow. I see more clearly that my purpose is to glorify God and not my own agenda. I actively and insistently resist anything unGodlike in my own thinking and refuse to entertain anything unGodlike about others.
I love the surprise of God. God tenderly cares for each one of Her children and is leading us all to greater peace, understanding and harmony. I trust God to be always talking to each of His ideas/Her children, just as I trust God is constantly communicating to me. The more I dive into humility, the more I can let go of self and swim around in a sea of growing possibilities. I can trust God's action to bring about good exponential blessings and peace. I can also trust error to dissolve itself for lack of an audience and lack of attraction.
Can I say this is fun? Well, yes! I have nothing to lose by giving up my pride. I replace it with a growing confidence that God governs and we all have a irreplaceable role in glorifying God.
* See Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy, p. 356
To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.
Monday, April 28, 2008
River Lesson #5367
Spiritual resource to share: full engagement
I have learned so much from rivers. Rivers were a big part of my life for about ten years as a raft guide and whitewater kayaker and racer. Next to the the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, I probably learned more life lessons from this one natural resource than all others!
This lesson, lovingly called #5367, was about putting down the pride of accomplishment and fully engaging in the present state of things.
With rafting, I learned how to get a group of novices to work together quickly to play in the rapids and have fun; with kayaking, I learned much about overcoming fear and being able to trust; with racing, I learned how to sharpen my skills and got stronger, faster and more accurate with each race I took on.
HOWEVER, whenever I got to the river, got in my boat, and stuck my paddle in the first current, I noticed how unimpressed the river would be with all of my past accomplishments. Nothing from my past mattered except what I could put to use that day, that moment on the river.
In all my runs – whether it was with a group in a raft, or on my own in my kayak – I was successful when I was committed to the moment. And by successful I mean that I could experience the full joy of dominion over fear, of blending with the strength of the river and of increasing skill.
So, how does this translate?
When an experience is new to me or some new element or person has come into my experience, I find this lesson very helpful.
When the pride of experience tempts me to plow through another’s obstruction, I remember that a river flows around the rocks, and I am careful not to get caught in the eddy of turbulent water behind the rock. I can be gentle, yielding, and not get caught up on a rock!
When another challenges how I do things, I remember to not stand on the things I did in the past, but on what wisdom directs me to do now. Progress is a law of God and so is constantly working. I can listen.
The river is constant; constantly moving and will find its own level. God is constant, and as God’s expression, we are constantly moving and expressing all of God’s qualities. We will all find our own level of expression that is full and satisfying, strong and enduring and joy-full!
Mary Baker Eddy shares these ideas from an article from Miscellaneous Writings (p. 224):
To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.
I have learned so much from rivers. Rivers were a big part of my life for about ten years as a raft guide and whitewater kayaker and racer. Next to the the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, I probably learned more life lessons from this one natural resource than all others!
This lesson, lovingly called #5367, was about putting down the pride of accomplishment and fully engaging in the present state of things.
With rafting, I learned how to get a group of novices to work together quickly to play in the rapids and have fun; with kayaking, I learned much about overcoming fear and being able to trust; with racing, I learned how to sharpen my skills and got stronger, faster and more accurate with each race I took on.
HOWEVER, whenever I got to the river, got in my boat, and stuck my paddle in the first current, I noticed how unimpressed the river would be with all of my past accomplishments. Nothing from my past mattered except what I could put to use that day, that moment on the river.
In all my runs – whether it was with a group in a raft, or on my own in my kayak – I was successful when I was committed to the moment. And by successful I mean that I could experience the full joy of dominion over fear, of blending with the strength of the river and of increasing skill.
So, how does this translate?
When an experience is new to me or some new element or person has come into my experience, I find this lesson very helpful.
When the pride of experience tempts me to plow through another’s obstruction, I remember that a river flows around the rocks, and I am careful not to get caught in the eddy of turbulent water behind the rock. I can be gentle, yielding, and not get caught up on a rock!
When another challenges how I do things, I remember to not stand on the things I did in the past, but on what wisdom directs me to do now. Progress is a law of God and so is constantly working. I can listen.
The river is constant; constantly moving and will find its own level. God is constant, and as God’s expression, we are constantly moving and expressing all of God’s qualities. We will all find our own level of expression that is full and satisfying, strong and enduring and joy-full!
Mary Baker Eddy shares these ideas from an article from Miscellaneous Writings (p. 224):
We should remember that the world is wide; that there are a thousand million different human wills, opinions, ambitions, tastes, and loves; that each person has a different history, constitution, culture, character, from all the rest; that human life is the work, the play, the ceaseless action and reaction upon each other of these different atoms.
Then, we should go forth into life with the smallest expectations, but with the largest patience; with a keen relish for and appreciation of everything beautiful, great, and good, but with a temper so genial that the friction of the world shall not wear upon our sensibilities; with an equanimity so settled that no passing breath nor accidental disturbance shall agitate or ruffle it; with a charity broad enough to cover the whole world's evil, and sweet enough to neutralize what is bitter in it.....
To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.
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