One of the most important
characteristics of a spiritual life is simplicity and humility. All ancient masters
including
Jesus and Buddha displayed these virtues
Humility = Willingness to Learn
Each
one of us is a unique being. There is a divine intention in the life of each
man on earth. We have to learn from everyone. This is the secret of humility.
Therefore,
it is smart to stay a student or disciple on the mysterious path of life
rather than to become a teacher. The following story is being told: A man
searching for God who had traveled many countries in his search for heaven
suddenly found himself on the doorsteps of heaven. The doorkeeper asked him
"Who are you?", and the seeker replied: "I am a teacher".
The doorkeeper requested him to wait and went inside. After a while he
returned and said: "I can't let you in. There is no room for teachers in
the heavenly world. Go back and wash away the hollow words you are clinging to
with the waters of silence."
The
seeker now daily practiced silence and gradually became aware of the words of
the saints, and his self-awareness began to develop. He became humble and
prayed to become a servant to others, to those less fortunate than him and to
the animals. Now the doors of heaven opened before him.
The
humble man saw himself as a disciple. He learned many new things, and he
learned something even more difficult: to unlearn many things he
had learned before.
A wise
man once came to a saint, saying: "Seer of the secret, let me know what I
have to do to live the Divine life." The saint responded: "Go and
unlearn what you have learned, then return and sit here with me".
Humility
is the modesty of the spirit. No knowledge can be attained without a humble
state of mind. When Saint Augustine was asked about the secret of his
spiritual success, he replied: "There are three secrets: The first one is
humbleness, the second is humbleness and third is humbleness. These are the
three rules to adhere to."
The
first level of humbleness prepares the ground for learning; it creates the
right atmosphere by making the mind receptive. As long as a person is proud of
his book knowledge, no spiritual insight can be gained. The second level
helps to understand and grasp the perennial science in its true sense. The
third level finally is the reward.
The
Magic of Humility
Once
the light of the virtue of humility is ignited in a person's soul, darkness
and self-centeredness are gone. The soul no longer lives for itself, but for
God. The soul loses itself in God, lives in God and is touched by God. This is
the magic of humility. It turns the lowest into the highest.
Only
when we realize our nothingness, God steps in and fills us with Self. Where
there is 'I', God is not present. God cannot enter the heart of a
self-centered person. A person who is full of himself sees himself above
others and thereby limits himself. God has no limits. The limitless cannot
enter the limited.
A person
on the path of humility has to renounce his previous lifestyle. He has to give
up upheld opinions and rules he was accustomed to. He has to see life from a
different perspective. The things held high by many lose their value for him.
His values become very different from those of most people. Gourmet food,
beautiful houses, expensive clothes, positions of power and authority, the
approval and applause of others, honors and titles don't mean anything to him.
He is drawn to a simple life.
The
truly humble man is dead for the world and alive for God. Only God dwells
within him. He himself (or: His self) is extinguished. His "I"
has dissolved in the presence of God and only God remains. God acts in him and
through him. God radiates in his eyes and God give blessings through his
hands.
Such people are the
truly strong in this world - they are an enlightenment and inspiration to all.
To meet such people means to come into contact with God. They are living
and walking temples of God. It is them who keep the world in place, without
any single one of them being aware of it or wanting to take any credit for it.
Their minds and hearts are in harmony with all that exists. They give their
love to all creatures, like a loving mother to her children. They have broken
all chains and live in the freedom of God. God fulfils all of their wishes,
because it is God who owns all their wishes. They don't have any wishes of
their own. Therefore, these humble men and women do an important service to
mankind.
The
truly humble man is a truly happy man. Humility means the liberation from the
slavery of our small 'ego' that has the tendency to dominate us and to deprive
us of happiness and bliss. The true way to bliss is the way of humility and
love.
The
truly humble man does not have a need to draw attention upon himself. He lives
in harmony and peace with himself and others. It is the pretentious ego-self
that creates disharmony and separation. Once the deception of the ego-self is
realized and banished, we feel that we are not separated from others but are
all part of the same God, and that we are all committed to be of service.
The
truly modest man does not compare himself with others . He knows that not one
of us is perfect, no matter how highly developed we may be. In the eyes of a
modest man no one is better than the other - he believes in the Divine in each
man.
It
sometimes happens that a person strives to be humble but becomes even more
self-centered. People who try with all their might to be humble have
to realize in the end that one can only be humble when one stops
thinking about being humble. A person who is constantly concerned about how to
be humble is perpetually dealing with himself. True humility, however, means
to be free of the Self, and this includes to be free from the consciousness of
being humble. The truly humble man does not know he is such.
A
person who is following the path of humility but is not yet truly humble will
react unreasonable if others do not pay attention to him or even criticize
him. He will get as upset and angry as his critics. He may suppress his
feelings and not show any reaction, but deep inside he will not forget the
things people did to him or said about him. Their words and deeds will haunt
him and will not let him rest.
The
self-righteous ego can only be subdues gradually, as the soul awakens and
becomes aware of its own true nature. Then, gradually, humility is showing.
This humility is not a weakness but a great strength - strength without
arrogance.
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Being
imperfect means that we are constantly striving to
improve to reach perfection. When we finally 'made it'
we believe
that now we can relax and enjoy life.
To
attain this goal, we develop the most complicated growth
and self awareness techniques, purchase enormous amounts
of books or travel to foreign countries to find our own
personal Shangri-La.
In
this process we forget that we are already home, that we
ourselves manifest the most precious and
intelligent
value of all - life itself.
We
are the perfect product of creation. Imagining ourselves
as being imperfect means to deny life. Our birth is not
the beginning of our life, but the end
result of a long
endeavor.
Life
is the simplest thing on earth.
We
will celebrate life with gratitude.
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Let's
be inspired - Our Weekly Inspiration
Truth
never dies. The ages come and go.
The mountains wear away, the stars retire.
Destruction lays earth's mighty cities low;
And empires, states and dynasties expire;
But caught and handed onward by the wise,
Truth
Never dies.
Though
unreceived and scoffed at through the years;
Though made the butt of ridicule and jest;
Though held aloft for mockery and jeers,
Denied by those of transient power possessed,
Insulted by the insolence of lies,
Truth
never dies.
It
answers not. It does not take offence,
But with a might silence bides its time;
As some great cliff that braves the elements;
And lifts through all the storms its head sublime,
It ever stands, uplifted by the wise;
And
never dies.
As
rests the Sphinx amid Egyptian sands;
As looms on high the snowy peak and crest;
As firm and patient as Gibraltar stands;
So truth, unwearied, waits the era blest
When men shall turn to it with great surprise.
Truth
never dies
Anonymous
For this week's inspiration please visit Let's
Be Inspired
For more inspirations please visit our Inspiration
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Spiritual Links from our Spiritual Marketplace
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uncomplicated way to link the sacred with our day-to-day existence, a
mini-vacation we can treat ourselves to in the midst of our busy,
overstressed lives. Inspired by the author's highly successful and
popular series of noontime workshops with overstressed lawyers,
stockbrokers, and bankers in San Francisco's financial district, Lunchtime
Enlightenment adapts ancient traditions-both eastern and
western-into a thoroughly modern and accessible approach. Blending spiritual and emotional wisdom with motivation, practical
tips, and strategies, Lunchtime Enlightenment shows that
meditation can be fun, accessible, and immediate. The author
introduces a wide range of techniques, including many unique
approaches to releasing stress-from "grounding" meditations
that can center us on a lunch break to a smiling exercise to awaken
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Would
you like to have an unwavering and reliable source of wisdom to
guide your life? An inner resource that gives you unfailing
direction towards your hopes and dreams? Instructions to create
greater peace and harmony in your life? In Divine Intuition,
intuitive consultant Lynn A. Robinson demonstrates that this
wisdom does exist--it comes through the whispers of your soul via
your intuition. Intuition
is part of your birthright, your instructions from a Higher Power,
or whatever you choose to call God. You are constantly surrounded,
filled, and informed by its wisdom, although you may not know how
to access it. Divine intuition is beautifully illustrated to help
you tap into the myriad ways you can receive this invaluable
insight and develop it for practical use in everyday life. Use
this wonderful guide to discover and achieve your life goals.
Begin now to make your dreams come alive.
