Quote:
Originally Posted by Shivani Devi
Peace and blessings to yourself as well.
Yes, you have really nailed it there. I also feel that being able to apologise is an expression dealing with the ability to take personal responsibility or accountability for one's actions and the ensuing personal vulnerability this engenders.
It may be a sign of the times, but many are afraid of exposure and vulnerability often leads to that... although, as you have rightly pointed out, narcissism isn't just a recent occurrence...it's just becoming more prevalent in recent times, where even crying is seen as a sign of weakness.
There are many things about this I would like to say, but I have just recently gone back on my psych meds and having "cotton wool for brains" is one of the side effects...which the doctor assures me will vanish in a month or two..
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Shivani
no worries...get back to me anytime or whenever your thoughts on this come back round!
I really like how you have stressed the apparently conflict and fear that many have around 1) growing up and taking ownership for your stuff and also 2) growing up and finding the courage to be real about who you are and where you are at.
I could not have said it better. This is what came to my mind after I let your words and JustBe's permeate for a bit...
We may accept and love ourselves and others at any point on our journey in a very simple and unexamined way. We may possess a simple and unexamined humility as well. Yet much of what was held to be truth (, goodness, and love) in the unexamined life will fall away when viewed from centre. And when our simple, reflexive, unexamined goodness is challenged by the dawn of our awakening, then who are we and what do we truly have? Many live as unexamined, and many stumble at the dawn of their awakening.
And thus after the passing of the bliss of ignorance, a metamorphosis must transpire in order live from centre and once again hold authentically to acceptance and love of self and others -- but this time from a place of deep awakening and clarity. So, it's true after all
that the unexamined life is not worth living. And it's also true that what we manifest now is who and what we are now...we are radical acceptance and radical love (authentic love), comprising lovingkindness and equanimity.
Spiritual metamorphosis occurs on the path to living from centre, and thus what we term humility simply becomes ever more a part of who and what you are over time, as you live from the centre in a place of awareness, transparency, and vulnerability. Where manifest acts of reconciliation and honesty and vulnerability are seen as the spiritual pillars of strength and nourishment that they truly are. Rather than being viewed cynically as signs of weakness which the "strong" can exploit and prey upon.
Being humble is just living from centre over time with awareness (the examined life). Over time, the rivers wear down the mountains. Over time, humility yields radical acceptance and radical love. And that is why awakened humility is the bearer of vast reservoirs of grace. The humility necessary for apologies and for reconciliation -- and for self-honesty, acceptance, and ownership -- requires courage, maturity, and grace (faith, trust, gam zu l'tova)...the things which arise day-by-day on our journeys.
(And yes, it helps when you start to look ahead and can see the threads for humanity in future that you want to grasp now...that aids courage and integrity a LOT...hope to talk more on this with you when your head is less woolly
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Peace & blessings
7L