Comparing your spirituality with others?

[hellabomer]

I know that each one of us are equal, as we have originated from the same source.

1.) But as I am gaining spiritual knowledge and wisdom, how can I stop myself from feeling superior to others?

2.) As I am working on my own path, my ego is very loud. It makes me feel like if someone else is also doing good deeds, it somehow reduces my value. How can I focus on just myself while being appreciative of others?

[Starman]

Humility is the whole notion behind worshipping a deity, a guru, or spiritual teacher, someone outside of yourself whom you hold in reverence. Humility is extremely important because ego can only take you so far and arrogance will hurt after awhile if it is regularly embraced; it will make you miserable. I think if you do some volunteer work without pay, manual labor involving heavy lifting, digging a ditch, etc. That might help. If you really want to confront your ego do some volunteer work at a hospice with people who are dying; empty their urinal or bedpan, etc. Do what your ego might consider some “lowly” kind of work.

My guru would not show me how to meditate until I had done a lot of selfless service, and I am glad he did that because it humbled me to the point where my meditation practice really took off right from the beginning. People who have not gone through any type of preparation, reading the Bible or other spiritual literature, etc., usually only end up strengthening their own ego. An it is helpful while going through that preparatory stage to have a knowledgeable spiritual teacher to guide you.

Saying “namaste” to people and knowing what that means, thinking of everyone as your brother or sister, understanding that the only one you are competing with is your own self, understanding what it means to surrender, knowing that your consciousness will only expand if you have compassion for others, and realizing that your connection with the cosmos dictates if you lift someone else up you also lift yourself up and if you put someone else down you do the same to yourself; all of these, and much more, if practiced regularly can slowly bring about some humility. Fact is humility must be genuine an not just said or done with a hidden agenda. What you are going through now is part of your spiritual journey.

[sea-dove]

Originally Posted by hellabomer

I know that each one of us are equal, as we have originated from the same source.

1.) But as I am gaining spiritual knowledge and wisdom, how can I stop myself from feeling superior to others?

2.) As I am working on my own path, my ego is very loud. It makes me feel like if someone else is also doing good deeds, it somehow reduces my value. How can I focus on just myself while being appreciative of others?

One irronic thing is the moment we feel superior to others, we are no longer superior to them as we are coming from ego instead of just oneness Maybe that is something you can think about when you feel like this to help get your thoughts back in check.

Ive never felt that second so dont feel like Im a good one to comment on it having no experience with that. Can you expose yourself more to that second thing till you have taught yourself how to feel the right way about it? eg go out volunteering but with someone else doing the main role so you are like the underdog with it and doing something of less importance then the other. I believe that people can train themselves in right thinking with practice and thought.

[wolfgaze]

It's not uncommon for some individuals to experience their egoic identity becoming inflated (to varying degrees) during the course of their spiritual seeking - usually during the earlier stages of the process... To what degree that happens and for how long it persists - well that's up to the individual in question. This happens because the preexisting foundation of 'self' (egoic mind influence and egoic identity) is still fairly strong and well rooted. So the experience of gaining knowledge/wisdom, and the increasing sense of empowerment and also the freed up internal energy - well sometimes individuals will allow those 'gains' to go to their head (figuratively speaking), and this serves to maintain the attachment to the egoic identity (separateness, ranking others, need to feel above/superior to others). This development could be viewed as a transitory 'phase' for many individuals, one which they necessarily have to work their way through. Eventually after sufficient inner-work, the balance will be shifted in the opposite direction and towards the 'spiritual self', while the egoic identity increasingly loses its former influence.

As far as your Question #1 (and it's great that you are even asking about this), how do you stop yourself from doing this? Keep catching yourself in the act! And by 'catching yourself', I mean becoming aware that you are doing this when you are actually doing it. Then it's like you take a step back in that present moment and assume the Observer or Watcher perspective - and you observe/watch what has just been unfolding within you (essentially the activity of the egoic mind)... The repeated act of catching yourself doing this, taking a step back, and watching/observing the internal 'activity' that was playing out - this will serve to weaken that habit/tendency/inclination. It's like you are tapping into a heightened state of awareness when you are able to do this - and this will simultaneously serve to withdraw conscious energy that was previously being channeled to the egoic mind and generating the counterproductive mental activity. Like any learned skill, the more you practice, the more adept you become and the easier it is to do. Over time, you will find yourself increasingly pulling back from and relinquishing your former egoic mind identification, and with this shift/transition transpiring you will be increasingly opening the door for your spiritual identity (sense of self) to move in and further establish itself within your state of consciousness. : D

(It's really late for me and my thinking isn't the sharpest at the moment... If anything I communicated above is unclear, please let me know and I'll do my best to clarify...)

[knightofalbion]

The first lesson of wisdom is realising how little you know!
And realising how much of the Journey still lies ahead of you.

Facts that should leave you with both humility and aspiration.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by hellabomer

I know that each one of us are equal, as we have originated from the same source.

1.) But as I am gaining spiritual knowledge and wisdom, how can I stop myself from feeling superior to others?

2.) As I am working on my own path, my ego is very loud.
It makes me feel like if someone else is also doing good deeds, it somehow reduces my value.
How can I focus on just myself while being appreciative of others?

First, nothing has the power to make you feel anything, you don't have
some button someone is pressing from outside.
You have the control to not think these thoughts that create these
unwanted emotions.
You have power over the ego...you are not your ego...you are a pure and
kind soul on your way to more knowledge and awareness as to
who you really are and where you came from.
You're on The Path!

You may be in the 5th grade spiritually ...but that doesn't mean your younger
brother in the 3rd grade is inferior.
You are there to be a guiding light of inspiration to him, even if he has to repeat the class.

Hope these images help.

Seems the ole gang came with fantastic posts again...

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by hellabomer

I know that each one of us are equal, as we have originated from the same source.

1.) But as I am gaining spiritual knowledge and wisdom, how can I stop myself from feeling superior to others?

2.) As I am working on my own path, my ego is very loud. It makes me feel like if someone else is also doing good deeds, it somehow reduces my value. How can I focus on just myself while being appreciative of others?

I've always felt that the first step in growth is recognizing within yourself the things you would like to change. I take such things as an opportunity to understand myself better. After that the door is open for what lies behind it which you humbly realize over time that you do not know nor cannot know what it will be. You don't know what you don't know lol

[Hobbes]

Originally Posted by hellabomer

I know that each one of us are equal, as we have originated from the same source.

1.) But as I am gaining spiritual knowledge and wisdom, how can I stop myself from feeling superior to others?

2.) As I am working on my own path, my ego is very loud. It makes me feel like if someone else is also doing good deeds, it somehow reduces my value. How can I focus on just myself while being appreciative of others?

By realizing that everyone's spiritual path is different. It is not that you are superior, it is that your spiritual path is vastly different than others.

the Ego body is a tough one. This is something that every human being has to work on on a consistent basis, much like taking your car in for an oil change or tire rotation. It is not a simple thing to bring your Ego into harmony with your spiritual nature. Take it one day at a time.

If you have thoughts or feelings that you think is coming from your ego and you want to quiet it down simply say to your ego 'thank you i appreciate you, and all that you bring to me, but i got this.'

the spiritual path is not an easy one, especially if you are 'going it alone'.

Give yourself time and be gentle with yourself.

and remember, a spiritual path is not a race. God has waited millions of years for his/her children to return home, so god is i am sure willing to wait a few more days :)

---
With love and light.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by hellabomer

I know that each one of us are equal, as we have originated from the same source.

1.) But as I am gaining spiritual knowledge and wisdom, how can I stop myself from feeling superior to others?

2.) As I am working on my own path, my ego is very loud. It makes me feel like if someone else is also doing good deeds, it somehow reduces my value. How can I focus on just myself while being appreciative of others?

Namaste.

Nobody knows you better than your own subconscious mind does, my friend.

As you progress/gain in spiritual knowledge and awareness, you'll see just how much of a rude, mean, sarcastic and arrogant pain in the butt your own trained monkey can be to itself - like Jiminy Cricket sitting on your shoulder - or having the 'devil' on your right and an 'angel' on your left...meanwhile you are there, closing your ears and telling both to 'get lost'...

Sometimes you can work with it and be just as 'superior' and 'all-knowing' and 'god-awareness' and all 'egotistical' all back to it - if you want to be in for endless laughs and leaps and bounds made in spiritual awareness, just do it...yeah, like "how can you be God, when I am God? c'mon".

I don't subscribe to the whole 'humility theory' either really...I am a Leo in every sense of the sign...

Yeah, so I allow myself to feel all 'superior' to others - why not? You are probably going to feel all 'superior' to me as well....mmmokay, fine, I'm cool with that...you can talk to me all you like and I will listen and accommodate you up to a point, but if you cross the line, I'm just gonna totally switch off, pretend I am listening to you (I will actually hear every word you say, but won't be listening) and I will start just going into meditation on the spot, with a 'oh, I am being so 'superior' here'...but it pays off eventually...using the ego to slay itself or 'committing spiritual suicide' pays off, eventually...

I have a very loud ego as well, but if you have something else 'taking all the credit' for your charitable deeds, it's not your ego....until you start arguing with it, of course 'Yeah, so look what I just did?' and you get; 'look what who just did?' it's a veritable pain in the butt until one day, you just say 'whatever it is, whatever is out there is just bigger and better than all this petty, insignificant mental regurgitations' and you just forget about it and move on, doing whatever you need to do and thinking only about that and nothing else.

The 'appreciation thing' will happen by itself over time.

Originally Posted by hellabomer

I know that each one of us are equal, as we have originated from the same source.

1.) But as I am gaining spiritual knowledge and wisdom, how can I stop myself from feeling superior to others?

1. By knowing there are countless other more superior than you. And -

2. Helping them to start or progress along their paths.

= = = =
It isn't something I'd care to do, compare my personal spirituality (even if I knew what it was) to others. We're all on our own paths. I agree than a great swathe of
humanity is caught in the mundane so all I can do is try to set an example that maybe works on 1:1000, not that I meet 1000 people in any short space of time!

....