Monday, April 5, 2010

Rethinking Selfishness ...

If you, like me, spent any amount of time in Christian circles (& perhaps even in other circles I did not inhabit), then you got a regular, if not daily, dose of "thou shalt not be selfish."

Self was that thing that had to die. I mean, let's just slaughter the thing, and become this nebulosity of spiritual flotsom. Because, y'know, God really hates the essence of who we are (which is, by the way, what God created).

See if this little video clip puts it into perspective for you. (grr! Blogger is being snotty. Won't let me add a video to the text!)

Anywho ... how the heck do we, in human form, opt for selflessness...? Isn't that akin to saying, "I shall cease to be now"...? And, aren't we really all in this boat together, this boat of discovering who we are, the glory of becoming fully human, which includes every facet of our being...? Aren't we here to fully enjoy this material life? This emotionally-laden life? This sensation-infused life?!?

Or is it just me?

Nah, it's not just me...!

What if it's time to stop feeling bad about being human, about being selfish? I notice that Jesus didn't like hanging out with those who saw themselves as spiritually superior. Pretty much, he was hanging with those who were considered "sinners" ... and he didn't act as if he though he was better than they were. What if the ony difference between Jesus and us, is that he was awake, and we're not?

Yeah, I've come to believe that's true. Very.

This isn't about achievement, or trying harder than the next guy, or earning anything ... this is about self-discovery ... and that requires a bit of selfishness. A bit of "this is who I am, and while I invite you to enjoy me, I cannot, and will not, acquiese to who you think I am, or *should* be." There's a bit of becoming our own spiritual authority that's crucial, and so very overdue ...

As deMello says, "... if you achieved enlightenment, you would do so in the interest of self, and you would be lucky."

How many previously-forbidden words can be crammed into one short sentence, LOL! ;)

Shalom, Dena

5 comments:

Don M. said...

I love your last two sentences, you blessed heretic. Hey, I'm getting good at this. "blessed heretic" another oxymoron.

Dena said...

((Don)) Feeling a rush of love for you, my friend...! You ARE getting good at this..!

"Blessed Heretic."

I like that.

May have to get both a bumper sticker AND a t-shirt...!

:)

(Hey - nag Rick about getting those audios from Baytown out...! Wanting to hear whatevertheheck I said!)

Unknown said...

The good of the whole must begin with the good of the individual.. . you
help the world when you help yourself. Remember, we are all one, all
waves in the same ocean, and one man's consciousness of abundance and
well-being with its outer manifestation releases more light into the
race consciousness for the benefit of all. So start with yourself.
(Jason Andrews)

Just a quote that I came across today "randomly" that I thought I would share. Don't usually comment, though I do read all the posts, but today I have found ALOT of confirming articles, too many to list LOL.

My own personal thought as I read was that the second greatest command is to love others as ourselves, how better to love others than to love ourself enough to do/be what we need to be our true self, even if others consider it selfish, in the long run it will be better for our "neighbor", true selfishness is wanting others to be what we think they should be because that is what we desire cause it makes us feel good, not because it IS good for us or them.

Anna

Dena said...

(((Anna)))

You're getting this. You see this.

Wow.

Anonymous said...

Wow, just found this site. Not sure, but you reference Christians as if you used to be one. Where is Jesus in all this reading? Just sayin'...

Amelia