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