OK, I haven't done one of these profound blogs in a while, but I have had lots of thoughts running around in my ehad (that's typo for head) since last night and I gotta write em down.
This is sort of about service to others and sort of about ego. Let's see....
I was in a meeting last night where some of the consultation turned into slamming an individual or two or three. Finally one person in the meeting spoke up and said they were not comfortable with the way we were talking and I had to agree with this person and I immediately felt ashamed that I had allowed myself to speak so condescendingly of another even if I did feel I had reason to complain. But that whole incident got me to thinking and thinking and thinking and I was lucky to be able to go to sleep last night for all of my thoughts.
And now that I have had a whole day of other tasks to distract my mind from my thoughts I don't know if I can get em all back but I will try.
I came up with a question I can ask myself, anyone can ask themselves, when I next offer to do a service for someone. Do I want to serve or do I want recognition? Here is what I think happens. I (my higher/spiritual nature) want to serve, but my lower nature/ego/insistent self wants recognition. Such a dilemma until you realize which nature you want to rule in your life. I want my higher nature to rule. My ego has other ideas.
Back to the question: Do I want to serve or do I want recognition? One is for God, the other is for self. Should I do things for God or for my self? I think you know where I am going with this.
Anyway, there are signs you can look for to determine if self is acting or if spirit is acting.
Finding faults in others---self or spirit?---you guessed it! And I put this one first because it is so easy to go through this list below and see someone else when you come across the negative ones rather than seeing yourself.
Jealousy--
Patience--
"My way or the highway" type thinking--
Consultation--
Love--
Putting oneself in the other person's shoes--
Anger--
Hurt feelings-- (is this one tricky?)--the answer is self or ego.
Consideration--
Kindness--
Insisting on one's own opinion--
Gratitude--
Focusing on another person's strengths--
I think you get what I am getting at. Anyway, the self/ego must consistently be monitored. It is so strong, determined , persistent, insistent and sneaky!
Here is a prayer one can say before taking on a task of any kind:
O God! Make me a hollow reed, from which the pith of self hath been blown, that I may become a clear channel through which Thy love may flow to others.
The "Hollow Reed" prayer often attributed to 'Abdu'l-Bahá is an excerpt from a longer prayer actually written by George Townshend.
(The Universal House of Justice, 1992 Sept 27, Authenticity of Some Well-known Prayers)
and another little but powerful one:
O God, guide me, protect me, make of me a shining lamp and a brilliant star. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful.
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá
Have you ever heard this phrase: "Check your ego at the door!" I don't know where it is from. Does anyone out there know? Maybe I made it up.
Oh, also while you are visiting my blog, check out the newest one I am following, by my Aunt Anne. It should be in the list at the right.
Thanks for reading! Oh, and for your own blog to be at the top of the list you have to update it frequently. Most recent posts get put at the top. I don't have control over that.
