This Week’s Quotation:
I have a simpler way of describing the door to another world of experience. The door is selflessness. And there is no real selflessness without selfless service to a higher reality. I am not talking about charitable works here, per se, as noble as charitable works might be. You could do many charitable works and not pass through this door. Walking through this door, you know the reality of love, which brings oneness. You know beauty unspeakable. You have the opportunity of reclaiming or, to use a religious term, redeeming your own humanity. You have the opportunity to redeem your own soul for the deepening expression of yourself and the reality you know.
~ Becoming a Sun p. 242
The Door Is Selflessness
Author, Becoming a Sun
Have you noticed how attempts at self-improvement can keep you boxed in?
Most of the readers of this blog live in a culture where self-improvement, however, envisioned, is pervasive. So it is little wonder that when it comes to the essential issues of a human life, that is the lens through which we tend to see them. We might attempt to become something or to perform in a way that meets our own expectations or the expectations of others.
However useful those attempts might be on our life path, there is a place beyond which they cannot take us. Because no matter how hard you might try to improve yourself, you are identifying as the person who needs the improvement. And you are applying the standards of that person to your efforts.
Your own perfection can be a hard thing to accept. It can be challenging for a person to realize that they already are love, they are the intelligence of the universe, they are cosmic Presence in human form. But it is true. And only when a person accepts this truth for themselves can they bring it to their human soul.
Is that self-improvement? That’s not how I would describe it. It is selflessness. It is joy. It is fulfillment. It is the satisfaction of being who you are in human form.
What does it mean to become a sun?
Every human being is already a sun on the inside—a being of intense love and light. The difference is that some people have the vision and courage to become a sun on the outside. This difference is our human destiny.
5 Responses
It’s interesting that what you’ve said here implies that no one needs to have self improvement, self awareness or basic consideration ? And only self self improvement can take us so far ?
If you take a baby for instance isn’t it natural for that child to develop and improve as far as possible into adulthood. Along the way parents strive to create a pathway for that baby to enter into a place of self development.
We go to school to be taught even more self improvement otherwise we are either deemed stupid, inadequate or needing further support and attention. The intellectual child obviously does well in this instance and yet there is still room for the intellectual child’s self improvement be it on a behavioural one or simply a reorganisational one.
I needed a great deal of self improvement coming from the background I did, and needed some attention to draw on my intelligence and creative output. My teachers were my hero’s at school, they kept telling me that I could do better that I had more and I followed what they asked of me.
Teachers from all backgrounds are teachers for a reason – they’ve learned their craft to bring the best out in people it a vocation that’s driven by the love of their selflessness in sharing themselves without wanting anything in return. ALL Teachers are Angels of Selflessness.
I look to to great engineering, creatives and designers, artists, physicists, scientific masters, philosophers and of course the great spiritual masters too. Otherwise I wouldn’t be who I am now and I have to give them the credit for making me – me. The authors of all of the inspirational books I’ve read I give them credit for their innate selflessness.
Great family members and great friends have inspired me to be better and to do better too. Watching and being with my family gave me insights I still live by today.
I believe we can go beyond our self and become greater than we ever believed we could – I’m a great believer in the selflessness of Truth, Trust and Open Critique otherwise whatever I did or created which wasn’t good or great could make a huge mess in my life and in my whole way of being. I love being told with the wisdom of an honest companion if the path I’m on is the right one.
What I love dearly is that I know when I’ve got to stop and take stock of what I’m doing and how I’m becoming – when I am in selflessness and stillness God always gives me a sign or an assurance that the life path I’m on is OK or not OK.
I felt lost a few days ago and in my deep stillness the voice God or Christ said step into me and be Christed – you can’t mistake that for a heaven sent message on self improvement now can you.
Be open + Be Still + Listen + Accept the Comment with an open open heart, take stock and be selfless enough to self improve ❤️
thank you. Karen. thank you. I see & feel the deeper essence to which you respond.
Many thanks, David. yes, self-improvement seems to pertain to the self and not to the Self –although I don’t mean to discredit anyone involved in finding their way whatever the approach. That said, I am totally WITH YOU in knowing the joys of selflessness. One rises in joy when what is done is not for an IRS charitable donation receipt, nor for recognition, nor audience, nor money, nor to alleviate guilt, but because it is what I am born to do in God’s ministry .. the world is in ruin due to selfISHness – selfLESSness is the antidote and the liberating freedom of knowing who I truly am. Loving thanks to you. Tom
I am rather saddened that so much of the supposedly spiritual material I receive online is focused on self-improvement. I left that game behind long ago, and it is so good to read and reinforce your own perspective on the matter.
I work in accounting where ‘self improvement’ is constantly enforced with endless fear based continuing professional development. Then one’s employers also learn the trick of trying to convince you you aren’t good enough to extract the last bit of panic reaction they can get out of you, as you sit back and watch constant staff turnover. Eventually with other issues I am looking after, I got sick and the doctor asked if I am experiencing burn out, which is common with the financial pressures of these times. Not an emotionally healthy workplace and once again I wish I had been more aware in choosing a career – the wisdom of experience regret. Then my Lutheran farmer neighbour just delivered hay and we were talking about the dusty dirt roads we share and I said I had complained to Council that while their use had increased, Council’s surfacing hasn’t changed. My neighbour came back with he wouldn’t dare complain, you just go along with the positives and negatives. I came back with that just plays to the bullies, to which he said Is that right? and right now I am wondering who has the more peaceful experience. Good fun really, isn’t it?