I don’t think in terms of “I am proud of…”
I just remembered that I’d started saying something about this last night before we sat down for meditation. I’d like to explain…
Generally, when we say that we’re proud of something or someone, we’re speaking in terms of a personal and individual achievement. Even when we say we’re proud of our team, we’re still thinking of the individuals in the team who’ve done well collectively.
Now, why isn’t that either helpful or accurate?
Because anything good that is achieved comes from one source and one source only – Love. The individual, personal mind-body is the INSTRUMENT through which Love accomplishes anything…In fact, Love doesn’t ACCOMPLISH. Rather, it CREATES. Love is the creative life force and all its natural impulse is a creative impulse.
So, when we say “I am proud of…” what or who are we giving credit to?
As an analogy…We might have the most elegant, efficient, comfortable car. And we might be prone to mindlessly praise the machine describing with much delight its wonderful attributes.
Meanwhile, we forget that the car was designed by someone and it is that designer, that creator of such a car that is deserving of our praise or, as I prefer, appreciation. (Remember, this is an analogy and I am not suggesting that ultimate credit should be given to the person-designer).
If I’m giving credit to the mind-body, I’m missing the point completely. And not only do I miss the point, I encourage others to miss it too.
This is why you would have heard me say that I don’t take or wish to take credit for anything that this mind-body called Lucy appears to have achieved or accomplished. It is always the one source – Love – Life – that brings everything into being using the instrument of the mind-body. And I want to always turn my gaze of APPRECIATION toward that one source and in so doing, encourage others to turn their gaze toward the same source.
Put another way, ‘pride’ only has meaning when credit is given and taken personally. But when credit is given to the only source and cause of all things good, APPRECIATION is felt toward that UNIVERSAL source/cause which is Love, Life, God…
Appreciate and thank the source for its marvellous workmanship in the creation of a mind-body and all that it creates through that mind-body! And realize (through meditation) that, YOU are the source, not the mind-body! YOU are the WATER of both the ocean and the wave, the collective and the individual.
REFLECTION
Is it more meaningful to give credit to the one source of all that is, (including the cosmos and the intricate organization of cells and organs in your body) or to the individual forms of that creative source? Are these forms (human and other) capable of anything without this one source?
CALL TO ACTION
Take some time today to notice the many forms of creation – trees, sky, ocean, babies, birds, television, the stars…
HEALING STATEMENT
If the only prayer we ever say is ‘thank you’, that would be enough
MEISTER ECKHART
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