One thing that has been most challenging for me is developing humility. For most of my life I had a carefully managed insecurity that led me to act with false assurance, bravado and confidence. I was so identified with the false self, the ego self, that I didn’t know my true identity as a spiritual being.
I had this belief that there was something truly, deeply and inexplicably WRONG with me. I worked so hard to keep it hidden. I was constantly coping with it. It was EXHAUSTING, plus, as long as I was thinking those thoughts about myself I was unable to truly express my gifts and talents in the world. I felt that life was full of betrayals.
Catch this: I felt that life was full of betrayals because I was betraying myself by thinking that I was that false, ego self that was so wrong. I was betraying myself! My life reflected that back to me because it had to: All thought produces form at some level. My life experience was the form.
For me, it was a steady stream of humiliation.
I had no humility. I had only hubris, ego and defensiveness.
I learned to practice forgiveness.
I learned that true forgiveness is non-judgment.
And I FINALLY saw what had been hidden from me my whole life: humility is the key that unlocks the door to spiritual awakening awareness. WOW!!
In the year-long Masterful Living Course 2013 one of the most fundamental things we do is practice remembering our true identity and disconnecting from the false identity, the ego. You get to practice being authentic and transparent in a safe, loving and supportive spiritual family. You get to practice having true humility.
There is NO advantage to pretending you are more advanced than you are. We are all ONE and we all get there in the end. Very often the one who seems to be an advanced student is one who has read more books, yet had less practice. The fastest path to advancement is authenticity, transparency and cultivating humility. Haven’t you already learned that you can choose true humility or humiliation? Haven’t we had enough of feeling ashamed?
Shame is of the ego and is our teacher.
No one in this human experience is better than anyone else and no one is less than anyone else.
None of us is even equal to the other.
We are ONE. ONE!
This is what every true spiritual student is intending to have a FULL understanding of ASAP. It is your willingness that walks you to that door of understanding. Authenticity is so healing. Authenticity is inspiring!
When you align with your true identity – you will be so happy to keep it REAL.
Now, I make mistakes every day, but I don’t feel ashamed or humiliated. I AM a LEARNER and I AM learning! I AM waking up and in that process I am discovering things. I often feel vulnerable and can see that it is simply a call to my heart for strength to choose love and compassion.
This is the spiritual practice of healing the mind from thinking it is separate and I rejoice to take another step!
Thank you for walking this journey with me!