Spirituality and Humor
Humility, a term widely used but hardly followed. As the years go by the term is getting further and further away from its true meaning.
Here, I am not referring to the kind shown by the celebrities in their interviews or in the award ceremonies or the one shown by us in our day to day conversations, when we don’t mean what we are saying. We do it so as to be politically correct and it doesn’t require much effort.
True humility can not be achieved by our efforts alone, however hard we may try. One needs His help and to be eligible for that one got to be the member of the “Total Surrender” club.
A humble person, like other virtuous person doesn’t have to carry a placard about how humble he is but it shows in the way he goes about living his life. As you go further in the path of life, holding His finger, like a child holding his father’s when he has just begun to walk, He tells you stuff that only He can tell. The trouble begins when you let go of the finger and think you are big enough to take a walk by yourself. Though you may succeed on a scale in which the world measures success, but deep within, there is always an emptiness which no amount of money can fill. One may be the richest person on the planet but he is vulnerable and can be easily shaken by other people’s remarks. His wealth doesn’t help him to absorb that shock.
The journey to humility can be started at any point in time, though it’s hard to be humble when you are young and not so experienced with the ways of life, which are harsh but just.
As I said the first step to living a life worth living would be to surrender to Him, unconditionally and then make a conscious effort to achieve your goal. A daily discussion with self at the wrapping up part of the day, can be very useful in assessing what all went wrong during the day, when you weren’t humble enough or when the ego in you beat you in your resolve.
There is so much joy in being humble which the ego in us can never even imagine, is possible. Always place others, including inanimate objects, before you and the humility will start manifesting itself, like the hint of the sapling out of the Mother Earth of a seed sown.
These hints by no means are easy to follow nor the results achieved in one lifetime. These are things we must sincerely strive for, for our own good. The sensual pleasures last no more than a few moments but these pleasures out of humility are eternal and count in improving the quality of life, which has nothing to do with materialism.
I am on the path now. I am, by no means, a big achiever but because of “Total Surrender”, I at least see where I have to go. I am trying and it’s such a beautiful journey.
Here in Doon the “Cuckoo Fest” has begun and you can hear them singing all day long. The butterflies are fluttering, the dragonflies are jetting and Mother Earth has changed to her garb of green during this season of rains.
Today I bring you a recent sundown as viewed from our home.
Here, I am not referring to the kind shown by the celebrities in their interviews or in the award ceremonies or the one shown by us in our day to day conversations, when we don’t mean what we are saying. We do it so as to be politically correct and it doesn’t require much effort.
True humility can not be achieved by our efforts alone, however hard we may try. One needs His help and to be eligible for that one got to be the member of the “Total Surrender” club.
A humble person, like other virtuous person doesn’t have to carry a placard about how humble he is but it shows in the way he goes about living his life. As you go further in the path of life, holding His finger, like a child holding his father’s when he has just begun to walk, He tells you stuff that only He can tell. The trouble begins when you let go of the finger and think you are big enough to take a walk by yourself. Though you may succeed on a scale in which the world measures success, but deep within, there is always an emptiness which no amount of money can fill. One may be the richest person on the planet but he is vulnerable and can be easily shaken by other people’s remarks. His wealth doesn’t help him to absorb that shock.
The journey to humility can be started at any point in time, though it’s hard to be humble when you are young and not so experienced with the ways of life, which are harsh but just.
As I said the first step to living a life worth living would be to surrender to Him, unconditionally and then make a conscious effort to achieve your goal. A daily discussion with self at the wrapping up part of the day, can be very useful in assessing what all went wrong during the day, when you weren’t humble enough or when the ego in you beat you in your resolve.
There is so much joy in being humble which the ego in us can never even imagine, is possible. Always place others, including inanimate objects, before you and the humility will start manifesting itself, like the hint of the sapling out of the Mother Earth of a seed sown.
These hints by no means are easy to follow nor the results achieved in one lifetime. These are things we must sincerely strive for, for our own good. The sensual pleasures last no more than a few moments but these pleasures out of humility are eternal and count in improving the quality of life, which has nothing to do with materialism.
I am on the path now. I am, by no means, a big achiever but because of “Total Surrender”, I at least see where I have to go. I am trying and it’s such a beautiful journey.
Here in Doon the “Cuckoo Fest” has begun and you can hear them singing all day long. The butterflies are fluttering, the dragonflies are jetting and Mother Earth has changed to her garb of green during this season of rains.
Today I bring you a recent sundown as viewed from our home.
Mother Nature's CanvasYou may like these posts
9 comments:
Humility, a term widely used but hardly followed. As the years go by the term is getting further and further away from its true meaning...
Unfortunately, that's so indeed. Therefore I am doubly grateful now: your blog returns what was lost by us and thus I am joyfully leaving my humble Thank You now.
I love this post. Humility does seem to have gone by the way. I have given my life to God as you suggested, and AMAZING things are happening. I'm in AWE of Him!!!
Hugs, JJ
Love your blog and glad I found it.
A quote that I have read about Sri Ramakrishna on humility...'Humility was another noble quality of his. He subdued the vanity and arrogance of people by his humility. Even when learned pundits had declared him to be an avatar and many people had started worshipping him, he continued to be his humble old self. He never forgot to show respect where it was due. He never hesitated to learn lessons from others or to acknowledge the source of his teaching or illustration. When he once heard a devotee saying “I know,” he scolded him and asked him not to say that again. However, his humility was not mere polite manners, and was the very antithesis of the false humility which looks upon oneself as a worthless sinner. His humility was the spontaneous expression of his realization of the immanence of God in all people and the differences in the degree of divine power manifested in different people.' from
THREE ASPECTS OF THE RAMAKRISHNA IDEAL By Swami Bhajanananda
I really love your blog, and that picture is beautiful!
Your insights are profound but easily processed. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and incorporating nature's artwork as a bonus.
I wanted to let you know that I'm passing on the Brillante Weblog Premio 2008 award to you as one of my five recipients for your thought-provoking blog! You do an amazing job here and I wanted to recognize you for that!
If you wish, you may get the details and the image to download here: http://www.enroute365.com/2008/08/brillante-award.html
Awesome post! Too many get confused as to what true humility is... For an example someone once told me that he can tell when someone is humble, by the way they dress, if too fancy "not" if raggedy but clean "yes".
So much misconception!
Thanks again! Keep up the great writing! :)
that's a very beautiful sunset... a perfect way to end such a wonderful post... yep, many people have forgotten that showing a little humility can go a long way...
What a beautiful post and photo. You have captured humility and described it well. Humble is the only way to go. It brings a great satisfaction and quiet peace to this crazy world, an inner peace no one can jumble. :D
Cheers! JJ
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