Being humble?

[edward]

Hello

I often hear other people and "spiritual" people, saying that other people should be humble.

Even Mystress has said that enlightened people are supposed to be humble.

I have problems understanding what being humble means.

The Oxford dictionary defines the word as:
having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s importance
or
cause (someone) to feel less important or proud

Does this mean that you should not stand up for yourself, and let other people treat you the way they want, in the middle of a situation, because one is supposed to feel less important than the other?

Or does it mean, that one can stand for oneself in the situation, but look at things in retrospect from a humble view?

Point is that, those people that have told me or other people to be humble, are people whom I find to be very dominating. So I don't find them to be very humble either.


Edward

[Duu]

Humility is a path it is not just a descriptive word or static state. At least that is the mystical view.
So the task is to discover for yourself what being humble is, when being there you wont mistake it. And you will recognize it in others no mater of their outward appearance. Being humble is not  realy so common and so it is mostly used as a figure of speech pointing to moderating ones ego driven actions and reactions.

Idea of humility is presented in FST lessons. So you already know it well.
It does not necessarily affect our actions, their type, as much as it affects from what place they are manifested from. It does not limit aggressive action when situations calls for it. Humility gives clarity and broader choice of actions. And gives power to them when they are performed. And It ads a possibility to manifest great acts of kindness spontaneously. A worthy goal.

Being humble can be also a spontaneous experience without even other people or objects involved.
In the life I see humility expressed as this: Thinking that all that I see, have, experience, is the gift of Godess to me. Accepting totally what the Godless has given me whit thankfulness. Dont desire for more or less. If Godess decided to give this, even if Im realy confused or feeling unworthy it is polite just to accept this.
If one embraces Godess gift totally, then one naturally enters the present moment. Nobody can live in present moment, peacefull place, when they reject what is. So continually refusing to accept gift of Godess as is, is just the impolite mind. Only the mind is not humble. When it would be humble then  there would not be much of ego, mind be left. Strangely when living this life ones being has already accepted the gift of Godess, only the lovely mind is a bit lost in dreams. In this is also connected to idea of non judgment. We dont realy know much about anything, thus judging is mostly habitual, a shortcut, and it displays our ignorance and is simply impoliteness of mind.
Realy, being humble has many levels of depth and shapes and can open doors to amazing places.

[edward]

Thank you for responding Duu.

For me now, it seems like being humble is to surrender my ego opinions, or thinking, to Goddess, and see if Goddess has some other view. And also accepting stuff as a gift.

However, I don't find it right for me to accept things just to be polite. If being polite is beneficial for me, which it apparantly is, then I would rather use some other word, like being wise. That it would be wise to accept things.

The Norwegian language consists of a much smaller vocabulary than the English language. The word humble is translated to the word "ydmyk", which means to be submissive.

Another way for me to relate to being humble, is rather to use the word being open. Open that there are other views than the ego view.

Edward

[Mystress]

  Be humble before Goddess.
  Other people, not so much.
  They are Goddess too but probably don't know it.
  Serve Her within yourself and have none before.

[edward]

Thank you for clarifying Mystress.

I felt resistance against the idea of being humble before other people. Being humble (and submissive) before Goddess within should be no problem (most of the time!).

Today I passed the physical part of the yoga teacher exam. Tomorrow is the hardest part, where I will be tested in how I teach 3 different poses. There are 30 technical points for every pose. If Goddess wills, I will pass.

Today I also talked with the male yoga studio owner, and we agreed that I will teach introductory courses that lasts for 5 weeks each time, one class per week. After those 5 weeks, I will take 3 weeks off teaching, and then continue the cycle like this.

And on the side I will take 3 classes per week as a student.


Edward

[Mystress]

  Well there is another level to it, about avoiding karma feedback by not taking ego credit for what She does.  If someone thanks you or praises you for spiritual work tell them Goddess did it. Karma follows responsibility so blame Her for your achievements.

[edward]

Hmm.... looking back and seeing my repeating patterns is.... humbling.

When I go out of victim mode, and can see my childish behaviour. Still reacting as a little child.

What humble me most is, that I even though, I am blessed with grace and good people around me.


Edward

[Martin]

Hi Edward,

I have been reading the Qu'ran recently.

It speaks of humility. 


The sin of Satan is that he does not prosrate himself before Adam; before G/D's creation. He asks why he should, when G/D created him out of fire but man only out of clay.

One gives praise and thanks to G/D, and one remembers that G/D created everything.

To His creation, there is awe and great thanks. We give thanks to His creation not because we percieve its purpose or essence (I know of no person who could even judge the width of a fly's leg), but because G/D created it.

The same honour which is due to every creation of G/D is due also to you, regardless of how childish you percieve your own behaviour.

love
Martin

[edward]

Thank you for your wise words Martin.

When I was walking my dog in the valley nearby, I came to think; why do I always start to analyze myself and my behaviour, whenever I experience not getting along with someone or a situation I don't like?

The positive thing with self reflection is that I get out of victimhood, and take responsibility, and look at what I can do with myself, to avoid that similar situation happens again.

The negative side of self reflection and trying to change my way of being, is that I am actually trying to control and manipulate how people and the world is going to be or react in the future.

Mostly my life is very good, and most people find me to be a nice guy and someone who easily get along with different types of people.

On this basis I am thinking; why would I analyze myself and trying to change the way I am, the very few times I experience not getting along with someone?

This seems for me to be doing crazymaking with myself, because there will always be rare occasions where I will not get along with some people, and that's just the way it is.

And maybe I can accept that I am the way I am, and I don't have to change the way I am, and in the same way people are the way they are, and that is okay too.


Edward

[edward]

Today I watched a movie called "Enter the Void". It is based on the Tibetan book of the Dead, which I have found to be very fascinating after seeing a documentary about it, narrated by Leonard Cohen.

During the movie I started to think about my own life, and my actions to others. When memories came about the way I have done things, I started to accept and love unconditionally my actions and non-actions. From this place, I can also accept and love other peoples actions and non-actions.

This gives a warm fuzzy feeling from my heart and body.

When I accept and love myself, both "good" and "bad", from there I can also start to accept and love other people, unconditionally.

Edward



Edward

[ant]

Hi Edward

i try to be humble,
(even thou im perfect in every way)
it helps with not judging my ideas superior to others
and feeling overly in titled to things
keeps one ego in check,
except for when i think im more humble than next person
being humble has its draw backs too
it might not be for everone

i dont wanna be the person who pushes there ideas as Gospel
or some one that pushes Gospel as Gospel
that's a real turn off for me

Pushing My ideas, ant

[Mari]

lol Ant  I like to push MY ideas often too.

And pushing...

I have found out, I turn out quite humble when... When I feel so clear that I am deeply loved child of the Goddess, feeling the whole universe loves and cares for me. Preferably eagerly courted by the Horned God too, oh my... Then I am so wealthy I need nothing. I love everybody and people look like angels walking on earth. There's not much else to do than being humble, tears of gratitude in my eyes.

It's probably a state of deep surrender.

in love,
Mari

[edward]

This is nice Mari!

Tonight I am thinking and remembering how much love I experience and have been given.

It's like I feel little bit ashamed, because I don't think that I have given so much love as I have received.

It makes  me so grateful, that I want to cry!


Edward

[robink]

Reading people posts on humility are very beautiful! I always feel inspired to write on Saturday mornings, keeping the ball rolling…

I’ve been working on this exercise where I list a virtue (something I like about myself) and explain how this virtue serves both myself and others. Then list a vice (something I dislike about myself) and do the same…

I think the point of the exercise is to see that even virtues such as humility may be uncalled for (not serving) in certain situations. ‘Pushing my ideas’ may be just what is required in some cases when required to do so.  In other cases such as when listening to others (or receiving), humility may serve in getting my own thoughts/ego out of the way enough to really hear (receive) what the other person has to say. I cannot be humble all the time and don’t think that it is desirable to do so.

I think that all the virtues and vices I give to myself belong to my ego anyway, ego clings when it thinks it is humble (look at me I’m so great). As soon as I recognise myself as being humble, I am no longer humble, just bathing in self-righteousness. I don’t think that it’s a good idea to try to cultivate humility any more than love can be cultivated. It just is!

And what I achieve through cultivation will always be some perverted form of humility.  What I get is more of the opposite and have created a big problem for myself!

Probably in reality, no one is ever humble and no one is ever arrogant, we just wear these garments as part of acting out and responding to situations in the world. Rather than trying to be humble all the time, it seems more important to know how/when to be humble and when to be assertive in any situation depending on what is needed.

If I have that mentality, I have kind of detached myself from humility (and all virtues and vices), may wear them as simply garments for the time being in order to be most harmonious in this particular scene of the play.