Dear Reader:

Further processing of my post of a week ago, above:

Spiritual transformation is the shift from Egoic living (I am) to Soul living (We are). It is the awareness of the “one heart beating in all” (the Soul), the awareness that we are the same person.

We people and all living things (other animals, plants etc.) have different appearances and yet, we are one life, one soul… one person. There really is no “I am” when it comes to anything that endures and persists. In regard to human appearances and behaviors, still.. same person: same physiology, same biology, same chemistry, same instincts, same needs, same motivations, same emotions… same person. The more aware we are of we (of our Soul), the better we treat us.

Disliking others for their physical appearances, nationalities, ages, disabilities, etc.,  is egoic, stemming from a sick sense of separation from others. Feeling superior or inferior to others stems from the same sick sense of separation. Since this sick separation is the rule, not the exception, there is so much unnecessary and devastating sickness and sufferings in the world.

In regard to being liked vs disliked by others: there is no way for me to avoid being disliked. There will always be someone who will dislike me (online and elsewhere). and this is true for everyone. When disliked, I look at what it is about my appearance or behavior that is disliked, and ask myself: is it really offensive or unwise (in other words, do I dislike it myself)? If I I dislike it myself, and I can change it- I will.

I want to be way more tolerant of people’s appearances, mannerisms, disabilities and weaknesses than I ever was, and to keep in mind that… again, we are the same person, none superior, none inferior.

It happened just the other day, a man was coughing and I handed him a couple of paper napkins. A young woman voiced her disapproval of me handing the man the napkins, as if it was a silly act, saying that he didn’t need the napkins. The man then proceeded to use both napkins. In this example, I did the right thing for the coughing man and the young woman’s disapproval was about her anger, her discontent. We all suffer so much from others’ misdirected anger and discontent.

The only way to increase one’s self-esteem is to increase one’s esteem for all humans and living things.

anita