How self-esteem relates to spirituality; the nature of transcendence.
The last few days I have been reflecting on a number of things.
1. The locus of control is also the site of self-esteem and discipline, but the CONTEXT in which this locus within the Self exists is spiritual. Control comes from humility, acceptance and surrender. Self-esteem arises from devotion and discipline from dedication to a worthy goal. So the center of the self is divinity, which in turn inspires the good qualities of a strong ego. These good qualities, then, like a scaffold on a tomato plant, support growth in consciousness throughout.
2. The nature of transcendence:
The personality has active and passive aspects, which are recognised by traditional systems of thought under a variety of names:
Passive - Active
Tamas - Rajas
Yin - Yang
Restraining Forces - Encouraging Forces
Negative - Positive
Inert - Active
Unaligned - Aligning
Childish dependence - Adult Independence
And many more. The transcendent aspect comes from accepting BOTH with loving awareness and surrender.
In my own experience I have had two distinct kinds of phases, which I call the "Recluse" and the "Warrior". During the warrior phase I am out in the world achieving things. During the recluse phase the locus of activity is largely subliminal and requires specific subjective conditions and relatively uninterrupted time and space to unfold in. In the Warrior phase I engage self-help teachings to support me in achieving more and better. In the Recluse phase I align with spiritual (and in the past, astral and occult) teachings in an effort to support the inner process.
The sense of oscillating from one extreme to the other has been strong in this life. There have been attempts to integrate the two aspects. Now I am contemplating how I might simply accept and not attach to either view. New options are unfolding of their own accord now. And that is the nature of transcendence, it seems. One simply becomes the witness of the self, rather than engaged with the dramas of various aspects of it.
1. The locus of control is also the site of self-esteem and discipline, but the CONTEXT in which this locus within the Self exists is spiritual. Control comes from humility, acceptance and surrender. Self-esteem arises from devotion and discipline from dedication to a worthy goal. So the center of the self is divinity, which in turn inspires the good qualities of a strong ego. These good qualities, then, like a scaffold on a tomato plant, support growth in consciousness throughout.
2. The nature of transcendence:
The personality has active and passive aspects, which are recognised by traditional systems of thought under a variety of names:
Passive - Active
Tamas - Rajas
Yin - Yang
Restraining Forces - Encouraging Forces
Negative - Positive
Inert - Active
Unaligned - Aligning
Childish dependence - Adult Independence
And many more. The transcendent aspect comes from accepting BOTH with loving awareness and surrender.
In my own experience I have had two distinct kinds of phases, which I call the "Recluse" and the "Warrior". During the warrior phase I am out in the world achieving things. During the recluse phase the locus of activity is largely subliminal and requires specific subjective conditions and relatively uninterrupted time and space to unfold in. In the Warrior phase I engage self-help teachings to support me in achieving more and better. In the Recluse phase I align with spiritual (and in the past, astral and occult) teachings in an effort to support the inner process.
The sense of oscillating from one extreme to the other has been strong in this life. There have been attempts to integrate the two aspects. Now I am contemplating how I might simply accept and not attach to either view. New options are unfolding of their own accord now. And that is the nature of transcendence, it seems. One simply becomes the witness of the self, rather than engaged with the dramas of various aspects of it.
posted by gaiawriter at Thursday, October 27, 2005
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