TO LIVE IS TO LIVE FOR OTHERS
All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.
– GALILEO
At first this seems to be a very cliché and wearisome phrase, but looking deeper you can see its fundamental value goes beyond tame acceptance. The world is a biosphere of give and take in an intricate system. What each creature takes, it also offers back by the design of its existence. The lion takes from the wildebeest, yet in return it gives to its cubs while impeding over-population of its prey. This in turn stops the landscape from becoming barren from too much grazing and keeps the smaller creatures alive. There are innumerable examples of this throughout every area of life.
This world, in its natural state, is a place of near perfect balance outside what man has done to it. Relationships fall into the scheme of natural life autonomous of our belief that we are civilized and advanced. Beyond the astonishing creations of man as he advances forward, at his/her core is still an intrinsic balance that’s a component of this world.
The human sees itself as what it is, avoiding the Awareness that a Soul has. Man does not recognize that outside of all the advancement, it’s just another species on this planet; albeit the only one in history that has fallen out of alignment with the stream of natural progress.
There are shelves of books that describe the destructive ways of our species. Throughout the history of man, he has evolved due to his integration with the world and the mode in which it works. Many centuries ago, he decided to stray from the path of progress because of his gluttonous drive for selfish gain. In turn, the world has suffered for it and the human has no foreseeable means of correcting what’s been done.
Because of the human’s actions from that point, hundreds of species of plants and wildlife have been destroyed along with whole human tribes and peoples. Man has been the greatest cause of the depletion and extinction of this world’s resources and habitats. We are the one creature that is acting out of sync with the world that birthed us.
We are now progressing in what is perceived as intelligence and losing the most important influx of information: Wisdom. The further we go beyond the proper balance of nature, heeding our own greedy desires, the more we devolve as a species. Technological advancement, genetic engineering, and skyscrapers are not providers of wisdom; they are the result of intelligence. Wisdom is the only thing that will allow man to walk into the future without fear of destruction. Wisdom is the intelligence of God and the primary offering of the Soul.
Wisdom alone is true ambition’s aim, wisdom is the source of virtue and of fame; obtained with labour, for mankind employed, and then, when most you share it, best enjoyed.Alfred North Whitehead
Intelligence is obviously not a negative trait excepting when it’s placed in the hands of the selfish; which has occurred. Intelligence is the abilities of the brain to analyze, learn, and function in this world. Wisdom, on the other hand, is a universal truth that is the core of every purely ethical decision. The Soul is the receiving conduit from where ethical values come from and the provider of the necessary wisdom that allows the human to advance, evolve, and move forward as a symbiotic species on this planet.
The reason that our unbridled intelligence has stimulated so much destruction is that it is not balanced by the wisdom of how the world works. The more intelligent man becomes without the balance of wisdom to protect our world and future, the quicker our destruction will arrive. An Illuminated Soul uses intelligence wisely and weighs choices against each other selflessly.
When sleepwalkers make decisions without wisdom their ability to wake up gets further muddled. Intelligence, unguided, nourishes the human just like any other trespass it commits. Anything that feeds the appetite of the human without Soulful observation and control further deepens the slumber of the sleepwalker.
The world today is filled with individuals that aspire to great heights, wealth, and recognition. It is a dream and a want despite whether the actual abilities to do this exist or not. People crave relevance so bad that they will do anything to achieve it. Whether in the workplace or among their peers, the majority of people desire significance at any cost. This is where the corrupted human can become ferocious. It cultivates selfishness at the expense of others, increases deceptive abilities, and creates complex struggles that require a near miraculous act to alter.
If you desire to be Illuminated, the best means of developing relationships and a community of love and joy is to take a position that life not be about you. When your life is about others, fulfillment saturates all aspects of your being. This is not some religious mantra; it is an absolute truth.
In recognizing that life is about contribution, sharing, giving, receiving, and wanting the best for others, the pure God love of your Soul can shine through you in impressive ways. In addition to that, as you love more, you give even more. It becomes a dual cycle of bestowal and personal growth. To love is to give.
You’re not urged to be trampled upon by others while you give to the point of exasperation. It does not just mean money or valuables. Wisdom will provide a means of analyzing the situation so you don’t unnecessarily negatively enable others with your offering. To give covers the spectrum of a relationship. Devotion of time, respect for the words of others without the need for controversy, and allowing others to give to you as well.
Never respect men merrily for their riches, but rather for their philanthropy; we do not value the sun for its height, but for its use.Gamaliel Bailey
When a person desires to give you something out of love, learn how to graciously accept it. Don’t deny them. In doing so you are not gifting them with the happiness of watching you receive their offering. It’s important to remember that giving is not a burden. If so, then it is not real giving, nor real love. Giving is the compulsion of a loving Soul that does not expect a return for its actions nor stipulations in regards to the gift. The more you recognize the true love of your Soul, the further your desire will be to provide for others without need for recognition or reward.
Giving is an element of the future survival of man, and because it is the result of love it can only grow as each individual progresses toward being Illuminated. It can be horribly tempting to overlook that life is not only about you. When seeking a greater means of understanding you can sometimes neglect the fact that you are still doing it for yourself. This must be overcome.
A major position to ponder in your consideration of others over yourself is this: Are your actions a true extension of the love you feel inside or just an exploit that results in taking more pride in yourself? Asking yourself this question and answering it candidly in relevant situations can be a valuable tool.
Another subject to consider is the use of pride during conflict. It is a virus that destroys relationships. Pride must be supplanted by compromise; another form of giving requiring mutual concern that is often overlooked.
Be courageous enough during conflict to choose transparency and truth instead of an arsenal of words used for the sole intent of increasing your odds of a successful triumph. In the short term you can feel gratified by winning through this means, but such actions only increase the chances of a failed relationship over time. When experiencing conflict, total honesty should be provided at the outlay so the best means of recovery can occur. Each individual must focus, prepare for compromise, place emotions and obstructive thoughts aside, and seek what’s best in the situation while thinking of the other first.
You should also, alternatively, never allow yourself to be abused by someone who doesn’t know this wisdom. Justice is required on both sides of the disagreement and these situations provide the opportunity to teach how conflict resolution and compromise works. If each individual in a relationship thinks of their loved ones above themselves when issues arise, it would go a vast distance toward proper mending of any relational concerns.