Three Qualities Of Holiness
Tres cualidades de la santidad--por Anthony De Mello
La verdadera felicidad no tiene causa. Eres feliz sin razón alguna. Y la verdadera felicidad no puede ser experimentada. No está dentro del ámbito de la conciencia. Así pasa con la santidad también.
La santidad es la sencillez. En el momento en que eres consciente de tu santidad, se vuelve amarga y se convierte en arrogancia. Una buena acción nunca es tan buena como cuando no tienes conciencia de que es buena: estás tan enamorado de la acción que no eres consciente de tu bondad y virtud. Tu mano izquierda no tiene ni idea de que tu mano derecha está haciendo algo bueno o meritorio. Simplemente lo haces porque parece lo natural, lo espontáneo. Si se trata de una virtud real, la sentirías como algo tan natural que no se te ocurriría pensar en ella como una virtud.
En segundo lugar, la santidad no implica esfuerzo.
El esfuerzo puede cambiar el comportamiento, no puede cambiarte a ti. Piensa en esto: el esfuerzo puede poner comida en tu boca, no puede producir apetito; puede mantenerte en la cama, no puede producir sueño; puede hacerte revelar un secreto a otro, pero no puede generar confianza; puede obligarte a hacer un cumplido, pero no puede producir admiración genuina.
Amor, libertad y felicidad no son cosas que puedas cultivar y producir. Ni siquiera puedes saber lo que son. Todo lo que puedes hacer es observar sus opuestos y, a través de tu observación, hacer que estos opuestos mueran. Comprende tu orgullo y caerá, lo que dará humildad como resultado. Comprende tu infelicidad y desaparecerá; lo que generará un estado de felicidad. Comprende tus miedos y se derretirán, el estado resultante es el amor. Comprende tus apegos y desaparecerán, la consecuencia es la libertad.
En tercer lugar, la santidad no puede ser deseada.
Si deseas la felicidad estarás ansioso en caso de que no la alcances. Estarás constantemente en un estado de insatisfacción; y la insatisfacción y la ansiedad matan la misma felicidad que te propusiste ganar. Cuando deseas la santidad para ti, alimentas la misma codicia y ambición que te hacen tan egoísta, van@ e impí@.
Hay dos fuentes de cambio dentro de ti. Una es la astucia de tu ego que te empuja a hacer esfuerzos para convertirte en algo distinto de lo que se supone que debes ser, para que puedas darse un impulso, para que pueda glorificarse a sí mismo. La otra es la sabiduría de la Naturaleza. Gracias a esta sabiduría te das cuenta, lo entiendes. Eso es todo lo que haces, dejar el cambio: el tipo, la manera, la velocidad, el momento del cambio, a la Realidad y a la Naturaleza. Los cambios que siguen no son el resultado de sus proyectos y esfuerzos, sino el producto de la Naturaleza que desdeña tus planes y tu voluntad, no dejando espacio para ningún sentido de mérito o logro, ni siquiera ninguna conciencia por parte de tu mano izquierda de lo que la Realidad está haciendo utilizando tu derecha.
Preguntas semilla para la reflexión: ¿Cómo te relacionas con la noción de que la santidad o la virtud es falta de conciencia? ¿Puedes compartir una experiencia de un tiempo en el que observaste lo opuesto a una virtud en ti? ¿Qué te ayuda a superar la astucia de tu ego e ir hacia la sabiduría de la naturaleza?
Anthony De Mello era un sacerdote jesuita. Extracto de 'El Camino al Amor'.
Anthony De Mello was a Jesuit priest. Excerpt above from 'The Way to Love'.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to the notion that holiness or virtue is unself-consciousness? Can you share an experience of a time that you observed the opposite of a virtue in you? What helps you go past the cunningness of your ego and toward the wisdom of nature?
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6 Past Reflections
On Sep 17, 2019 Quacinda wrote :
I do believe that we are created perfect, because only perfection exists. I believe in the seen and the in-seen world, and that we live a physical (which is seen) and a spiritual (which is unseen) life.
When we are born born we are born perfect, but as we grow up we learn the culture we are born into; culture is riddled with lies that we live by. But the newborn does not have the words or understanding or culture until it is taught to him/her.
The lies which we live live by make all us unholy. My understanding is then that we have the power of choice. We can choose to live with a positive outlook or a negative one. We can chose to be happy or sad, we can choose to be holy or unholy.
I also understand that we cannot live by creeds, by any religion, or even anything taught to us; what we can discover with words is an idea(s) we can 'play' with as we organize and create our life.
When we are born born we are born perfect, but as we grow up we learn the culture we are born into; culture is riddled with lies that we live by. But the newborn does not have the words or understanding or culture until it is taught to him/her.
The lies which we live live by make all us unholy. My understanding is then that we have the power of choice. We can choose to live with a positive outlook or a negative one. We can chose to be happy or sad, we can choose to be holy or unholy.
I also understand that we cannot live by creeds, by any religion, or even anything taught to us; what we can discover with words is an idea(s) we can 'play' with as we organize and create our life.
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On Mar 13, 2019 Quacinda Topkok wrote :
(Seed questions for reflection:)
How do you relate to the notion that holiness or virtue is unself-consciousness?
My understanding is that we are spiritual beings having a physical existence. We were created good from the beginning, collectively as well as individually. We are [created] perfect. Whole. And with everything we need to live our lives with success.
I don't understandit all but I have learned that after we are born we begin a process of domestication by our parents, extended family and. Society at large. Words and symbols are used to convey messages others in the world want us to know and understand, and we take these ideas and live by them. But who we are and what we believe we are are two different things. Who we really are cannot be described with words. Words, symbols and ideas they share with us may help by giving us ideas and if we open up our own imagination, and let ourselves become spiritual as well as physical, we live more completely.
Can you share an exp... [View Full Comment]
1 reply: Jo | Post Your Reply
On Mar 12, 2019 David Doane wrote :
First, happiness isn't caused in a linear cause and effect way. Happiness is a byproduct of a way of being that is unselfconscious right action. Unselfconscious right action is action done because it is right, not for acclaim, not for secondary gain, but because it is right. When engaged in right action I am not self conscious, I am one with myself, I am whole. When I am whole, I am holy. Right action is its own reward, and the reward is happiness -- a reward that is enjoyed, not sought. Second, holiness is effortless in the sense that I am holy by nature, but that gets lost very early in life and then it takes effort to regain and maintain, which we do for moments at a time. Holiness, like happiness, is the byproduct of living unselfconscious right action which takes effort that feels effortless because it is coming from being whole and the effort flows smoothly. Third, holiness can be desired, it can't be directly created or controlled. It's a byproduct or outcome. My act... [View Full Comment]
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On Mar 12, 2019 Eric Hutchins wrote :
After expressing the thanks and respect these well intentioned words and their author deserve, may I be frank? My response is summarized by the aphorism: "Not for lack of flowery words is the world plunged into suffering." These are flowery words that may inspire the surface minds of readers, but such inspiration is a mood that quickly passes. I read a lot of such words and wonder why so many believe in the power of flowery words to end our suffering, bring us closer to the state of Yoga/Union, etc.? If the goal is this state of mind (Yoga, Enlightenment, Divine Union, etc.), why not say whatever needs to be said to inspire the reader to take the most direct path (or, for those who believe there is no "most direct path," ANY well-established and proven path)? Flowery words are not any of these paths. They are, at best, "inspiration with no clear guidance" and, at worst, "entertainment" (as in "further distraction") for those who are sti... [View Full Comment]
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On Mar 9, 2019 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
True Happiness, Love, Goodness, Freedom, Humility, Reality and Holiness are our inherent, inborn and innate qualities or virtues. These virtues are uncaused. They are natural, effortless and spontaneous. In that sense holiness is unself-consciousness. To put it differently, holiness or wholeness is not bound by our limited lower state of consciousness. It is universal or cosmic consciousness beyond time, space and causality. It is Transcendental state of consciousness, pure or non-dualistic state of consciousness.
There are many examples I can cite when I have observedthe opposite of virtue in me. My attachment to my own possessions such as mentally holding on to my precious books or numerous awards I have received robs me of my innate virtue.
Non-judgemental existential awareness of my attachments frees me from the cunningnessof my ego.The ego plays mine vs your game and when am not awareof it, I get caught up in this game and I turn away from my natural innate wisdom.
Namaste!
Jagd... [View Full Comment]