The Sun Is The Perfect Example
The sun is the perfect example of acting without desire. When the sun rises does the idea enter its mind to say, 'I shall banish the darkness, I shall urge the birds to fly, and I will set people working'? No, the sun always stays still, and yet its stillness makes the world go around.
If we were to thank the sun by saying, 'Your help is infinite, you have dispelled so much darkness' that would be absurd. The sun might say 'What are you talking about? Does darkness exist? Bring a little of it to show me, then I will know whether I have dispelled it. Then I shall accept that I am the doer; the maker of light.'
The sun is totally neutral and detached. It does not control or dictate. It just is. In the light of the sun, one person may read a fulfilling book and another a trivial one. One may help a neighbor, another may commit murder. The sun is not responsible for the good or the evil of these acts; therefore, the sun does not accumulate any consequences. The sun would say, 'Light is my nature. For me, to be is to shine.'
Even when we have night, the sun acts and shines on the other side of the Earth. The sun shines all the time, and yet no one notices that it is working. The sun sets everyone to act. It makes cows graze, birds sing, merchants open their shops, farmers plow their fields, and yet if someone does not wake up and draw the curtains, the sun will not force them to do so. It is enough that it exists.
The sun is the perfect state of being rather than doing. The sun does not have light; it is light. The sun does not do good; it is good.
Vinoba Bhave was Gandhi's spiritual successor in India. More about him in King of Kindness.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to the metaphor of the Sun as a perfect state of being rather than doing? Can you share a personal story of a time you were being rather than doing? How do you reconcile a beingness that holds the space neutrally with being moved by love?
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14 Past Reflections
On Nov 20, 2017 Shelly Gellineau, Barbados wrote :
The Sun is that bright light within my soul. My ability to live in The Present Moment. To appreciate nature and all humans for who they are and their circumstances of life. The Sun represents warmth, love and tenderness. I don't always have a Sun experience, quite often i only experience the grey or even dark clouds but as i become quiet and find my center...The Sun becomes the light and warmth of my soul.
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On Nov 15, 2017 Sunil,Bangalore wrote :
I relate Sun to the human Soul as Sunny. It is the eternal Light and the mystic Sound of our being.Our being is inside,innate & an inner-net. Its a natural agent ever shining illumination and glowing brightness.It energizes and stimulates the real sight of "Who Am I" enlightening the whole thing clear and visible to the third eye effortlessly. Personally I surrender, submerge into this original source eliminating the duality. The reality dawns. "Shivohum Shivohum ShivSwaroopohum.Nityohum-Shudhohum-Budhohum-Muktohum. ChidAnand roopah". Its neutral joy-Love- affection-compassion, sympathy & empathy for every one-every time-every where-everything.
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On Nov 14, 2017 Kristin Pedemonti wrote :
The sun simply is. It has no expectation, no attachment to any outcome, it simply shines. Recently, I noticed that when I simply show up as me and I share my own shine in my Storytelling work and I do not push to have a certain outcome, then the world responds. When I push and try to promote too hard, it seems to not come together. I realize this is a vocation example, but it is one so strong in my mind currently. When I share my gifts without attachment to outcome, it seems the connection is far deeper and lasting and goes straight to the heart. I am not sure this makes any sense. As for being moved by love, oh yes, I have felt that and for me it is to do my best to see each being as beautiful and worthy and to sit in compassion. When I do that I feel incredible beams of love coursing through me and out of me. <3
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On Nov 14, 2017 Choymae Huie wrote :
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On Nov 14, 2017 samata wrote :
It is an interesting idea and philosophy of the how the sun exists, yet we actually really don't know....sorry to pull away from the intentions of the writer. But I love how these small, and often limited, beings (called humans), can attempt to express understanding of something so much grander and something that may be incomprehensible.
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On Nov 14, 2017 Pam wrote :
I think that for the sun, being and doing are synonymous, and the same could be said for us. If we define being as the state of balance where we are truly ourselves, then we do radiate an energy as the sun does. 'Holding the space neutrally with being moved by love' is something we all have the capacity to do. When we achieve that balance we do hold love as that is our natural state of being when not influenced by everything going on around ourselves. We are, each of us, very like the sun, sharing our warmth and caring with the Universe.
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On Nov 14, 2017 Anup Bagla wrote :
I can relate to this beingness ... experienced sometime, but then ... ?
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On Nov 11, 2017 david doane wrote :
Actually, the sun never stays still -- it is constantly moving and changing. It doesn't make cows graze or birds sing. It's simply being what it is and doing what it does, giving heat and light from which many living beings and nonliving things benefit, and it does all this with no desire or intent. The sun is neutral and detached. Being and doing can be natural and authentic, not goal directed or manipulative. When I am being or doing in a natural and authentic way, I am without intent, not trying to control or make anything happen, simply being and doing because it is my right action. When I am this way I am neutral, detached from purpose or outcome, and I am moved by love since that way of being is love.
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On Nov 10, 2017 navin sata wrote :
nishkam karma/ lord krishna explains i am light in infinite sun .in some of his vibhutis[forms of energies] in bhagvad geeta krishna revels this knowledge
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