Humility is a Virtue
If you are a follower of any 'Spiritual" groups on Facebook or other social media outlet, you might have run into people who are - for lack of a better term - spiritually arrogant. You can see it when people talk about how "awakened" or "enlightened" they are. Particularly in reference to another person or differing belief.
You know what I'm talking about... phrases such as "Before my awakening", or "people still caught in the matrix", or "When he awakens he will understand".
In any field, whether it’s sports, the arts, profession, or spiritual growth, there are always going to be some people that are farther along in their development than others... but that's not the point. More so, it is what happens to people once they begin to expand into levels of awareness they've never felt before.
How does this happen?
We live in a society where “trash-talking” athletes and ego-maniacal real estate moguls are idolized or elected President. Because we have collectively deemed this as appropriate, there will be people that feel the need to tell you how much better they are than you. In the area of spiritual development, this is known as “spiritual arrogance.”
By its nature, spiritual arrogance is exclusionary. Despite proclaiming to understand that "We are all One", people suffering from spiritual arrogance will tell you “they are advanced” implying that “you are not.”
Some of the more frequent offenders are those who have some understanding of the spiritual laws that govern the universe and/or have opened some of their higher senses. While they are indeed on the path to enlightenment, some go astray is when they pronounce themselves as awakened or enlightened. They often learn their lessons based from a perspective of 'self'; often highlighting 'self' as the 'only'.
There are two major drawbacks to this behavior:
1) It inhibits your own development. When you already know everything, there’s no room for additional wisdom. This shuts off sources of new knowledge. Remember, a wise man can learn more from a fool than a fool from a wise man.
2) It wastes energy. Anyone who has made a proclamation is forced to conform to this new self-image. This places an unnecessary burden on them for fear of mistakes or "human" moments.
There are easy ways to see this arrogance in others... but more importantly, we can use these signs to spot our own spiritual arrogance and check ourselves at the door. I know that I have personally found myself guilty of spiritual arrogance once or twice. I bet after reading the following, you may too.
First of all, spiritual arrogance can come from the pride of knowledge. Now, understanding one's path or seeking expansion and growth ought to be the passionate hope of every seeker, but once received, that knowledge has the tendency of creating pride.
Many people slip into this state when they speak with someone they believe to be in error. They are more proud about what they know than loving toward the person who is presumed to be wrong or asleep. Pride of Knowledge also comes to play when an 'awakened' person feels the need to interject their opinion or view unsolicited. Often this view is not shared as knowledge for the common good, but an egoic need to show one's own enlightenment - either to impress peers or to boost esteem.
Knowing this inclination is a possibility, we must be mindful to proceed sharing our knowledge from a place of love or else pride will take the driver's seat.
Spiritual arrogance also tends to emerge from our gifts and talents. Very often a person’s ability is their greatest liability because pride has spoiled it. We compare our intuitive abilities, or channeling abilities, or whatever to our peers and think we are something special... set apart from the Other. Or we sink into the darkness of envy because we don’t measure up to some imaginary yardstick of spiritual enlightenment.
We should embrace our talents and put them to good use in the betterment of all mankind. Again proceeding from love, not elevation of self over another based on our proficiency in a talent.
Strangely enough, spiritual arrogance is also the father of permissiveness. It is very popular for people to boast in their ability to tolerate the beliefs of others. People are proud of the way they accept things. So proud in fact, that we often allow for things that are unsafe, inappropriate, and irresponsible, all in the name of 'tolerance'.
Many times this tolerance unwittingly serves to attract dramatic attention to a subject. This can be seen in social rights movements where the 'tolerant' group becomes very intolerant of anyone who does not share the same view of 'tolerance'. (What a tangled web we weave)
True tolerance comes from compassion. It comes from the deep understanding that everyone is proceeding the best way they know how with the information they have available in any given moment. True tolerance comes not from elevation of self above another, but from walking a mile in their shoes.
Modern New Age thinking says "It's okay to be selfish". It says that if a person is in darkness, it's okay to turn your back and walk away, lest they drag you into the darkness with them. Modern New Age thinking has helped create a world of selfishness and arrogance seen at unprecedented levels. And with it, comes judgment of those who are 'still in the dark'. And New Age thinkers will defend their position as strongly as any zealot defends their religion. (Think about that)
Perhaps if we all began to truly embrace the idea of our Oneness, the selfish would begin to understand that helping others is the greatest medicine toward helping 'self'. Projecting love, rather than hoarding it inward, shines a light bright enough for everyone to see (not just self).
To expand upon what was mentioned above, one of the most common forms of spiritual arrogance comes from one's pride in ones own beliefs. This becomes a slippery slope when people first proclaim their 'awakened-hood'.
It is slippery because the same open mind that led to their great 'awakening' - born from a desire to be free to explore one's own spirituality without rules, judgment, or ridicule - now closes off to the value that can be found from other beliefs. In fact, many of these great 'awakened' minds now bash on religion with the same fervor as religions use to bash each other. They believe that - because a teaching resonated - it is a firm and solid truth, unwavering in it's correctness... just like most religions.
Perhaps we should be mindful of our own beliefs and strive to always keep an open, Beginners Mind. Perhaps we should practice the 'tolerance' we are so proud of and embrace the idea that ALL teachings have something of value and some measure of truth.
But everything in moderation.
Our popular image of 'arrogance' usually consists of a cocky swagger like a rebel who blazes his own path and stands confident and ready to take on the world. With that image put in our heads, the word “humility” doesn’t seem to fit into this image.
Humility
Humility oftentimes conjures up images of weakness, submissiveness, and fear. But this is a false light idea of humility. Real humility is a sign of strength, authentic confidence, and courage. It is the mark of a pure spirit.
The definition of humility need not include timidity or 'playing small'. Instead, humility simply requires us to think of our abilities and actions as no greater, and no lesser, than anyone else. Real humility then mandates that we be completely honest with ourselves. Honestly assess what are, and to what magnitude we possess talents and gifts, struggles and weaknesses. True humility requires us to have felt the pain of spiritual awakening. Humility acknowledges both darkness and light in an effort to follow a path of love, rather than a path of righteousness.
And as long as we are on the path of Love, then we are most assuredly on the right path.
- The Boatman
P.S. - Feel free to leave comments or share on your favorite social media.
5 Signs to spot Spiritual Arrogance
There are easy ways to see this arrogance in others... but more importantly, we can use these signs to spot our own spiritual arrogance and check ourselves at the door. I know that I have personally found myself guilty of spiritual arrogance once or twice. I bet after reading the following, you may too.
1. The Pride of Knowledge
First of all, spiritual arrogance can come from the pride of knowledge. Now, understanding one's path or seeking expansion and growth ought to be the passionate hope of every seeker, but once received, that knowledge has the tendency of creating pride.
Many people slip into this state when they speak with someone they believe to be in error. They are more proud about what they know than loving toward the person who is presumed to be wrong or asleep. Pride of Knowledge also comes to play when an 'awakened' person feels the need to interject their opinion or view unsolicited. Often this view is not shared as knowledge for the common good, but an egoic need to show one's own enlightenment - either to impress peers or to boost esteem.
Knowing this inclination is a possibility, we must be mindful to proceed sharing our knowledge from a place of love or else pride will take the driver's seat.
2. The Pride of Talent
Spiritual arrogance also tends to emerge from our gifts and talents. Very often a person’s ability is their greatest liability because pride has spoiled it. We compare our intuitive abilities, or channeling abilities, or whatever to our peers and think we are something special... set apart from the Other. Or we sink into the darkness of envy because we don’t measure up to some imaginary yardstick of spiritual enlightenment.We should embrace our talents and put them to good use in the betterment of all mankind. Again proceeding from love, not elevation of self over another based on our proficiency in a talent.
3. The Pride of Tolerance
Strangely enough, spiritual arrogance is also the father of permissiveness. It is very popular for people to boast in their ability to tolerate the beliefs of others. People are proud of the way they accept things. So proud in fact, that we often allow for things that are unsafe, inappropriate, and irresponsible, all in the name of 'tolerance'.Many times this tolerance unwittingly serves to attract dramatic attention to a subject. This can be seen in social rights movements where the 'tolerant' group becomes very intolerant of anyone who does not share the same view of 'tolerance'. (What a tangled web we weave)
True tolerance comes from compassion. It comes from the deep understanding that everyone is proceeding the best way they know how with the information they have available in any given moment. True tolerance comes not from elevation of self above another, but from walking a mile in their shoes.
4. The Pride of Self
At our current level of sentience, the human form gives us a false impression of a self. The modern New Age beliefs reinforce this belief despite the claim to teach otherwise. Often, those who are spiritually arrogant were taught their lessons based from a perspective of 'self'; often highlighting 'self' as the 'only'. Highlighting 'self' as the utmost importance.Modern New Age thinking says "It's okay to be selfish". It says that if a person is in darkness, it's okay to turn your back and walk away, lest they drag you into the darkness with them. Modern New Age thinking has helped create a world of selfishness and arrogance seen at unprecedented levels. And with it, comes judgment of those who are 'still in the dark'. And New Age thinkers will defend their position as strongly as any zealot defends their religion. (Think about that)
Perhaps if we all began to truly embrace the idea of our Oneness, the selfish would begin to understand that helping others is the greatest medicine toward helping 'self'. Projecting love, rather than hoarding it inward, shines a light bright enough for everyone to see (not just self).
5. Pride of Beliefs
To expand upon what was mentioned above, one of the most common forms of spiritual arrogance comes from one's pride in ones own beliefs. This becomes a slippery slope when people first proclaim their 'awakened-hood'.It is slippery because the same open mind that led to their great 'awakening' - born from a desire to be free to explore one's own spirituality without rules, judgment, or ridicule - now closes off to the value that can be found from other beliefs. In fact, many of these great 'awakened' minds now bash on religion with the same fervor as religions use to bash each other. They believe that - because a teaching resonated - it is a firm and solid truth, unwavering in it's correctness... just like most religions.
Perhaps we should be mindful of our own beliefs and strive to always keep an open, Beginners Mind. Perhaps we should practice the 'tolerance' we are so proud of and embrace the idea that ALL teachings have something of value and some measure of truth.
The Boatman's Philosophy
I often wonder if spiritual arrogance is the result of the basic human need to be part of something larger than ourselves? Once the realization is first made, the first step taken into a larger world, we feel the surge of universal power at our fingertips. And as power often does, it seduces the newly 'awakened' into a false sense of superiority. And because it 'feels good' it is accepted as 'okay'.But everything in moderation.
Our popular image of 'arrogance' usually consists of a cocky swagger like a rebel who blazes his own path and stands confident and ready to take on the world. With that image put in our heads, the word “humility” doesn’t seem to fit into this image.
Humility
Humility oftentimes conjures up images of weakness, submissiveness, and fear. But this is a false light idea of humility. Real humility is a sign of strength, authentic confidence, and courage. It is the mark of a pure spirit.
The definition of humility need not include timidity or 'playing small'. Instead, humility simply requires us to think of our abilities and actions as no greater, and no lesser, than anyone else. Real humility then mandates that we be completely honest with ourselves. Honestly assess what are, and to what magnitude we possess talents and gifts, struggles and weaknesses. True humility requires us to have felt the pain of spiritual awakening. Humility acknowledges both darkness and light in an effort to follow a path of love, rather than a path of righteousness.
And as long as we are on the path of Love, then we are most assuredly on the right path.
- The Boatman
P.S. - Feel free to leave comments or share on your favorite social media.
Comments