Before I can love someone I need to know them. What, then, about me?

[Candice Wilmore]

Prem Rawat my teacher, also called Maharaji showed me who I am. Without that how could I love someone I do not really know? So simple but not always so easy to grasp, for me anyway:

(from his website)

Maharaji opened his address by talking about human beings’ innate thirst for peace. “Even a long time ago,” he said, “when people wore their skin for clothes, you can imagine a man or a woman standing under the stars on a beautiful evening. And what do they ask? ‘Who am I? Why am I here?'

“Now, fast forward,” he continued. “Here we are. Cell phones. Airplanes. Television. Blu-Ray. High definition, low definition. More books than you can imagine. More religions and variations of religion than you can imagine. The Web, the information portal. And we still ask, 'Who am I? What am I? What am I doing here? What is the purpose of my life?'


Read more: http://www.wopg.org/en/news/ontheroadwithmaharaji/157-event-in-ljub...

[Ron Alexander]

Joy is the realization of our oneness, the oneness of our soul with supreme love. Tagore

[drmike]

Getting away from all the spiritual rant for a minute, it is just important to do your investigation. When the red stop signs are there, don't ignore them. This is a problem with relationships...The ego tells us we want this (e.g., the trophy girlfriend, or excessively expensive car, or the rich companion, etc.) and doesn't know what is ultimately best. People use people to make them appear better outwardly. This has been my experience. I am striving to not return to THAT game.

[Candice Wilmore]

Getting away from all the spiritual rant for a minute.

Just have to ask, what "spiritual rant" are you referring? The original post I put here is, to me, not the least spiritual, it's very practical.

People use people to make them appear better outwardly. This has been my experience. I am striving to not return to THAT game.

I do agree with this, even if it's using their own children to "look good". This is exactly why my "philosophy" is if I don't know: Who I am, what I need and how to get that, I am literally dangerous because without meaning to, I will hurt myself and those around me.

[Ron Alexander]

"I do agree with this, even if it's using their own children to "look good". This is exactly why my "philosophy" is if I don't know: Who I am, what I need and how to get that, I am literally dangerous because without meaning to, I will hurt myself and those around me."
Last year, I was invited to a men's group comprised of men from a local spiritual community. I was dismayed that the subject was all about finding the right woman for a wife. I was told later that one reason is that the Guru of this group demands celibacy outside marriage. However, I have never seen so many needy grieving men. I told them that if I came back, I would be glad to lead them in exploring their needs and grief. I also told them to be careful what they were wishing for after getting out of a very unconscious marriage myself. I went ahead this year and formed my own men's group with a group of diverse men who are much more conscious.

A person who feels whole within themselves makes a better partner. I am not interested in a partner unless she "knows herSelf really well.

[Lee]

Candice said: I do agree with this, even if it's using their own children to "look good". This is exactly why my "philosophy" is if I don't know: Who I am, what I need and how to get that, I am literally dangerous because without meaning to, I will hurt myself and those around me.


For me it is somewhere in this process of getting to know ourself that the beauty of humanity lies. The innate thirst for peace and the consequential desire to know ourself is beautiful in and of itself. Additionally, as we unintentionally hurt ourself and those around us due to our very human lack of knowledge the flipside is an almost innate understanding of that condition from which things such as forgiveness, empathy, and understanding come from. As I begin to understand (and I am just beginning) my shortcomings I am dumbfounded by the ability of those that love me to have forgiven me so far in my life.

So, as to the four questions, the only answers I have ever been able to come up with are: I am me, I am energy (maybe), I am learning, and I may or may not have an actual purpose. However, as I learn and exist as energy in the form of me, I enjoy being kind, I like being treated kindly, and I like to find ways to use love to facilitate this kindness. This is how I attempt to quench this innate thirst for peace, and the most important thing to know about who and what I am is that I am flawed, and I am going to make mistakes. Thankfully so is everyone else, so I kind of fit in.

[Ron Alexander]

"Lee said:

Candice said: I do agree with this, even if it's using their own children to "look good". This is exactly why my "philosophy" is if I don't know: Who I am, what I need and how to get that, I am literally dangerous because without meaning to, I will hurt myself and those around me.


For me it is somewhere in this process of getting to know ourself that the beauty of humanity lies. The innate thirst for peace and the consequential desire to know ourself is beautiful in and of itself. Additionally, as we unintentionally hurt ourself and those around us due to our very human lack of knowledge the flipside is an almost innate understanding of that condition from which things such as forgiveness, empathy, and understanding come from. As I begin to understand (and I am just beginning) my shortcomings I am dumbfounded by the ability of those that love me to have forgiven me so far in my life.

A brilliant well thought-out answer, Lee! thank you, ron

[Linda Lawson]

HI Everyone,

This s ia very broad topic with no easy, pat answers, from where I sit.Thanks Candice and everyone for sharing your perspectives.
I feel I am here to further evolve and to ssssit the earth to do the same. My overarching goal is to know love in its fullest potential.

In my experience, people allow others to use them , on some level... usually unconsciously, we attract everything going on in our lives to ourselves. So, really , no one is to blame, it is energy attracting like energy.

All choices have consequences and my life is a product o f my choices,past an d present.. No one is to blame.

That's a hard one to accept . It does bear out to be true. Have a period of witnessing your actions and you will see what I mean.There is a choice presented in our interactoins, We may miss that we even have one.However ,it is always there.love or fear.


I find that love calls on me to do some very challenging "chores"...like having class with people I don't agree with, loving my "Mistakes" aka choices,releasing judgement, finding similarities in others, taking the path of greatest resistance, walking in another's shoes, etc...

When judgement ceases , so does the need to forgive.

These are all things I am practicing . ...passing them on.
love,
Linda





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