By Christpher Greenwood
Day 199 – Being a human human
Yesterday, we drove in the car with Mohanji to an ACT initiative in Serbia. He asked a general question, “What do people actually get from talking bad about another person, judging them, making opinions about them, sharing these and discussing them? What is anybody actually gaining when they do that?”
I answered in a way that I thought was best: “Well, this becomes a barrier for people on the way towards liberation,” I’d shared in recent messages that any time there’s a separation, it’s a moving away from unity. But he quickly replied, “You can forget about liberation. This is just simply a fundamental of being a human being, a full, stable, contented human being. What is anyone gaining through this act of talking about people?”
It’s a good point for contemplation and one which initiated this message this morning. So, why do many people make opinions of others? Why do they talk badly about others, judge and criticize them? What is anyone gaining other than the heaviness and regrets?
We spoke in the car about this too. Mohanji shared that it’s simply playing the drama – when people are involved in this, they act out the play of the mind with its likes and dislikes, swinging from one to another.
Even if people aren’t directly involved in someone’s life, they also tend to form opinions. People become upset or even angry at others because of who they are or other people’s life choices. Why do we involve ourselves as long as it’s not harming others? It’s the other person’s life to experience. We don’t need to judge, restrict or deny the experience. So, when we put a judgement, opinion, criticism, or control on that, it restricts or denies an experience they probably wanted.
Before being spiritual, we can be human. We can leave people to live their lives, whether a father, mother, sister, brother, child or co-worker. We can simply leave them alone to experience their chosen life and free them/ourselves from the heavy burden of judgements, opinions and criticisms because this can create expectations, ownership, and the associated pains that come with that.
I have observed Mohanji with people, and he doesn’t look at what they do personally. He doesn’t make opinions or look at their habits or character. He sees people as human beings. That’s something to learn.
To leave people alone. Let them be. So, it was an interesting thought: What does anybody gain when the judgments and criticisms are put onto another and can we leave people to be free and live their lives?
Day 200 – Power of selfless service
Yesterday (30/05), Mohanji was invited to give a Satsang for the Serbia volunteer team. The core volunteers have selflessly given their time and resources to the platforms.
It was a powerful and inspiring Satsang. The opening was a good reminder of the power of selfless service, doing something without any expectation in return, and giving what we have for the world.
Mohanji shared the two main benefits of selfless service.
1. Purification
2. Lightness
Purification
Through service, we are purifying ourselves. We are purifying the greed, competition and ownership elements – all these get nullified. Less ownership reduces karma, and purity happens as we express something unconditional.
Lightness
We feel lighter; selfless service is a tangible experience. Life gains much more clarity. There is less fog on the road of our life, more awareness and much less burden due to ego shedding. As we’re giving towards those activities, we can better handle the storms of life.
He said more than any meditation, the service element brings purification. I’ve shared before that all the platforms established are opportunities for people to express and give their time, their talents in various ways, which automatically reduce karma or exhaust desires.
The selfless action, the purification element, is working without ownership. Because you’re just giving yourself – your resources, your hands, your legs, arms, whichever it is- there’s no attachment to the activity, ideally, which also becomes a purifying activity.
One of the hindrances of selfless service is the greed factor. When people ask, “What’s in it for me?” We have been trained and educated in this transactional way of life. When I give you something, I get something in return. This expectation dilutes selflessness.
He said that this could become one of the natural hindrances to selfless service, an inherent expectation that because we’ve given our time, sweat, money, or whatever it is, we should get something in return, so always keep that in check.
|| JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI ||
Edited & Published by – Testimonials Team, 12th March 2023
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