Nourishment
“Enjoy
your good fortune and remember to share it, for the mark of a
well-nourished self is the ability and willingness to nourish
others.”
Ralph
H. Blum (The Book of Runes)
I've
been thinking a lot lately, especially since seeing the Dalai Lama,
about what it means to be a “well-nourished self.” The Jungian
way of saying it is “an individuated self,” or what Maslow
called, “self-actualized.” Notice the one consistent word in all
that—self. Deep self-knowing is the path toward becoming
full-capacity people. Makes sense, doesn't it?
One
of the most prominent traits of a truly individuated self is the
total lack of ego investment that was so clear in the Dalai Lama. No
need to elevate oneself, no need to compete with others, no need to
be right, and no need for status in the material world. Individuated
people are humble. They are self-effacing and kind, which, as
leaders, is what makes them stand out. Most of our world leaders have
bodacious egos—they brag, they snarl, they threaten, they make
promises they can't keep. We've come to believe that strength looks
like that—egotism dressed up in an Armani suit.
But,
think Jesus of Nazareth here, think Gandhi, they were humble men.
They shared themselves with the common people, they offered an open
table, they kept their lives simple and gave away their wisdom for
free. They did not condemn others, they nourished in every way
available to them. Their leadership lasted far beyond the one life
that they gave, and has indelibly changed our world for the better.
Self-knowledge
is a powerful thing. It includes knowing our darkness as well as our
light, and all the shadows in between. Ironically, self-knowledge
leads to selflessness. It takes a lifetime to achieve, so the sooner
we start the better. Better for us, and better for our world.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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