I recall reading Teresa of Avila's writing about serving the world and her advice to lean into the suffering and identify with the pain and struggle
of the people involved in order to become stimulated into action. That is
my paraphrase of what I recall from the reading. I remember, too, the
idea in her writing that it is our connection to the suffering of the world
that draws us into action; and it is also, she wrote, how Divinity uses
us.
Teresa of Avila's advice contrasts
with what some metaphysical teachers recommend: to be careful not to identify
with the mindset of suffering so as not to take on the associated
consciousness. In Ernest Holmes’s words, "You may have all the
sympathy in the world for one who is in need, but don't personally identify
yourself with it, don't take it on."
How, then, do I lean into
serving the world, accurately see the suffering, and still avoid identifying
with what I see? The best approach I can
think of is to work towards the clearest consciousness I can so that when I
engage in the world, I avoid bringing ideas of separation, concepts of “us and
them,” or notions of better-than or less-than.
On the one hand, contributing
with a clear consciousness of oneness is an excellent way of bringing the best
in me when helping where help is wanted. On the other hand, there is the
possibility of becoming so detached that I don't recognize or accept or acknowledge
my ability to help when and where I can.
Whether I am a student of
Ernest Holmes or Teresa of Avila or both, only I can know when I'm hiding
behind my spirituality as a way of avoiding engaging in the world.
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