PROFIT AND LOSS

FOR WHAT WILL IT PROFIT A MAN, IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD AND FORFEITS HIS LIFE? —MATTHEW 16: 26




Recall the kind of feeling you have when someone praises you, when you are approved, accepted, applauded. And contrast that with the kind of feeling that arises within you when you look at the sunset or the sunrise or Nature in general, or when you read a book or watch a movie that you thoroughly enjoy. Get the taste of this feeling and contrast it with the first, namely, the one that was generated within you when you were praised. 

Understand that the first type of feeling comes from self-glorification, self-promotion. It is a worldly feeling. The second comes from self-fulfillment, a soul feeling.

Here is another contrast: Recall the kind of feeling you have when you succeed, when you have made it, when you get to the top, when you win a game or a bet or an argument. And contrast it with the kind of feeling you get when you really enjoy the job you are doing, you are absorbed in, the action that you are currently engaged in. And once again notice the qualitative difference between the worldly feeling and the soul feeling.

Yet another contrast: Remember what you felt like when you had power, you were the boss, people looked up to you, took orders from you; or when you were popular. And contrast that worldly feeling with the feeling of intimacy, companionship— the times you thoroughly enjoyed yourself in the company of a friend or with a group in which there was fun and laughter. 

Having done this, attempt to understand the true nature of worldly feelings, namely, the feelings of self-promotion, self-glorification. They are not natural, they were invented by your society and your culture to make you productive and to make you controllable. These feelings do not produce the nourishment and happiness that is produced when one contemplates Nature or enjoys the company of one’s friends or one’s work. They were meant to produce thrills, excitement— and emptiness.

Then observe yourself in the course of a day or a week and think how many actions of yours are performed, how many activities engaged in that are uncontaminated by the desire for these thrills, these excitements that only produce emptiness, the desire for attention, approval, fame, popularity, success or power.

And take a look at the people around you. Is there a single one of them who has not become addicted to these worldly feelings? A single one who is not controlled by them, hungers for them, spends every minute of his/ her waking life consciously or unconsciously seeking them? When you see this you will understand how people attempt to gain the world and, in the process, lose their soul. For they live empty, soul-less lives. 

And here is a parable of life for you to ponder on: A group of tourists sits in a bus that is passing through gorgeously beautiful country; lakes and mountains and green fields and rivers. But the shades of the bus are pulled down. They do not have the slightest idea of what lies beyond the windows of the bus. And all the time of their journey is spent in squabbling over who will have the seat of honor in the bus, who will be applauded, who will be well considered. And so they remain till the journey’s end.

-The Way to Love

Loyalty

“The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith.”

― Confucius, The Ethics of Confucius

Awhile ago I had an interesting conversation with some friends about the subject of loyalty. I stated my reason why I don't ask for people to be loyal to me or to the organization. It's simple, it's actually due to negative social conditioning.

Let me tell you why.

To my readers... please, take caution in reading this post because it will naturally squeeze your mind for a bit because of the mind bending and enlightening ideas that is contained here. But after reading this you will feel better and automatically be released for any commitments that you've made that is against your will.

If you think you are ready, then let's proceed.

ENVIRONMENT

“Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking.”

― Steve Jobs

If you'll look closely and carefully study human behavior of our society, most people use "Loyalty" not because out of love but because of control. Don't you agree? I know you do.

I don't have to cite examples actually. You've felt it your entire life. Look around you. Every single person, teacher, guru, family,  school, religion, organization or group always demands loyalty. Most people's definition of loyalty that you see around you stems not from love but from fear, hate, jealousy, control and insecurity.

Also in the media, it is portrayed that if you are not loyal you are banished and people will look at you and label you negatively. It's very obvious that loyalty is mostly abused in religion, relationships and the business world to gain control and that is not love.

Don't get me wrong. It's okay to be loyal it helps organizations like, school, army, government or small groups to be organized. Be loyal all you want, but make sure you are loyal because you want to, not because you felt guilty or indebted to a person or a group. Because, once you feel uncomfortable committing or being loyal that means you are acting out of fear and not of God's love. Think about it.

Remember, the ego wants control. It demands loyalty to people. Because the ego is afraid to be alone. It needs to validate and prove something. Control comes from fear. As Yoda put it, Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to the dark side.   

“If you wish to control others you must first control yourself” 

― Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

HISTORY

“In the 17th chapter of Saint Luke it is written the Kingdom of God is within man, not one man, nor a group of men, but in all men, in you, you the people have the power!”

-Charlie Chaplin

In my years of research and study of thousands of spiritual literature, I've learned that in ancient times, people were trained to give oaths and promises to be loyal Only to God's principles and virtues- such as love, forgiveness, compassion, oneness and all those high ideals.

And with this kind of mindset, people are able to maintain harmonious relationships. Because they need only to be loyal to God's ideals.

In the bible Colossians 3:11, it said that "Christ is all, and is in all." that means God is loyal to everyone of us not just one person or group. Because God is in everything and in everyone.

Which means, they become even more connected to each other because, they only have to be loyal to God and everything of God's creation this in turn unites them all, they become one.

On the other hand.. What happened as the years, decades and centuries passed by, people started to drift away from a higher to a lower form of consciousness from the divine perspective they shifted to the human perspective and started personalizing it and totally forgot the principles and high ideals.

It means that, instead of being loyal to God and it's principles, people started being loyal to external things like persons, groups, organizations and this created all the isms, creeds, religions in our world and that lead to separation- The 'us' against them mentality.

“I don't care a damn about men who are loyal to the people who pay them, to organizations...I don't think even my country means all that much. There are many countries in our blood, aren't there, but only one person. Would the world be in the mess it is if we were loyal to love and not to countries?” 

― Graham Greene, Our Man in Havana

LOYALTY IS IMPERSONAL

"It is a useless life that is not consecrated to a great ideal. 

It is like a stone wasted in the field without becoming part of an edifice."

-Jose Rizal

If you'll be loyal to a group, person or God be loyal to it's ideals. People and Organizations will fade but ideals will stand and live on forever. Within the minds, hearts and lives of the people.

A Leader or an Idol should not be placed on a pedestal or be worshiped. An Idol should be an ideal state of being. Most people forgets the ideal and starts to idolized, objectify a person or organization than to idealized and personify the ideal and embody the vision.

Loyalty is about service and service is about unconditional love. Service to others leads to greatness. That means, when you serve, you love without expecting or demanding anything in return.

Inside of You

All the things that makes you angry and irritated exist only in you.




Nothing in the world can make you feel bad, angry, depressed, irritated, emotional or lonely unless you have trained yourself to be angry and irritated by certain words, conditions and people.


10% is what happens to you 90% is your reaction to it.

When you are not busy actively making yourself miserable, by reacting negatively to people, situations and circumstances, you will be happy.

What makes you unhappy is the programming you got from other people. The beliefs you got with the people or group you associate, the Media, your parents, your neighborhood.

What makes you feel bad is your social conditioning.

We live in a world where the society promotes getting angry, depressed, irritated, criticism, gossiping, judging competition, fear, jealousy, emotional, upset as something normal. How unfortunate.

We can't do anything about other people's belief, but we can do something about our beliefs. We can choose to live in the light or in the dark.

We are all okay. We just allowed other people to put wrong ideas in our heads that's why some of us are suffering.

Maturity

Maturity means nobody is to blame.




You don't blame other people for the irritation, anger, hate, depression, loneliness you feel.


You don't even blame yourself.

Just let it go, focus on what you want and you will be free.

It's all in your head

All the things that makes you angry and irritated exist only in you. 

Nothing in the world can make you feel bad, angry, depressed, irritated, emotional or lonely unless you have trained yourself to be angry and irritated by certain words, conditions and people.

10% is what happens to you 90% is your reaction to it.

When you are not busy actively making yourself miserable, by reacting negatively to people, situations and circumstances, you will be happy.

What makes you unhappy is the programming you got from other people. The beliefs you got with the people or group you associate, the Media, your parents, your neighborhood.