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Amy
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Posted: 09:33 pm

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I know this is a Baha'i perspective...but interested in other perspectives as well, so posting it here.

I've attended two Baha'i conferences this summer and at both of them, one of the speakers (different people) mentioned the quote below. Referring to the nine invisible enemies of the soul.

986. "Just as the earth attracts everything to the center of gravity, and every object thrown upward into space will come down, so also material ideas and worldly thoughts attract man to the center of self. Anger, passion, ignorance, prejudice, greed, envy, covetousness, jealousy and suspicion prevent man from ascending to the realms of holiness, imprisoning him in the claws of self and the cage of egotism. The physical man, unassisted by the divine power, trying to escape from one of these invisible enemies, will unconsciously fall into the hands of another. No sooner does he attempt to soar upward than the density of the love of self, like the power of gravity, draws him to the earth. The only power that is capable of delivering man from this captivity is the power of the breaths of the Holy Spirit. The attraction of the power of the Holy Spirit is so effective that it keeps man ever on the path of upward ascension. The malevolent forces of no enemy will touch those sanctified souls who have made this universal power their guide...."

(Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 546)

It reminds me of many references in the Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah. Here are a few of them...

58. O SON OF MAN!
The temple of being is My throne; cleanse it of all things, that there I may be established and there I may abide. (Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

26. O MY FRIEND IN WORD!
Ponder awhile. Hast thou ever heard that friend and foe should abide in one heart? Cast out then the stranger, that the Friend may enter His home. (Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)

27. O SON OF DUST!
All that is in heaven and earth I have ordained for thee, except the human heart, which I have made the habitation of My beauty and glory; yet thou didst give My home and dwelling to another than Me; and whenever the manifestation of My holiness sought His own abode, a stranger found He there, and, homeless, hastened unto the sanctuary of the Beloved. Notwithstanding I have concealed thy secret and desired not thy shame. (Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)

34. O DWELLERS OF MY PARADISE!
With the hands of loving-kindness I have planted in the holy garden of paradise the young tree of your love and friendship, and have watered it with the goodly showers of My tender grace; now that the hour of its fruiting is come, strive that it may be protected, and be not consumed with the flame of desire and passion. (Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)

_______________________________________

Consider that the above 9 invisible enemies (in the first quote) belong to the Fire of Self and Passion. (The World). When our heart is filled with these things there is no room for the love of God. So essentially, yes, we have given His home to another.

But also consider, that when we make efforts to purify our heart. And focus on the the Fire of the Love of God (The Kingdom), and choose to fill our hearts with the attributes of God, such as love, empathy, compassion, contentment, joy, detachment, kindness, justice and above all gratitude...our hearts are full, and it truly becomes...

59. O SON OF BEING!
Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent. Thy spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it for My manifestation. (Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

_________________________________________________

The Great Being saith: The Word is the master key for the whole world, inasmuch as through its potency the doors of the hearts of men, which in reality are the doors of heaven, are unlocked.

(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 173)

thoughts?


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Comfortably Uncomfortable
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Posted: 08:15 am

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I liked the passages, and they are provoking. But, what I don't understand is why do all of the religious traditions speak out against love of self? I don't understand why having self-confidence, and self-esteem, and self-love is a bad thing.

Amy
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Posted: 02:58 pm

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I think it's a balance. (moderation in all things)

It's fine to have self-confidence and self-esteem. But being overly confident, thinking that we are better than everyone else. That is what we should avoid. This is when we are in danger of forgetting the Source of our Being.

The main point I think is to always remember that we would be nothing if not for God.

They who are the beloved of God, in whatever place they gather and whomsoever they may meet, must evince, in their attitude towards God, and in the manner of their celebration of His praise and glory, such humility and submissiveness that every atom of the dust beneath their feet may attest the depth of their devotion.

(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 7)

Of course we should take care of ourselves. We are no good to anyone if we don't take care of ourselves first, but not as the goal, but rather the means to an end...the end being to be of service to others.

Last edited on 03:02 pm by Amy


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Posted: 03:50 am

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Comfortably Uncomfortable wrote: I liked the passages, and they are provoking. But, what I don't understand is why do all of the religious traditions speak out against love of self? I don't understand why having self-confidence, and self-esteem, and self-love is a bad thing.

Amy said it best ---
but I'll put it this way..

It's not about having no self-esteem --- but realising that the _real_ self-esteem lies in understanding that God IS your self-esteem -- and everything that you do in a truly humble, non-self-serving way IS in fact something that God helped you do.

Ego, and pride like "I did that ALL by myself. No one but me could have done that. I didn't need anyone's help at all. not even God."

That's what the avoidance of self is about ---- the concept of putting OTHERS first is the first step towards destroying one's own ego, and making it subsurvient to all else about a person..

Armed with the power of Thy name nothing can ever hurt me, and with Thy love in my heart all the world's afflictions can in no wise alarm me.

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