The Seven Steeds of smaller self … (11/04/15)
(Finding & Transcending the 7 Adversaries of your Soul)
Each one of us contains a True Self within — what some call the conscience, others the Spirit, and still others the Soul. This is the deepest essence of who we truly are — this is the part of our awareness that always remembers that we are first and foremost a facet of The One; that we are all members of the same Great Family; and that we are all blessed with the ability to pause in any instant and consciously choose to act accordingly — for the benefit of others instead of for ourselves.
And yet there is another part of our psyches at play in every moment as well — our “smaller self”; what some call the Id, others the reptile brain, and still others the ego. This is the most shallow area of our existence; the part of our perception that is ruled by our most primitive programmings — It is always first at bat (operating 1/4 of a second faster than the neocortex that houses our Higher Self), and it is always analyzing situations & scenarios in light of our probable “best interest”. Is he or she friend or foe? If “friend”, what’s in it for me? If “foe”, should I fight or should I flee? Will this choice help me & my gene pool live longer, be more comfortable &/or know more pleasure?
In every moment of our lives, both selves are available. If we are feeling selfish &/or are merely “going through the motions”, we will always act in accordance with the desires & lusts of the “smaller self” — in essence we will always “ride” one of the Seven Steeds of Self-Stagnation (six of which are hidden in the attached image). And yet if we pause in any moment for just one quarter of one second — if we choose to pro-act with consciousness instead of react with emotion or habit, we can choose to harmonize our choices with the inclinations of our “Soul Self”, and allow our lives and the lives of those around us to bloom into being as a consequence … Consider:
*We can choose to dismount from the Steed of Envy (its yearning & its jealousy & its complaining) and Walk the Way if Gratitude instead … We can be grateful for our lives.
*We can choose to dismount from the Steed of Entertainment (its routines & its boredom & its familiarity) and Walk the Way of Wonderment instead … We can be amazed at the Beauty that always surrounds us.
*We can choose to dismount from the Steed of Greed (its hoarding & its saving & its materialism) and Walk the Way of selfless Giving instead … We can give past the point of comfort, especially to those “least deserving”.
*We can choose to dismount from the Steed of Comfort (its complacency & its passiveness & its apathy) and Walk the Way of joyful self-Sacrifice instead … We can share a kind word and a smile with the strangers we find most startling.
*We can choose to dismount from the Steed of Arrogance (its separateness & its superiority & its critical judgment) and Walk the Way of humble Gentleness instead … We can treat ALL sentient life with an appropriate amount of dignity & respect.
*We can choose to dismount from the Steed of Security (its “healthy boundaries” & its self-defense & its gossip & its hatred) and Walk the Way of Forgiveness instead … We can engage our enemies with courage and compassion.
*We can choose to dismount from the Steed of Fear (its inaction & its timidity & its conventionality & its anger) and Walk the Way of LOVE (the verb) instead … We can reach out to others in tenderness, especially in those times when we least wish to do so.
My Friends, just as our equine companions from the animal kingdom are not meant to be ridden, our Seven Steeds of Smaller Self are much more beautiful when appreciated from afar.
So consider dismounting from your own Steeds of Stagnation … Let them be in peace — and walk your Way of Love instead.
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