Firstly, I've actually come across some comments recently to the effect that we, as a species, are vain. Now, that actually also applies to other species as well (e.g., some birds evolve brilliant plumage in one sex to attract mates - how's that for vanity, eh? Course, I've heard similar comments about humans - namely, that women evolved ""hemispherical" breasts [not found naturally in other species, this person claimed] when humans started to stand upright, to replace the turn on to male ancestors of our species this claim was COMPLETELY heterenormative, by the way], apparently shared with primates, of "hemispherical buttocks"), but in the case of humans, we can use our capacity for thought to consider that further, rather than just being blind followers of fashion.
In our case, I think this behaviour may not be wholly a case of vanity: I think it is, at least in some cases, more about fear - fear that just simply being ourself will not be enough to attract a mate, or even friendship/acceptance/success in work/etc.
I find that quite sad - and flawed. I personally would rather be without artifices, miss "hooking up" with people who are so shallow and superficial that they could be "caught" by such vanities, and find someone real to have a REAL relationship with (as I have, in fact, done :) ).
This thought extended into how fear underlies a lot of what we do in so many ways, especially fear of social disapproval. I cop some of that through looking very butch and having a deep voice (actually, I cop a LOT of that).
I'll leave that thought there, and move on to another.
I think I recall posting comments about how behaviours can be, more or less, higher or lower expressions of something. Hence, for instance, Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion, is where one is supposed to be devoted to one's Guru, and gradually evolve that into devotion to Deity. My explanation of that is Westernised: I say that love for one's family is a lead up to love for all humanity, which is a lead up to love for all creation.
Similarly, I suspect the dedication that some people have for the company they work for is a lower expression of dedication to a "noble cause". Great people like Mohandas K. Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu and Martin Luther King Jr. "served their apprenticeship" in the development of their skills (including their capacity to lead and inspire people) somewhere, possibly a somewhere that is the long distant equivalent of those who, in this day and age, are sacrificing themselves to ensure their company makes a profit? (I, incidentally, have a problem when such sacrifices are forced upon the unwilling!)
I still think such "salary people" (to borrow from a Japanese term - and, while I'm at it, look up the Japanese word "karoshi") need to get a broader focus and stop being so materialistic, but the desire to be of service, including the desire to be part of something greater than the individual, is something that is too often ignored in this age, the age where little people think they are as good as great people. This was an aspect that was discussed in "Briefing for the Landing on Planet Earth" by Stuart Holroyd, about the alleged contact between aliens and Andrija Puharich, Phyllis V. Sclemmer and Sir John Whitmore, when considering the possible motivations of the three people (i.e., the events described in that book may have been a case of being misled because of a desire to be of service to a greater cause, rather than an attempt to commit fraud, as so many "Skeptics" seem to assume is the only possible motivation - and, for the record, Holroyd discounted both fraud and being misled through idealism :) ).
Now, on salary people, this work trip has been with a young engineer who is my protege: the company I work for wants me to pass on everything I know to her before I retire (or get sacked?). Well, it's good that they're thinking about succession planning, but they've put all their eggs in one basket, and there is a lot of maturing that has to be done before this very talented, capable young woman is able to fill my shoes. In fact, that is what I am finding on these trips, just how many bits of knowledge I've put away in various brain cells (then there is the theory that, when the brain cells are full, at around about middle age, the storage goes to one's middle/hips :) ). What is important here, in this situation of teaching, is the receptivity of the student. If this young woman was like many teenagers and other people I know, she would think she knows it all, and there would therefore be absolutely no purpose in listening to an old fuddy-duddy like me. However, she isn't like that. She actually comes from a culture that teaches respect for elders, but, in fact, she is often too respectful - it can even be a struggle to get her to say when she doesn't understand, as she wishes to be polite.
There are plenty of sayings about not casting seed upon barren ground ... I take such sayings well and truly to heart, which can be difficult when you're keen to be of service (which, incidentally, is the reason I chose the day job that I have - to be of service to the community, which one of my uni acquaintances refused to believe ... and my bosses, of course, think I chose it to make them a profit!). I recently had someone who was very surprised by feeling healing energy I was channelling to her, but she has not followed up with any questions.
Finally, I'll end with a couple of links that I've been wanting to put up for a while. Firstly:
and next, an example of what not to do:
PS - a little trivia for you: apparently, according to my dear partner, I have been practising some of my magical chants as I snore - the snoring sounds very like the chanting, in other words. Just as well I don't have to share rooms on these trips!
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: Bhakti, evolution, Gandhi, insecurity, Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr, materialism, society, Stuart Holroyd, training, Tutu, vanity,
First published: Thorsdagr, 1st December, 2011
Last edited: Thursday, 1st December, 2011
