The Information Channel Felist.Com
-*--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Unity Way

August 7, 2005

------------------------------------------------------

Affirmative Attitude: Courage

by Andrei Yashurin

One of the greatest obstacles we face in our life journey 
is fear. The name of our fears is Legion: fear of death, 
fear of sickness, fear of lack, fear of being alone, fear 
of being rejected and ridiculed, fear of being offended. 
In many instances people are not conscious of their fears - 
or they are trying to justify them, presenting as "wisdom" 
and "common sense". 

It is unreasonable to expect that we could be instantly 
delivered from all of our fears. They should be dealt with 
one by one. And I think we may start such inner work with 
fear of being ourselves.   

We know that we're living in human society, and that our 
life depends on social relationships in so many ways. It 
is good and natural to play according to the rules and 
to fulfill our part in establishing and maintaining a social 
order. It is an excellent opportunity for us to release 
the flow of divine love. However, relationships between 
an individual and society cannot be viewed simplistically. 
So often society demands conformity, thoughtless embracing 
of public or group opinions. In some cases it is ready 
to punish persons who dare to think for themselves and 
to trust in themselves. 

So, it is vital for us to have courage to be ourselves. 
There is nothing noble about conformism. It robs us of 
our originality, which is our gift to the world. Our loyalty 
to the truth of our being should be above our loyalty 
to people, no matter how we respect them. 

Let us loyal to the truth, because we cannot go successfully 
against the truth. Everything which is not built of 
the foundation of truth, will not stand. It includes 
relationships with others. 

For ages, religion used to preach conformity and submission 
in the name of God: "Follow the rules! Obey the elders! 
Submit to priests and ministers!" In all those cases we deal 
with an external authority. What religion failed to teach 
is that the source of true authority is within. "The kingdom 
of God is within you". In all ages, these words of Jesus 
remain true: "The Pharisees and the scholars have taken 
the keys of knowledge and have hidden them. They have 
not entered nor have they allowed those who want to enter 
to do so".

"Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist. He who 
would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by 
the name of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness. 
Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of our own 
mind. Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the 
suffrage of the world... No law can be sacred to me but 
that of my nature. Good and bad are but names very readily 
transferable to that or this; the only right is what is 
after my constitution", wrote Ralph Emerson.

We need to have in mind that courage to be ourselves is 
different from rebellion. Rebellion proceeds from self-importance 
and a wounded ego. It lacks wisdom, love, and peace - 
essential ingredients of truly positive attitude. It lacks 
patience and insists on radical changes, not being mindful 
of their painful consequences. It is aggressive and 
intrusive. 

Courage to be ourselves is born of greater awareness, not 
of personal pains and hurts. And it is the royal way to freedom 
for a courageous individual and for many others. When 
a courageous person meets with opposition, such one 
overcomes not because of great efforts, but because 
the universal order grants its unfailing support. 

(to be continued)

------------------------------------------------------

To be unsubscribed, click the link at the bottom of this message,
do not write to the author.

------------------------------------------------------

http://pcjournal.ru/talks ~ Talks on Truth

Andrei Yashurin: yashurin@gmail.com

If you like our list, please recommend it to others.

All messages (c) 2005 by Andrei Yashurin

-*--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe: http://felist.com/member/unsub?grp=lit.unityway&email=

http://felist.com/                                   mailto:ask@felist.com