The Center of The Universe
Since I am alive, my brain receives signals about what is happening around me, and how it impacts me. The first natural attitude is, that I am the center of the Universe. There is me, and then there is everything around me. What ever happens around me affects me. I feel it. I enjoy it, or suffer it. It is impacting me. I experience everything from my standpoint outward; I am the center.
After a while, as I matured, I came to understand that although I am at the center of MY universe, I am not the center of THE Universe.
This is an important step in the personal development. Once I understand this, my attitude towards the rest of the world changes. What I wanted or needed used to be the highest priority to me. Nothing else really mattered. I wanted what I wanted, and I wanted it now! With the realization that I am just one of many actors in this whole play, that this play is not about me, but I am about this play, my priorities change. I can accept something that has a less positive effect on me, when I see that it has a much more positive effect on somebody else.
I think, one could call this attitude Love. The first time I realized intellectually what Love really is, was, when my daughter was just a baby. She had contracted the cold and was suffering a lot. She didn't now what was happening with her; the congested sinuses and the running nose made her just really miserable. When I saw her suffering like this, I noticed, that I was thinking to myself, I would trade having a cold myself for ten times the duration she would have it, if that would relief her misery. I would trade feeling bad myself to help somebody else feel bad. I was no longer the center of the Universe, but had stepped aside and allowed something outside of me become it – at least for a moment.
There was another observation, I experienced a few times: Whenever I did not put myself first, but stepped back, and sacrificed my comfort for somebody else, it made me happy. And that happiness seemed to come from deep inside of me. It was a warm, strong, fulfilling feeling. At other times in my life, I have tried to make myself feel happy through other means: shopping, relationships, travel, sex, anything. But, I had to realize, that although these things made me feel good for the moment, that feeling good didn't last for long after the actual experience had ended. Also, it was just a superficial feeling. It was only skin-deep; where as the happiness from having been able to do something nice for somebody else came from inside, and radiated its warmth through the whole me.
OK. So in short, in the beginning I saw myself as the center of the universe. Later, I realized that I wasn't but one of many participants.
I think, we as a species need to go through the same developmental steps. We believe that we humans are the reason for everything, we are crown of the creation, the rest is there just to support us. I think that is not so. I think we are part of this creation just like everything else. We are not the center, nor the most important thing. I don't even think we are any more important than any other element in this world.
While we still think of ourselves as being the sole purpose of this world, we treat everything else with no respect, no appreciation. We pollute our environment. We take material out of the natural cycle, and create stuff that nature can not recycle anymore. We raid the planet of all its natural resources, clear-cut forests, drain rivers, over-fish our oceans, and so much more!
We, as a species, are at the developmental stage of a toddler.
I think, it is important for us to grow up and mature. We need to realize, that the human species is not the center of the Universe, but just an element in it.
For me personal, that means, that I do not just try to look out for other people, but for the creation as a whole. F I have to choose between my comfort, another person's comfort, and the creations well-being, I need to keep all three parties in mind. Just as I might prefer to be sick myself, instead of my daughter, I might prefer to be a little warm and not burn the energy it would require to cool down the place. I might choose to hang the clothes on the line, instead of sticking it in the dryer. Or I might choose to live close to work, and drive a bicycle or scooter rather than a big car.
Still, it always is my choice. I do not let anybody else dictate what I should do; but I try to listen to what others have to say, and learn from them. Neither do I want to tell anybody else what they should do. But I am trying to explain my thought-processes and ideas, so others may inspired by them...
To summarize, I observed that we humans tend to first see ourselves as the center of the Universe. Later we widen the circle to allow our family and friends to be in the center too. Often, the one or other group we feel to be part of is next. Perceived class, religious affiliation, race, region or country are typical examples for such groups. Eventually, we might get to the point where we see all of humanity to be at the center of the Universe. But we should not stop there, but continue on, and accept, that if there is some such thing as a center of the Universe, it might only be the whole creation.
Real happiness comes from within, and fulfillment can only be achieved by not putting myself first. This is true for me as an individual, as well, as for us as a species...
After a while, as I matured, I came to understand that although I am at the center of MY universe, I am not the center of THE Universe.
This is an important step in the personal development. Once I understand this, my attitude towards the rest of the world changes. What I wanted or needed used to be the highest priority to me. Nothing else really mattered. I wanted what I wanted, and I wanted it now! With the realization that I am just one of many actors in this whole play, that this play is not about me, but I am about this play, my priorities change. I can accept something that has a less positive effect on me, when I see that it has a much more positive effect on somebody else.
I think, one could call this attitude Love. The first time I realized intellectually what Love really is, was, when my daughter was just a baby. She had contracted the cold and was suffering a lot. She didn't now what was happening with her; the congested sinuses and the running nose made her just really miserable. When I saw her suffering like this, I noticed, that I was thinking to myself, I would trade having a cold myself for ten times the duration she would have it, if that would relief her misery. I would trade feeling bad myself to help somebody else feel bad. I was no longer the center of the Universe, but had stepped aside and allowed something outside of me become it – at least for a moment.
There was another observation, I experienced a few times: Whenever I did not put myself first, but stepped back, and sacrificed my comfort for somebody else, it made me happy. And that happiness seemed to come from deep inside of me. It was a warm, strong, fulfilling feeling. At other times in my life, I have tried to make myself feel happy through other means: shopping, relationships, travel, sex, anything. But, I had to realize, that although these things made me feel good for the moment, that feeling good didn't last for long after the actual experience had ended. Also, it was just a superficial feeling. It was only skin-deep; where as the happiness from having been able to do something nice for somebody else came from inside, and radiated its warmth through the whole me.
OK. So in short, in the beginning I saw myself as the center of the universe. Later, I realized that I wasn't but one of many participants.
I think, we as a species need to go through the same developmental steps. We believe that we humans are the reason for everything, we are crown of the creation, the rest is there just to support us. I think that is not so. I think we are part of this creation just like everything else. We are not the center, nor the most important thing. I don't even think we are any more important than any other element in this world.
While we still think of ourselves as being the sole purpose of this world, we treat everything else with no respect, no appreciation. We pollute our environment. We take material out of the natural cycle, and create stuff that nature can not recycle anymore. We raid the planet of all its natural resources, clear-cut forests, drain rivers, over-fish our oceans, and so much more!
We, as a species, are at the developmental stage of a toddler.
I think, it is important for us to grow up and mature. We need to realize, that the human species is not the center of the Universe, but just an element in it.
For me personal, that means, that I do not just try to look out for other people, but for the creation as a whole. F I have to choose between my comfort, another person's comfort, and the creations well-being, I need to keep all three parties in mind. Just as I might prefer to be sick myself, instead of my daughter, I might prefer to be a little warm and not burn the energy it would require to cool down the place. I might choose to hang the clothes on the line, instead of sticking it in the dryer. Or I might choose to live close to work, and drive a bicycle or scooter rather than a big car.
Still, it always is my choice. I do not let anybody else dictate what I should do; but I try to listen to what others have to say, and learn from them. Neither do I want to tell anybody else what they should do. But I am trying to explain my thought-processes and ideas, so others may inspired by them...
To summarize, I observed that we humans tend to first see ourselves as the center of the Universe. Later we widen the circle to allow our family and friends to be in the center too. Often, the one or other group we feel to be part of is next. Perceived class, religious affiliation, race, region or country are typical examples for such groups. Eventually, we might get to the point where we see all of humanity to be at the center of the Universe. But we should not stop there, but continue on, and accept, that if there is some such thing as a center of the Universe, it might only be the whole creation.
Real happiness comes from within, and fulfillment can only be achieved by not putting myself first. This is true for me as an individual, as well, as for us as a species...
Labels: Applying spirituality, Ideas for a New Spirituality, New Approach
posted by Thomas | 5:28 AM
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