Friday, January 8, 2010

Equanimity

A story from an ancient Jewish text in the Talmud. Once a person seeking enlightenment came to a Rabbi and asked what else he needed to be closer with Shekhina(holy spirit). The Rabbi asked him, " when someone gives you a compliment what feelings are invoked? " The student of awareness said, he enjoyed the compliment. Then the Rabbi asked him, "what he felt when someone insulted him?"
The young man said that it hurt his feelings but that he did not wish ill will towards the speaker. The Rabbi told him , "you will be closer to the light when a compliment and insult will not cause any reaction, then you will know that you have overcome the barrier between Nefesh and Rauch." Specifically, your ego is diminished and more light can flow into the soulplace that one time the ego had mostly occupied. EGO (Eease G-d Out): this concept leads to the question where is G-d ? She is where you let her in ! Shalom