I have created a group on Facebook called The Crack Between the Worlds. I have been waxing poetically on it for about a month now. Its growing and doing well. I wrote this one today and thought Michael might enjoy this one!
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"Self-importance is our greatest enemy. Think about it- what weakens us is feeling offended by the deeds and misdeeds of our fellow men. Our self-importance requires that we spend most of our lives being offended by someone.." ~Fire From Within
I remember many years ago, when I was just starting to get into the books and on my own warrior path, I came across a Man of Knowledge whom I still know to this day, online. He did a post about being offended. And to put the whole entire post in a nutshell, he said, 'You're offended - your fault!."
I was like what? Always my fault? So one of the things with the quote above, is shortly after don Juan said this to Carlos, La Gorda walks up and slaps Carlos a good one in the face.
I used the same scenario, then others, in regard to the post. "If someone walks up and punches me in the face, and I am offended, how is this my fault!? I did not punch myself in the face. The other person did! Its their fault and they should take responsibility for it."
I went on and on on a firestorm. Many scenarios how people are innocent sometimes. Yes, I understand self-importance, we have a lot we need to get rid of. But sometimes, you come up against a schmuck and he does something to you, and upsets you! He does some kind of wrong, and how is it my fault, each and every time? How so, how so?
However, after several years of walking this path, I have learned that man is right! The only way to conquer self-importance, is to totally own it, every ugly part of it. Its the only way to get free, to be rid of it, for good. And its hard, plain hard! Because people do things to offend us all the time! We get slapped by La Gorda all the time, and feel the sting.
But even when Carlos got slapped, he got this lesson quicker than I did. He felt the sting and was mad! But shortly after in the book, he said, he realized he was just as self-important as La Gorda. Just as self-important. And this was what don Juan was trying to relay, but Carlos needed a slap in the face to get it! And he owned it afterwards, and we have to do the same.
I am going to paraphrase a story of the Buddha and a heckler. He had a heckler who would go to his sittings when Buddha would speak. He would go on and on how he was a false teacher. How his teachings were terrible. How he was not enlightened. On and on he would mock him everytime he would see him. Buddha did not acknowledge him. He never got angry. He just continued to teach people his teachings as if he was not there.
Finally, the heckler came up after a teaching. He said I have mocked you and ridiculed you, and you are unmoved. Why?
The Buddha replied, "If you do not accept a gift, then to whom does the gift belong?" After this, the heckler became a student.
So the only way to learn and grow and get past the deeds and misdeeds, and to lose self-importance, is to own it totally. Don't blame others for it, no matter the deed or misdeed. Own it! All of it. Then you can take all the heads off the beast.
