Try Being Humble, Really Humble
Table of contents for The Practice of Having an Open Mind
- Power of Mantra
- Listening Experiment
- Accept Everything
- Just Live it
- Jonestown Kool Aid and Grandpa’s Trash Bins
- Try Being Humble, Really Humble
- Embracing Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy
- Success by Yellow Pad
- Prepare to Meet the Villain
- Paradigm Shifts and Ordinary Enlightenment
- Stop, Look, and Support
- The Practice of Empathy
The psychology of humility is very very interesting to me. C.S. Lewis wrote about it at length in his Screwtape Letters (1942). It is a fictional set of letters between a senior uncle and junior nephew demon. The uncle teaches the demon how to be better at screwing up peoples’ lives. One thing he coaches him to attack on is the area of humility and it is too funny how the advice rings true to an often-self-important fellow like me.
On prayers, Chapter 3:
“It is, no doubt, impossible to prevent his praying for his mother, but we have means of rendering the prayers innocuous. Make sure they are always very ’spiritual’, that he is always concerned with the state of her soul and never with her rheumatism.”
The guy praying for his mother thinks he is praying for her, but he is really being selfish. This can translate into non-spiritual psychology when we think we are being humble but really just becoming self-martyrs. Lewis’ book is short but full of wise insight into humility, spiritual and psychological. I recommend reading it.
People everywhere these days are consumed with themselves. I am no exception. We are always worried about how we will feel next. I have found that when we are truly humble, we complain less. We also are liked more by others. Just like in the quote above, if we think more about meeting other peoples’ needs instead of finger pointing, blaming, and dwelling on how they have wronged us, we will be happier people and better at what we do. At the very least you are guaranteed an open mind. Try thinking of others tomorrow before yourself. Heck, start today. Imagine yourself in discount home theater seating and the show is you starring in the Oscar winning show called “Your Life.”
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Tags: c s lewis, C.S. Lewis, how to, humility, screwtape letters
Your point is a good one. Without doubt we could all use a large does of humility. And meeting needs is superior to finger pointing. However, I found your choice of C.S. Lewis to be immediately off-putting. He’s always used by Evangelical Christians who emphasize the fact that he was an atheist who became a convert. And I have an extensive bible school and divinity school education in exegesis and hermeneutics.
I have gone the exact opposite direction and am far better off for having done so. My reward for cutting off the Evangelical Christan fetters is an open mind, healthy self esteem and the ability to meditate.
For two decades now I have been taking great delight in living a life that’s not burdened with the fear and guilt based religious propaganda I was brainwashed with. I no longer pray. Instead I reach stillpoint and experience pure consciousness.
I hope you won’t take my honest response as an insult. It’s certainly not meant to be. Your are a fine writer and I’m simply sharing with you what comes straight from my heart.
Best wishes, TT
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That’s a great comment. Sometimes I live in a bubble. I knew CS was sort of a loaded example, but that book is to me such a great example of the psychology of selfishness we humans sometimes fall into.
However we find stillness in our 80 years or so is irrelevant, it’s just that we ought to look for it. It sounds like you have. Good for you. Try to see all good points as separated from their connotation, as is the case with CS Lewis.
And thanks for saying I am a good writer! You are very kind.
Ahhh … here I am again. I think I protested too much so I came back to say if you’d like to remove my C.S. Lewis rant I’ll write another comment and leave my emotional baggage out of it. lol … too late :) Obviously I could use a large draft of humility. You are a fine writer and you make me think — damn you. Best wishes Damien. :)
timethiefs last blog post..How to Become a Better Blogger 4: Essentials
Open Mindedness exhibited here in this comment folks ;) Thanks Time Thief.