That is are you selfish with it? Do you take and take and give nothing back or do you give back to compensate for what you take?
I firmly believe that if you are continually asking for things, taking things and seeking things out for yourself then you aren't being true to your spiritual self and what is truly expected of you. I also believe you will eventually run out of credit and you will be left with nothing. But also I don't believe that giving back just to cover your butt from Karma or so you can get something you want in return counts. It needs to be without motive and selfless.
Am I weird in thinking this? Or is it something you've thought about too?
hmm interesting thoughts rougue
My DH and i follow the belief that we do things for others without expecting or wanting things in return.
We are trying to instill that in our kids as well
The whole theory behind karma isnt to expect anything in return. Expecting things in return is to have selfish motives in the first place- putting conditions on your kindness.
Karma should be a about balance. You get what you put into life. But you dont get a say in what you get back. Things just materialise when you dont expect them.
Its more about treating people how you would like to be treated and treating everyone equal.
Also realising that we dont have to be the ones who dish out punsihments to others- their karma will balance it back to them
We also try to pay it forward. If some kindness comes our way, we try and make sure we pay it forward to someone else. Share the good fortune around.
there should be no expectations or conditions or your spirituality. Only belief in treating everyone equal and how you would like to be treated.
Why do i always feel that i was born 20 years too late?? LOL
Mmm for me not so much, although I ask for things like being grounded, wisdom, patience, less anxiety, health etc. the way I get there usually in my spiritual life is through gratitude. What usually comes from be thankful is turning my sights from internal to external things and people. The more I look outward, the more I want to give and help others ITMS. I don't think it is all about asking God or the universe or whoever it is you pray for, for everything without living in some way that reflects your gratitude for what you already have... Not sure if that makes sense.
I am a Christian so for me what you are talking about is a little like scripture that talks about faith without works being dead.... You can't say you believe and then not live in a way that is pleasing to God and for me that means living life with love, forgiveness and compassion for others. I also don't believe in "works" (doing good deeds) to build up credit to go to heaven for eg. Doesn't work that way!!!
Interesting thread hun. xox I am on a continual journey where I am constantly questioning my beliefs since not going to church since I was 18 and trying to work out what I DO believe, what I was brought up to believe and threads like this really help.
As a christian, I don't believe I can 'earn' God's love or forgiveness by anything I do or give or whatever BUT God expects us to lead our lives according to Jesus example - so loving each other (everyone not just christians), forgiving, caring for those less fortunate, praying for and ministering to others, etc, etc. There are some weeks where I have alot to pray about, alot to ask for, and I do find myself questioning, 'Am I asking too much, expecting too much?' and am I considering others enough? iykwim.
I think there is a balance in everything (male/female, god/goddess, light/dark etc), that you need to have that balance. I also believe that you have to give to receive.
If I'm doing a ritual for something specific, I leave a gift - which yes could be construed as having a motive.
Sometimes I go through stages where I give a lot, it isn't to get into credit, or anything like that, it is just the way the cycle is going, then I get to a stage where I need to ask for something.
I'm having huge issues dealing with fear at the moment, so I'm asking for help from certain people/gods/goddesses/etc. I am mindful that I will need to "pay" for this help at some stage.
One thing one of my high priests taught me was that before you ask an entity (be it God, God/dess, Universe etc) for something big that you should ask the price, that if you are prepared to pay what they want, then go ahead and ask. This was more from when we were working at level 2 and with some of the more interesting entities around.
I get what you are saying. I think an offering is great. But for me I guess I personally feel giving back to your kin so to speak is a lot stronger. Doing things for others KWIM? But then I don't follow any deities as such, my spiritual beliefs are separate from any gods iykwim? But it's not until recently that I've looked at things from the perspective of "what do I do?". I guess this is where I believe similarly to christians.
I've always felt that Karma extends more than doing unto others. I try and keep my thoughts in line with this too. And whilst I don't do things to even the balance, I do try and live my life as selflessly, without being a martyr, as I can.
I give to my kin/others, sometimes to my own detriment when I've given and given and left myself drained and almost a shell, which is why I'm dealing with a few things I'm dealing with at the moment. It is just more when I'm doing a structured ritual, or asking for something specific (like asking a particular deity for their specific help) which is when I leave an offering. Currently my Ganesh statue has jelly beans, as he favours sweet things and that was the offering I gave when he came up in a meditation the other day giving me a bit of guidance.
Rouge, I find this thread very interesting because for me, spirituality and healing go hand in hand, spirituality evolution involves a journey to wholeness. So, in some senses, for some people, it is important to become "selfish" (very much in inverted commas) in order to restore balance, particularly if a person has been locked in an unhealthy dynamic of giving too much and claiming nothing for themselves, ever. That's not to say that putting yourself first has to be greedy, because once the balance is restored, it's then much easier to bring your special brand of light to the world. This latter type of giving tends to involve more intrinsic replenishment of energy than the unhealthy dynamic sort of giving, and so yes it's easier to sustain continued selflessness when it's done from a place of empowered wholeness.
Is your spirituality a selfish Journey?
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