Arrogance and Low Self-esteem
A must read for anyone interested in making a difference in themselves and the world, Power vs. Force, an inspirational, informative book by David R. Hawkins clearly illuminates the difference between power and force, and addresses so many issues that are front and center in our day and time. I'm reading it for the 2nd time. It activates my thinking. There's a great chapter that describes pretty much all the available attitudes we humans can put on, which attitudes give us energy, and which ones drain us of energy. Chapter 4, The levels of Consciousness, was well worth the cost of the book.
I was reading about pride and competition, about how pride in service to others is quite different than pride that is self-absorbed and self-serving. Which one do you think makes us strong? Which do you think makes us go weak? You'll have to read it yourself for more information.
I thought about how I have avoided competition most of my life. I endeavour to be the best I can be, but I do not consider that competition. I am rather in a state of cooperation and openness to learning. There's probably good reason for my steering away from "competition", negative associations with competition from experiences when I was young. I was a tomboy. I was also highly sensative and empathetic. What a combination. I had 33 or 35 cousins on my mother's side of the family. At cookouts and picnics, we never had trouble putting two teams together no matter what the sport. We had lots of fun, most of the time. Sometimes the aunts played, but mostly it was the uncles and the "kids". Most of my uncles are gone now. I loved them. Oddly though, I think it was all the teasing (mostly from my uncles) and pain of negative comparisons (whether my pain or someone else's), in these settings, that gave root to my aversion to competition.
Back to the arrogance and low self-esteem, I am an observer and thinker. A very long time ago, someone suggested that we are all, in many ways, mirrors for each other. I observe things in others, then I look for them in myself. Arrogance and low-self-esteem, seem to be opposite sides of the same coin. Both seem to obstruct healthy relationships. Both seem to interfere with learning new things. I think recovering from arrogance must be the more difficult of the two. Arrogance seems to be accompanied with a much larger dose of denial. Letting go of arrogance to gain balance is probably perceived as a loss, maybe like losing "face". I came from the low self-esteem camp. I was already at the bottom; I had no where to go but up. Gaining balance, from the dark hole I was in, could only be perceived as gain. I know arrogance too. Anytime I have began to feel like "boy, aren't I something", I would fall flat on my face, and end up feeling ashamed. Now, I have a much better relationship with mistakes and myself.
I believe all patterns of thinking and behavior can be changed. We can become wise and loving. We can learn to be wise and loving. I think the purpose of healing is to be here now, and to live in this present moment. What do you think?
I was reading about pride and competition, about how pride in service to others is quite different than pride that is self-absorbed and self-serving. Which one do you think makes us strong? Which do you think makes us go weak? You'll have to read it yourself for more information.
I thought about how I have avoided competition most of my life. I endeavour to be the best I can be, but I do not consider that competition. I am rather in a state of cooperation and openness to learning. There's probably good reason for my steering away from "competition", negative associations with competition from experiences when I was young. I was a tomboy. I was also highly sensative and empathetic. What a combination. I had 33 or 35 cousins on my mother's side of the family. At cookouts and picnics, we never had trouble putting two teams together no matter what the sport. We had lots of fun, most of the time. Sometimes the aunts played, but mostly it was the uncles and the "kids". Most of my uncles are gone now. I loved them. Oddly though, I think it was all the teasing (mostly from my uncles) and pain of negative comparisons (whether my pain or someone else's), in these settings, that gave root to my aversion to competition.
Back to the arrogance and low self-esteem, I am an observer and thinker. A very long time ago, someone suggested that we are all, in many ways, mirrors for each other. I observe things in others, then I look for them in myself. Arrogance and low-self-esteem, seem to be opposite sides of the same coin. Both seem to obstruct healthy relationships. Both seem to interfere with learning new things. I think recovering from arrogance must be the more difficult of the two. Arrogance seems to be accompanied with a much larger dose of denial. Letting go of arrogance to gain balance is probably perceived as a loss, maybe like losing "face". I came from the low self-esteem camp. I was already at the bottom; I had no where to go but up. Gaining balance, from the dark hole I was in, could only be perceived as gain. I know arrogance too. Anytime I have began to feel like "boy, aren't I something", I would fall flat on my face, and end up feeling ashamed. Now, I have a much better relationship with mistakes and myself.
I believe all patterns of thinking and behavior can be changed. We can become wise and loving. We can learn to be wise and loving. I think the purpose of healing is to be here now, and to live in this present moment. What do you think?
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