I want to live fearlessly. A dear friend of mine advised me to live in such a way, unapologetically me, without as much as a thought as to what others may think. This advice comes as a part of a greater philosophy to be compassionate and "spacious" towards oneself, meaning that one gives oneself a supportive environment in which to grow and develop spiritually. Often times, we are our own worst critics...and this tendency can do so much more to impede positive growth than the negative words of outsiders. A wonderful book I recently finished, "The Fragrance of Faith" by Jamal Rahman, beautifully describes spaciousness of self as a veritable prerequisite to seeking closeness with our Creator (achieved through deliberately tending to personal habits that anchor us to the mundane, when we could be soaring...).
Also related to the idea of fearless living is the concept of "shirk", or associating partners with the Sublime One. If one either chooses to do or to avoid doing a particular action because of overwhelming concern about how it may be received by others, that action ceases to be "fi sabil Allah." Anything done solely for the pleasure of a creation and not the Creator loses its positive potential and the actor loses out on the blessing of the act. Additionally, the actor risks slipping down into dangerous territory...
One who has her Lord has everything...with this particular orientation any- and everything else seems wholly accessory and dispensable. Public opinion is a wanton beast and very rarely is one popular for long, especially when speaking/living in pursuit of Truth & Justice. To cease to be sensitive to the fickle nature of public opinion, but rather to concern oneself with the pleasure of the Lord of the Worlds ensures a deeply placed peace and personal contentment. An internal, unshakeable zen, a balance impossible to upset. I am striving towards this balance...
In a way, self-consciousness is shirk. What more is self-consciousness besides the crazed concern with how one may be regarded by others? *even if the concern is subconsciously rooted* One must have faith in the beautiful creation of which one is an integral part...and appreciate the wisdom of the Creator for having produced oneself. Open up and live unapologetically. Live fearlessly. Live with God-consciousness, not self-consciousness. What an overwhelmingly better way to live...
*love*
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1 comment:
Great blog for a great young woman! The only thing I disagree with is the "floating soul". You're too young to float! :-) You have to crawl, walk, and run, before you can levitate and float!
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