i’ve been collecting thoughts on humility and humbleness… here’s what some of the experts have to say:
daniel lebel:
humility, how do we make that grow?
appreciation
beginning and ending with
thank you
me:
one idea: we model it. we show that we can be strong and humble at the same time. vulnerability and humility make us shine brighter, live fuller, feel whole-er…
we model the type of power that radiates with humility verses the popular type of power that suppresses and condemns humility…
…both provide nourishment. But one stays flat and humble while the other fills itself with hot air…As long as we are full of delusions of self-importance, there’s no way to break out and grow to a new level. Once we make ourselves small, we can fit through any bars and fly past any cloud.
I wonder if sacred humility, and sacred vulnerability, might have in common the quality of exposing/acknowledging/opening the tender underside, one’s down-to-the-ground ordinariness?
when we step into humility, allowing our ordinariness and partialness, being no higher off the ground than any other one–that might be a position that actually protects the vulnerable places. Whereas those precious and secret and tender parts that we are nervous to reveal, are often (I think) the *extra*ordinary and the particular (and, we’re afraid, the incomprehensible and unlovable).
karabrown:
humility
giving
unbounded
freedomnourishment
giving
unbounded
love
Love can be found in it’s offshoots: compassion, humility, peace, harmlessness, joy, trust, patience, acceptance, gratitude, generosity. These qualities are not words but they can be seen felt from behind the words.
me:
it seems that humility opens space for our true self to shine, connecting us with our callings, our gifts, connecting us with our higher self…a higher power
comments:
being humble gives credit where its due
we can take pride in be ing part of a process
but by giving up this energy
we be come aware of being an active part of this process, and create more space inside of us for the next experience, something new!
karabrown | Email | 04.16.04 – 10:32 am | #
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take a step out of your world into somebody elses….you will find humility and learn to be humble…travel outside of your comfort space into another place and learn so much more of who you are and how the world is…
amanda bloom | Email | 04.17.04 – 10:37 am | #
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sing it sisters! (hi amanda!)
ashley | Email | Homepage | 04.19.04 – 1:13 pm | #
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(from the Edge site: http://www.edge.org/q2004/page7.html#myers)
Myers’ Law of Self-Perception:
Most people see themselves as better than average.
Nine in ten managers rate themselves as superior to their average peer. Nine in ten college professors rated themselves as superior to their average colleague. And six in ten high school seniors rate their “ability to get along with others” as in the top 10 percent. Most drivers–even most drivers who have been hospitalized after accidents–believe themselves more skilled than the average driver. “The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background,” observes Dave Barry, “is that deep down inside, we all believe that we are above average drivers.” Excess humility is an uncommon flaw.
(I love the Dave Barry part!)
Christy Lee-Engel | Email | Homepage | 04.19.04 – 7:44 pm | #
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from grace:
Dilemna by David Budbill
I want to be
famous
so I can be
humble
about being
famous
What good is my
humility
when I am
stuck
in this
Grace: “what is the language that inspires trust?”
Truly naked, real and honest sharing inspires trust. Dropping our walls and revealing our vulnerable, imperfect and flawed egos inspires trust. Dropping our defense…our need to be right…our need to be invulnerable…special, above, or in authority. Being able to listen and admit our arrogance, our ignorance, our mistakes: admit that we are ordinary…human..and not special or above another in any way.
So humility is the language that inspires trust. Fuck being enlightened…just give me humility, dear lord, give me humility!
ashley | Email | Homepage | 04.25.04 – 11:00 am | #
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more on humility from grace:
For me, humility means this, quoted from one of my favorite nonduality teachers, Leslie Temple Thurston;
“Power and powerlessness battle each other. When humility comes, that is the end of the battle. Humility is the state of acceptance for ourselves and others and it is the state that encompasses both sides [of the power and powerlessness polarized state/egoic pattern]”
“Humility is the non judgment of oneself and others. In humility, we do not induldge in feeling wothless, or induldge in feeling especially self-important. Humility is not meekness, implying sort of weakness in being humble. It goes beyond being humble. We find our true inner power in the state of humility because it is in alignment with higher consciousness….”
ashley | Email | Homepage | 04.25.04 – 2:20 pm | #
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“the two sides of a pair of opposites create a pendulum effect. Consciousness swings between the two sides. It is the swinging between the two sides that causes suffering in life. By letting that feeling of insecurity…and security…and insecurity…and security…pass right through us, we are in a state of humility. It is the state of non-rebelliousness, non-willfulness, a state of acceptance, a state of quiescence in the mind and emotions. It comes from detachment and seeing that everything is perfect just as it is”
ashley | Email | Homepage | 04.25.04 – 2:20 pm | #
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from Helen beeth at integral naked:
Interesting to see how loaded the term “humility” can be. So I got to wondering what my slant on that might be… And I actually think that for me humility is nothing more or less than brutally realistic. “I’m nothing more or less than what I am and I don’t need to be” is one. The other is “I’m of no significance here, what’s important is how I can serve best interests of the situation.” Or words to that effect. It’s such a RELIEF!! Just another way of surrendering to WHAT IS.
ashley |