"Do I belong to myself or others? Is the primary purpose of my self the pursuit of my own happiness and the fulfillment of my own positive potentialities, or is it compliance with the wants and expectations of others?" "Am I to rely chiefly on my own mind or on the minds of my parents or teachers, leaders or guru?"
"How we relate to our selves affects how we relate to others, to the world around us, to the visible and invisible universe that constitutes our ultimate context - just as how we relate to others and to the world affects how we relate to our selves."
"In a world in which selflessness is commonly regarded as a synonym of virtue and selfishness a synonym of evil - and in which the presumed goal of spiritual evolution is self-transcendence - a book entitled Honoring the Self may sounds strange, even a bit disorienting."
I found this last statement to be true....
I started reading Honoring the Self by Nathaniel Branden and admittedly feel very confused. Where do I draw the line between self and selfish. There seems to be a very fine line between selflessness and narcissism. A trait I prefer to steer far far away from.
I welcome discussion on this topic...it seems convoluted with religious, cultural and personal ideals.
I've fought and struggled and battled with this idea. I finally came to the conclusion that self-care = living my life for me. Selfishness is when I expect others to live their life for me.
ReplyDeleteWhich is something only I can know, and I've had to evaluate myself often. It requires a lot of awareness.
But even in religious texts, Christ said, "Love your neighbor AS yourself," which definitely applies loving yourself is important.
I look forward to following your journey. :)
Jen, thank you for joining my blog. I have enjoyed reading your life stories and journey as well. You have great insights and wisdom; thank you for sharing them with me.
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