June 24, 2011

 

In Evolution - being more of you:   

 

Sacrifice (part 1)...

 

Aung San Suu Kyi, known in her country simply as "the Lady," is the pro-democracy leader who spent 15 years under house arrest for her activism in Myanmar.

Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, Suu Kyi was kept from
her two sons and from even speaking by phone to her husband
as he lay dying.

I have seen and/or read multiple interviews with Suu Kyi. When asked about her "sacrifice," she invariably stops the reporter and politely - but firmly - makes it utterly clear that she does not consider her work or her commitments "a sacrifice," but instead simply "a choice."

"I chose to do what I wanted to do so there is no reason why I should look upon that as a sacrifice," she said to reporter Viviana Hurtado earlier this year.

There is a profound distinction at work here.

So what is sacrifice? To put it to you quite boldly, sacrifice is
you creating your own suffering. I know this may offend
many, but please bear with me...

Sacrifice is you creating your own suffering. It is you under the illusion that giving up some part of you - giving up something
you need or want - will then provide you what you need or want.

It won't. It cannot.

Giving up what you need or want for others cannot ever truly
create what you need or want. It just isn't possible.

Why?

Because when you "give away" that which makes you whole...you
cannot then wholly receive what you need or want. Figuratively,
if you give away pieces of you, then you are no longer "whole."
Therefore you cannot "wholly" receive what you want or need.
You have limited your own ability to receive.

Relinquishing your needs and wants to serve someone or
something else...is you impeding or obstructing your own ability
to receive. When you diminish your self, how can you then be capable of fully and freely receiving?

So, why do we so vehemently believe in sacrifice? We've been taught that sacrifice is love. It's not. Sacrifice is not love.
Sacrifice is sacrifice.

And love isn't about "give" or "take." Love is about sharing and
receiving. Love is about you sharing the love that you are...and then you receiving the love another shares with you. When you sacrifice any aspect of you, you limit both your ability to share
your self freely and your ability to receive fully.

When you sacrifice for others it's like a simple math problem...

1 - 1/3 = 2/3            2/3 ≠ 1

When you choose to be less than all of who you are...that's
what you are then sharing with others...less than all of who
you are.

That then becomes all you can receive...less than all of what
you are worthy of.

Lots of us are taught that sacrificing for others - lovers, family,
friends, work, children - is noble and good and makes us better
human beings.

Most of us have been taught to believe that "sacrifice" will serve
our self, others, the world...and God.

Does that really make sense to you?

Do you think God - whomever or whatever that is for you -
wants whole, healthy, happy people enjoying their own lives
and therefore better able to also serve humanity well?

Or does he/she want depleted, dysfunctional, unhappy people serving humanity?

What do you think? What do you feel? Experience what you genuinely see, think and feel about sacrifice...that's your
starting point.

More next time...

    

 

(For more about the concepts in this message, go to "Words: words have
power," "Energy: the science & spirit of you," "Redefining Relationship: love, acceptance, freedom," "The Certainty of Intimacy: being more of you," & "Addiction Nation: we're all addicts".)

 

Copyright © 2011 kelly grace smith All rights reserved.