E-Paper
Validity of New Age concepts
Are the New Age concepts of self-love not contradictory to the concept of 'service before self' that we have been conditioned to believe? Veena Minocha answers...
This question and answer series will help to clear your inner-soul confusion on all matters that are demanding your spiritual attention. Spiritual teacher and Healer Ms Veena Minocha will endeavour to clear the 'fog within' by answering all questions sent to her atveenaminocha@hotmail.com
I find a contradiction in what you suggest, and what our own holy books have taught us. In fact all our Masters have taught that we do not have to live a 'material' existence, and that we should not hanker after wealth and other transitory acquisitions.
Our only focus should be on our spiritual way of life, and we should shun all luxuries, or we would not become loving children of God. It would be wrong to live a materialistic life.
Yet you always say that we should indulge ourselves and love our material possessions. You have also laid great stress on self-love, and looking to our own happiness first, and then looking out for the rest of the world.
Is this not contradictory to the concept of 'service before self' that we have been conditioned to believe? Why should we upturn our beliefs in the New Age?
Upaasna Jain from Chandigarh
Veena Minocha answers: I will take apart your question, sentence by sentence, and explain how serving ourselves first is certainly not a contradiction, in terms, with the 'service before self' concept.
Our great Masters have certainly taught us not to hanker after luxuries and wealth, which is transitory, but they also teach that we should be grateful to God for all the blessings, material and otherwise that have been showered upon us, as a result of our 'karmas'.
Their teachings, as well as New Age teachings, are not divergent on this. The New Age Culture is also to enjoy all the blessings that we have earned through our past life karmas, without any sense of guilt. This enjoyment, however, does not mean misuse of those things, which have been given as a gift, or reward to us.
To stretch it to this level would mean that we have not understood how the right use of wealth can be maintained, to allow for a further continuous flow of this life giving energy, called money. The other fact is, that we should love our possessions only up to the point that we take good care of them, and treat them respectfully, as aids to our good and comfortable living. The moment we start thinking of them as making us superior beings, because of their existence in our lives, we have forgotten the true purpose of their being a blessing.
When we love ourselves, it means that we treat ourselves as God-selves. When we love others to the point that we forget to love and respect our own beingness, thinking it to be useless and of no worth, then we have not understood the concept of 'self-love'.
Self-love includes treating ourselves with the same respect that we would accord to one whom we love dearly. If we wish to shower love on another, and allow ourselves to be hurt in the process, then it is advisable to first think of our own self, as a little child, who needs our attention constantly, rather than nurse feelings of resentment, anger and hurt which are bound to follow.
There is a fine difference between service to others, and self-love. If service to the world brings satisfaction, fulfilment and spiritual upliftment, then it is a worthwhile exercise. But if we have to sacrifice our own happiness in the bargain, then it becomes a useless way of living, providing no benefit, spiritual or material.
Always put your own self, as God, first, and see if you will gain peace and joy through your actions. Only when you have peace indelibly engraved in your heart, can you willingly pass on this vibration to the rest of humanity.
