if you help others for free, is it somehow good for you?

[xanthas]

And, a curious thought arose when I read your idea about shamans and dying because one of the things literacy work helps people do is “die to their ideas.” I’m talking about limiting ideas people have of themselves, of their abilities, judgments about why they didn’t learn to read, etc. Tutors help students die to the reality of not being able to read and birth them into a new reality where they CAN read. Of course, this is not the magnitude of dying that happens in hospice work, but it is a death nonetheless and perhaps these little ‘deaths’ are very helpful when it comes to the ultimate death, the shedding of our false selves and the welcoming of what is true and real.

You know what's interesting...? When we become truly aware of our own existence, of our own evolutionary process, we die and let go each day of that which is holding us back, small, 'helpless' or limited in our choices...

The difference is that this process then happens consciously, willingly and even - determinedly - because we realise that it doesn't help us become the best we would like to be... Happy instead of being right...

The inner process of shedding old ideas, programming, self-destructive conditioning, 'beliefs' or 'convictions' that we may have absorbed or 'inherited' from our immediate environment or those that tried to 'place' their energetic hooks into our spiritual, etheric and energetic fabric then is becoming a process of wanting to be genuinely 'free of the past' and all the burdens, obligations and guilt this has put on us - whether voluntarily or enforced or as is most of the time the case, a combination of both. 

'Learning' to look at our own life with 'new' eyes, helps us to walk away from that which hurts us most - our own negativity, our own fear of deserving better - of being 'allowed' to actually truly feel good about ourselves and without hesitation or blinking be able to say 'Yes, I love myself' - and thus not having to 'make up somehow by paying off our karmic debts' - feeling guilty but somewhat frustrated, annoyed and unjustifiably 'condemned' to "do good" just so we won't end up in some imaginary hell often of our own making but without actually enjoying 'being the good little trooper'. There is no 'joy' connected to the giving then...the heart is not open and thus, even the biggest gesture lacks true and authentic energy.

When we begin to 'learn' the subtle non-linguistic expression of self-love, it reflects in how we treat ourselves and those around us or across the seven seas ;). The energy that shines through immediately 'resonates' differently, 'speaks' to us and like a delicate echo that cannot be 'defined', we listen to it in silent appreciation, joy, or wonder that 'something' "like this" is still possible in our crazed up world so full of division, hatred, agony and misery.

'Helping' someone else then just is an extension of ourselves and as you rightly put it, Warbler, of love in its most impersonal yet biggest possible manner - no limits, no barriers, no conditions, no restrictions because it colours everything we do and say.

The dying of outmoded ideas, lifestyles, concepts and even relationships can help us become more real, closer to being in line with our Soul's path - in line with our Higher Selves naturally. And, out of that, giving then never feels like having to 'give up' some-'thing' "in return" - not coming from a sense of loss but instead of the sense of 'there is more than enough of me' - I can't ever lose myself because I know WHO I really am - infinite, beyond this existence, this life, this body always connected to The-All-That-Is, knowing I am a part of it.

Giving then happens naturally and without feeling 'taken advantage of' because the line is drawn in the sand - which is Love of Self.

So, to return to the original question of this thread ... I don’t think we can help others without being helped in return. Even the literacy student who was sucking my energy helped me in return: I taught him to read a bit and he taught me to remember to ask for what I want: students who care and want to learn! : )

I liken it to healing... When we help to heal someone else - in which ever form that may be - we also heal ourselves and become more whole and complete again in the process.

[warbler]

Well, xanthas, there’s not a thing to add to that. : ) 

 

I'll have to learn to use the quote things but since I don't know how ... Enjoyed reading all your reply, particularly this:

"When we begin to 'learn' the subtle non-linguistic expression of self-love, it reflects in how we treat ourselves and those around us or across the seven seas. The energy that shines through immediately 'resonates' differently, 'speaks' to us and like a delicate echo that cannot be 'defined', we listen to it in silent appreciation, joy, or wonder that 'something' "like this" is still possible in our crazed up world so full of division, hatred, agony and misery."

 

Big yes to this too: "When we help to heal someone else - in which ever form that may be - we also heal ourselves and become more whole and complete again in the process."[/i][/b]

[BlueMoon]

Warbler.... I can't use the quotes properly either. I try but I am missing something.

____________________________

To Warbler and Xanthas. I am enjoying reading your thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Keep them comming.

I especially like: " Learning how to die teaches you how to live.......those that have come back change their life, it truly has gone beyond the intelectual or physical .... beyond which no language can explain."

________________________________

So true. No language can explain it.

[Richard]

Warbler.... I can't use the quotes properly either. I try but I am missing something.

There's a few ways you can quote. There's a quote button on the post you want to quote.  There's also a quote button on the editor toolbar. Or you can do it manually like this: 

Code:

[quote]Text you want to quote[/quote]

[BlueMoon]

[user=3]Richard[/user] wrote:

Warbler.... I can't use the quotes properly either. I try but I am missing something.

There's a few ways you can quote. There's a quote button on the post you want to quote.  There's also a quote button on the editor toolbar. Or you can do it manually like this: 

Code:

[quote]Text you want to quote[/quote]

I used the quote of your words for the above. I can't seem to isolate the words I want. I highlight them but the entire post comes over.

Sorry about the above. I can't delete those practice ones. Please delete for me.

[Richard]

When you click on quote and it highlights the whole post, you just delete the words you don't want to quote.

[warbler]

[user=897]BlueMoon[/user] wrote:
So many participate, made frienships, have been helped, enjoy discussing many topics that the average person pays no attention to, provided a place for people of like minds to come together and discuss things. That , Richard , is a good thing. Many are grateful to you so it was a good outcome. I for one, believe good things come out of good deeds.[/quote]


There is no box around the above quote but it's there. Now to try for another. See? I'm confused. Now the quote buttons under each post are gone. Hmmm.

[warbler]

Blue Moon wrote: To Warbler and Xanthas. I am enjoying reading your thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Keep them comming.
[user=3]

Very kind words, thank you. And now the text is blue? I used the quote thing above and then copied and pasted and added "blue moon wrote."  

 

Richard[/user] wrote:

When you click on quote and it highlights the whole post, you just delete the words you don't want to quote.

Okay Richard ... I put in your quote first, then did Blue Moons but seems like I'm still missing something. (techno-saavy for one - haha)