I had an aunt who passed away about 10 years ago. She was famous as a doctor in the field of birth control. She was considered to the pioneer for birth control in Canada.
One thing I remember about her was the way she was totally unaffected by anything that the media said about her. One day they were trashing her name, (she did and said things that were very controversial) and the next day they were praising her.
One day I asked her, doesn’t it disturb you at all the things that they say about you? She said, oh no, they are just criticizing my media persona, that isn’t me. I am quite separate from that. She was just playing her part as the controversial famous…………. or infamous birth control doctor.
This is similar to how we should play our parts in this drama of life. Between one birth and the next our name, form, gender, time period, religion and culture change. All of that is connected with the body.
The soul is just a tiny point. What praise or defamation can there be of a tiny point? Everything other than the point, (the soul) is not me, so why should I pay any heed to it. This way I can stay beyond praise and defamation.
We have to play our parts, but always remember that the part is not me and never take happiness or sorrow from what anybody says or does. Don’t allow praise to puff up the ego or defamation to leave you devastated. Instead, draw happiness from within, with the understanding that true bliss is part of the original nature of the soul.
This way become givers of happiness in this life, detached and independent of the opinions of others.
[Special guest writer Carol Biberstein makes her living as an artist, art teacher and Farmers’ Market Bread Lady in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. She has been a student of Raja Yoga meditation for 6 ½ years, has changed a lot from the inside outward, and expects to transform completely. She writes about deep spiritual matters to inspire others to transform their lives. All thanks goes to the Creator, the one who inspires the re-creation of the world!]
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There is a line in the Tao Te Ching that goes something like, “Do your work, and then step back” meaning do not be concerned about the fruits of your labor. This would include other people’s reactions.
Thanks for this site and for this post.
And Meher Baba tells us, “Do your best, then, don’t worry, be happy. I will help you.”
And another pearl from him is:”The only Real Surrender is that in which the poise is undisturbed by any adverse circumstance, and the individual, amidst every kind of hardship, is resigned with perfect calm to the will of God.”