Sister Mohini holds up a mirror which can provide us all with useful reflection
Sometimes
ambition without aim, purpose or clarity can be dangerous. Ambition is
fine as long as there is discrimination as to how a desire will affect
others. This is real honesty. Honesty is something that neither
brings harm to the self nor hurts others.
Most of the time, when
we think of values like humility and lightness, thoughts turn to the
self; but when we think of honesty, the thought turns outward.
Conflict arises when we begin to think that honesty means fulfilling
all our own desires. When honesty is understood as bringing
satisfaction only to the self, this is not total honesty.
People
who are addicted sometimes feel as though they can’t feel the pain.
It’s the same with thoughts: there are certain thoughts that are not
beneficial for us, but we allow them to continue because we don’t feel
the damage these thoughts bring. Honesty is not just being natural,
but giving to ourselves what is good and positive.
When a person
uses abusive language, they often feel that they are just being
‘frank’. However, this frankness is a form of dishonesty because the
person is not only hurting others, but the self as well. The power to
discriminate is needed to determine which words bring relief and peace
to the self and others. This is honesty.
Each part of the body
is assigned a place. The tongue is supposed to be behind the bars of
the teeth. It is said that before you speak, think many times because
the wound caused by the sword of the tongue heals very slowly.
If
you are honest, any little difficulty only comes to make you more
honest. In performing various day to day tasks, we should ask
ourselves: “Am I really being honest?” Any difficulty is because of
lack of honesty
The more honesty, the more feelings of lightness we have and the burdens are taken off us.
We
need to make sure that there is no selfishness mixed in with our
honesty and that we are not trying to manipulate a situation or person
in the name of honesty. Whatever is true or real should not be mixed.
Honesty—with the self, in our words and in relationships—is very important.
No
one can take what belongs to us and we cannot take what belongs to
anyone else out of greed or fear. Ghandi’s clothing was simple because
he believed that if it were more than simple he would be guilty of
taking someone else’s share. When we learn to share then we are free
from jealousy and things seem to come to us.
Before most of us
became spiritual seekers or practitioners, we experienced disharmony
because of breaking certain laws of the universe. Once we learn to
adopt honesty not only does disharmony dissolve, but there is never
fear of what is going to happen to us. When we lack honesty, we live
in fear. Lack of honesty creates sadness and insecurity. An honest
person will always feel secure.
Respect is the essential core
of humility and we should respect a person for whatever or whoever they
are, while knowing that they need to change a few elements in their
characters. According to the respect we give others, that much respect
will be given to us in return.
The converse of humility is ego.
We can develop ego from having many things, or from having nothing at
all. Inferiority is also considered ego. In order to destroy ego, the
consciousness of being a trustee is necessary. Trusteeship means that
we don’t own something, but it has been given to us. No one has
brought anything with them to this earth. When we came we were not
wearing our clothes even, they were given to us. As much as we can be
caretakers or trustees with honesty, that much we can experience
abundance and then there is no need for arrogance.
We witness
heaviness because we walk around in ‘title consciousness’: “I am this,
I am that.” This makes us feel burdened. If we perform our tasks as
trustees, we can be very, very light. Another reason we experience
burden is because we do not have enough tolerance or patience, and so
we respond negatively in our relationships with others and we don’t
know how to forgive. Forgiving means for giving. We become so light
when we give. Take what is useful, and don’t create a file of anyone’s
negativity.
Sister Mohini is the Director of Brahma Kumaris Centres in North and South America and the Caribbean.