CosmicWise

...lighting the candle of personal awareness & becoming ...

In Search of Selflessness

Is there such a thing as a purely selfless act? I say, no, there really isn't - and thank god! For those of us who like the idea of acting on behalf of others, with at least very little thought for what one will personally gain from it, may think this is somewhat of a bad thing, however it actually turns out to be quite a good thing. Let me explain...

It is simply not possible to give to another without getting something out of it for ourselves in return. This is a very fundamental universal law; a lack of awareness of it's existence doesn't make it any less real and functional, just as the law of gravity continues to be a fact of life, whether or not we comprehend it's workings.

For instance, to choose to understand another person and their circumstances is a form of compassion and is therefore an act of giving that benefits the one doing it, even if no one else is the wiser. This is because feelings of compassion produce positive conditions in the one expressing the compassion long before it's positive benefits can ripple out from you and affect other people.

Likewise, choosing to pass judgment on another person and their circumstances stands to benefit no one since the act of judging requires a distinct lack of understanding, due to the blindfold of ignorance one must sport in order to penalize another for their differences. This is because faultfinding is a negative activity that affects the inner level of the one expressing it, even when no one else is aware that they are doing it.

Therefore, the very fact that you GIVE to another automatically benefits YOU, the giver, whether or not you hoped to, or expected to, benefit from the act in advance. The conclusion then is that there is no such thing as a "selfless act", mainly because what we put out into the world must first pass through our being before it can reach anyone else out there (the self can never be removed from the equation).

Certainly, the same rule applies when we flirt with negativity, either in thought or deed, since it too must pass through us before it can reach our target. Perhaps if more people understood this concept they'd choose to treat others with more kindness since they themselves would naturally be the very first recipients of all the things they thought, felt, said, and did on behalf of others.

Make your day! Be kind to someone else.