The importance of loving yourself

[greenberg]

When discussing religion, philosophy, spirituality ... the way it is done in this forum,
it is very important that one be kind to oneself, that one love oneself. Really love oneself, really be kind to oneself.

Because otherwise, one will accept some stances in anger, hatred, ill will, sensual desire,
and reject other stances in anger, hatred, ill will, sensual desire.
And those accepted stances will seem acceptable and those rejected stances will seem rejectable
as long as the anger, hatred, ill will, sensual desire persist.

But when those anger, hatred, ill will, sensual desire dissipate -and in a while, they usually do- one will be left to once again reevaluate one's accepted or rejected stances; or to maintain the anger, hatred, ill will, sensual desire so that those stances will still seem acceptable, or rejectable.

So much extra work!

When one could possibly have eliminated at least a chunk of that unnecessary work from the beginning on,
by not accepting some stances in anger, hatred, ill will, sensual desire,
and by not rejecting other stances in anger, hatred, ill will, sensual desire,
and instead acting in love and kidness toward oneself.

 

[greenberg]

Interesting. No thoughts on this?

 

[lightgigantic]

complex issues surround what can be meant by the word self

for instance, if one thinks of the self in terms of bodily designation, the hopes of overcoming anger etc are quite slim

SB 11.13.9-10: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, a person bereft of intelligence first falsely identifies himself with the material body and mind, and when such false knowledge arises within one's consciousness, material passion, the cause of great suffering, pervades the mind, which by nature is situated in goodness. Then the mind, contaminated by passion, becomes absorbed in making and changing many plans for material advancement. Thus, by constantly thinking of the modes of material nature, a foolish person is afflicted with unbearable material desires.

 

[cosmictraveler]

When one could possibly have eliminated at least a chunk of that unnecessary work from the beginning on,
by not accepting some stances in anger, hatred, ill will, sensual desire,
and by not rejecting other stances in anger, hatred, ill will, sensual desire,
and instead acting in love and kidness toward oneself.

You just don't "understand" this stuff you must "learn" it through trial and error. As you do learn you make many mistakes but that's why you have to be kind to yourself because if your not then you will beat yourself to death for making a mistake when you should be remembering that mistake so you don't do it again! :itold: