How Loss Can Mean Gain - Vernon Howard Path Ways To Perfect Living

[Thought Art]

How Loss Can Mean Gain 

A man discovered a new region in which to live. A few days after settling himself, a violent storm swept over the land. He trembled in fear over what he believed to be a great loss. However, to his surprise, the storm swept away only the unrooted and useless. He was grateful for the storm which has revealed and removed the useless.

That is how psychic storms can work for our benefit. To observe conflicts and contradictions within ourselves is no cause for dismay. They are present only because there are things you do not yet understand. This lack of knowledge is no problem. All you need to do is achieve understanding. Then, the psychic storm is over.

One woman told me that while she did not as yet grasp the esoteric principle of self-observation, she sensed its importance. That is how necessary knowledge comes to us: by a faint whispering, which eventually turns into clear hearing.

Let me ask a question of those who have entered the esoteric way, even a short distance: do you hear that faint whispering that here at last is something real?

How To Be Humiliated and Appreciate It

Whoever can find positive value in a seemingly negative condition is a truly wise individual. It can be done with every negative condition, but let's select those times when you feel shamed or humiliated. 

Wha is humiliation? Follow closely. It is the puncturing by reality of some imaginary picture we have of ourselves. We hold a secret positive imaginary picture we have of ourselves. We hold a secret picture of being noble, or honest or kindly, or of possessing other virtues. Something happens that proves that we have deceived ourselves, and down we fall into humiliation.  Because the shame is painful to the ego, it creates other self-defeating emotions, including anger, envy and despair.

Now, we can find positive value in humiliation by accepting it, that is, by voluntarily permitting the humiliation to run it's full course. We neither resist nor resent it. The pain in humiliation exist in the gap between the fact and the fancy about ourselves. By allowing humiliation to have it's own way, the gap disappears, and so does pain. "Then faults turn to good, because they humiliate without discouraging." (Francois Fenelon)