How do you know you’re doing the right thing? Can something feel completely wrong and still be the right thing to do?
46-50, M
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SW-User
How do we ever know what is the "right thing"?
Relevant to this are the words of Meister Eckhart (13th century) who spoke of true obedience:-
[i]In true obedience there should be no ‘I want this or that to happen’ or ‘I want this or that thing’ but only a pure going out of what is our own. And therefore in the very best kind of prayer that we can pray there should be no ‘give me this particular virtue or way of devotion’ or ‘yes, Lord, give me yourself or eternal life’, but rather ‘Lord, give me only what you will and do, Lord, only what you will and in the way that you will’. This kind of prayer is as far above the former as heaven is above earth. And when we have prayed in this way, then we have prayed well, having gone out of ourselves and entered God in true obedience. But just as true obedience should have no ‘I want this’, neither should it ever hear ‘I don’t want’, for ‘I don’t want’ is pure poison for all true obedience.
[/i]
Though obviously, as a Christian, he spoke in theistic language, his words - with little adjustment - are illuminating for anyone seeking "truth". To [i]be[/i] truth.
A Dharma brother.
Relevant to this are the words of Meister Eckhart (13th century) who spoke of true obedience:-
[i]In true obedience there should be no ‘I want this or that to happen’ or ‘I want this or that thing’ but only a pure going out of what is our own. And therefore in the very best kind of prayer that we can pray there should be no ‘give me this particular virtue or way of devotion’ or ‘yes, Lord, give me yourself or eternal life’, but rather ‘Lord, give me only what you will and do, Lord, only what you will and in the way that you will’. This kind of prayer is as far above the former as heaven is above earth. And when we have prayed in this way, then we have prayed well, having gone out of ourselves and entered God in true obedience. But just as true obedience should have no ‘I want this’, neither should it ever hear ‘I don’t want’, for ‘I don’t want’ is pure poison for all true obedience.
[/i]
Though obviously, as a Christian, he spoke in theistic language, his words - with little adjustment - are illuminating for anyone seeking "truth". To [i]be[/i] truth.
A Dharma brother.