Ep 117 Cultivating Humility

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” ~ C.S. Lewis

You are to be thanked and congratulated you for being here!  Either as a regular subscriber and part of the MZD community, or maybe a first time listener, chances are, you are here for two reasons — you love Nature, and, you have a desire to grow and become the best possible version of yourself for Optimum Personal Transformation.  The Greeks had a word for this — Arete´, which roughly translates to Virtue or Excellence.

Throughout the past several episodes, we’ve been taking a look at the concept of cultivating your “Garden of Well-being”; that is, intentionally and thoughtfully, mindfully seeking ways to weed out the undesirable thoughts, vices and habits in our lives, and to plant, nurture and grow more goodness, virtue, and excellence in its place; things that signify mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health.  Things that aid us in becoming our best selves, and in turn, help make the world a better, more beautiful place to live in. 

It’s kind of a no-brainer question really. “Do you want to want to be happy and reach your full potential in your life?  Or are you content to just be a mediocre version of yourself?”

If you answered, “Yes, I want to live up to my full potential”, then good for you!  This is a sign of mental and emotional health.  To be discontented with mediocrity in one’s self is not a bad thing.  To want to be the healthiest human being you can possibly be should be the goal of every one of us.  Put another way, as Krishnamurti says,

“It is no measure of your health to be well-adjusted to such a profoundly sick society.”

Sadly, most of the planet has fallen asleep, and either doesn’t know, doesn’t care, or is afraid to leave their comfort zone to do something about it.  But not you.  That’s why you’re here.  You’re on a journey.  A quest to be your best possible self through connection with Nature.

There is one caveat to all this personal growth stuff though.  And that’s pride and the feeling of being better than, or having arrived.  With pride comes stagnation and the unwillingness, or even the ability to Listen.  And when you no longer listen, and can no longer hear, you stop growing.

That’s why today we’re going to talk about cultivating Humility.  Humility is a slippery, elusive and almost vaporous thing.  Like seeing an angel, or shadow out of the corner of your eye.  The moment you focus on it, think you’ve acquired it and the “piety” that comes with it, in that moment it begins to evaporate.  The fire turns to smoke and disappears into thin air. 

“I’m proud of my humility!”  See what I mean?

Rick Warren tells us that humility is not denying your strengths.  It is about being honest about your weaknesses.  C.S. Lewis put it another way,

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”

Humility is close kin to Gratitude.  It is impossible to be Grateful without having a humble heart.

So what does humility look like?

Humility is letting someone go ahead of you in line when you notice they are in a hurry.

It is choosing to clean your office bathroom, even though you own the company.

In Nature, it is the mother Great-Horned Owl incubating her eggs for a full month, never leaving the nest even once, until her brood puts on a second set of down feathers.

Native American hunters respectfully asking permission, with a heart of gratitude, to take the life of a deer or bison in order to provide food and clothing for the tribe.

A mighty oak giving shade and shelter to a sparrow.

It is God becoming man, though King of the Universe, choosing birth in a smelly stable to serve and save mankind…

I think you get the picture.

So with these images in mind, let’s begin today’s meditation with a heart filled with gratitude.

MEDITATION

When you’re ready…

Today we stand at the edge of the Grand Canyon. 

With a heart that is full, yet small.  Silent.  In awe.

Here, nearly a billion tons of rock have been carved out of the ground.  All of the river water on Earth could fill this canyon and it would still only be half full.  Standing at its widest point you stare 18 miles across to the other side.  This canyon stretches for 277 miles and is more than a mile deep, so vast it can even be seen from space.

A beautiful mystery of this blue planet, the question fills you with wonder.  “How did the Colorado River, only one tenth the size of the mighty Mississippi carve its way into this beautiful, enormous canyon?”  No one knows for sure.  It boggles the mind.

Layers of strata and geology, with their hues of burnt red, amber, golden yellows, greens, browns and even black earth tones of endless variety tell only a part of the story of this place.  The ancient story of eons and time almost before time.  Layer upon layer of schist, shale, sandstone and limestone, serve as a reminder that life is beautiful, full of wonder and mystery.  Majestic and timeless.  Knowledge is fathomless and unending.  The Universe is big.  We are small.

As your tiny mind struggles to take it all in and absorb the details and meaning of this place, you look down and catch yourself, almost losing your footing.  This is a dangerous place, but the danger is part of its incredible beauty.  It is a place to be appreciated, yes.  But first and foremost, it is a place to be respected.  With this realization comes a depth of appreciation and humility you have never known before.  A true view of life.  An honest appraisal of your own smallness and frailty.  And deep, sincere appreciation of the fact that you have been invited in to play an important role in this gift called Life.

You smile and slowly bow your head and say, “Thank You!”

Let’s stay here a little longer and try to soak it all in…

“To go far, you must begin near. 

And the nearest step is the most important one.”

~ Krishnamurti

And I would add, be wise and humble enough to take the step nearest you with a grateful spirit.

Photo by Gautier Salles on Unsplash