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No Statistics for Inner Poverty
I reread this every morning
One way or another, most of us are beggars,
feel-good junkies, addicted to the world to
make us happy.
“They are but beggars that can’t count their own worth.”
― with apologies to William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
by Henry Makow Ph.D.
Excellent records are kept for material poverty. For example, the US poverty line for 2014 was set at $23,850 for a family of four. More than 16% of Americans live below the poverty line, including almost
20% of American children.
However, another epidemic is sweeping the nation: inner poverty. There is no way of gauging how serious this is, but I estimate that as many as 85% of the population lives below the spiritual poverty line.
Inner poverty is a spiritual vacuum at the core of our being. Its symptoms are a sense of emptiness, meaninglessness and lack of direction. It’s like our soul has gone AWOL.
How do we know if we are spiritually impoverished? Here are some indicators:
Love or sex addiction. You catch a glimpse of a beautiful creature in the distance and imagine a life of bliss together if only. You see a couple strolling hand-in-hand and feel envious..
Stinginess. Why are so many well-off people so stingy? They feel poor.
Schadenfreude. We derive some satisfaction or comfort from the misfortune of others.
(left, Sally Field)
We desperately seek recognition, acceptance and encouragement to feel good. This may take the form of “likes,” followers,” “smiles,’ or hits. One young friend was
despondent because he texted three girls about “hanging out” and none replied.
Money makes us euphoric or miserable. We measure our day in terms of how much money we made or lost. Another friend was burned up because he made presentations to potential clients but they were waffling. He had done work on spec for a client who wasn’t even answering his emails.
One way or another, most of us are beggars, feel-good junkies, addicted to the world to make us happy.
As a result, we feel like beggars. How can we stop?
HOW TO STOP FEELING LIKE A BEGGAR
Beggar behavior is habitual; these habits are ingrained and are very difficult to change.
The key to not feeling like a beggar is to stop acting like one.
Check your stocks just once a day instead of every five minutes.
If you can’t do this, sell them all. Thoreau said, “we are rich in the number of things we can let alone.”
Give. People in beggar mode never give. Giving destroys this programming.
Mortify yourself to the world. In religious terms, this means weaning yourself off the world.
You refuse to gain happiness from anything but God, i.e. your soul connection.
You become indifferent to praise or blame except your own. It’s funny that we place so much value on other peoples’ opinion, and so little on our own. We make so much effort to gain respect from others, and so little effort earning our own. Instead of looking to others, we need to learn to make ourselves feel good. Enjoy your Self.
We have been programmed to deny our selves and conform to others.
We need to reprogram ourselves, whether by constant prayer, meditation or by repeating affirmations. The mind is like a steering wheel. If we don’t take control of it, it will veer aimlessly or some one or something else will.
The key is submitting mind to soul. Soul is Self. Soul is our connection to God.
We need to be Self-possessed. Self-controlled. Self-directed. Self-motivated. Self-sufficient. i.e. God-centered etc.
People treat you like you treat your Self.
Admittedly, this is an outline. I look to readers to help fill it in with your comments.
—
Note: Those interested in this approach should check out Eckhart Tolle’s YouTubes and books.
Related - Makow – How’s Your Inner Beggar?
This is the very reason I closed my Facebook account.
I was very reluctant but my mother badgered me into joining FB, so I did. And it didn’t take long for it to consume me.
I would rush home, log in, and read what people said about my latest post… or didn’t say.
If there were no comments or ‘likes’, I was crushed. My day was ruined.
One day I had an epiphany. I had become an attention-seeking whore, or a beggar as you put it. I realized that constant pursuit of everyone’s approval, rather than just living my life, was damaging to me.
Certainly, there are times when we need to be affirmed and advised by the people we respect but their opinions shouldn’t be the guiding force in our lives.
Source: http://henrymakow.com/2014/08/no-statistics-for-inner.html
