*** Spiritual quote of the day, helping us on our spiritual path to greater enlightenment, happiness and acting on our true purpose in life.
Photo by muha... @ flickr
From Denny: What ever spiritual path you choose it is always a good idea to read "what the other guys have to say about a subject." Other religions, ancient philosophers, the guy at the grocery store all may have something enlightening to say to you today.
When you keep your heart open to beautiful spiritual thoughts to contemplate you will find your spiritual development keeps moving along at a respectable pace. Shutting down the emotional heart keeps us from developing. And when we are not moving spiritual energy we are dying bit by bit. That is a spiritual principle of the Universe.
In this particular quote from a Chinese philosopher he talks about the concept of listening with empathy. Too often we half listen and so only half absorb. Western culture in particular is still caught up believing the intellect to be the deepest level of humanity. The intellect is great and enjoyable. It's a superb idea to cultivate it.
However, the intellect is shallow and weak compared to the depths of the human spirit where the power source for the will and spiritual intelligence is located. The shallow intellect just cannot compare nor can it steer the spirit. The spirit can steer the intellect and then the two can work together in wonderful harmony to achieve the best in life for a person.
This philosopher alludes to that relationship. The only way for the intellect to work in harmony with the spirit and achieve great things is for the intellect to set aside arrogance, selfishness, pride, contentiousness, over identification with self, self-absorption and self-centeredness. These areas all involve dark emotions and dark thoughts that stop and hold prisoner spiritual energy. Only when spiritual energy is allowed to move freely can it do its job and help us fulfill our important purpose in life.
Quote
* True empathy requires listening with the whole being. It demands the emptiness of all the faculties. And when the faculties are empty, then the whole being listens. There is then a direct grasp of what is right there before you that can never be heard with the ear or understood with the mind. - Chuang Tzŭ, Chinese philosopher
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