One of the Nisargadatta Maharaj quotes from yesterday was, “Just remember steadily what you want, and reject the incompatibles.”
Today’s reading is about rejecting the incompatibles.
My dictionary has three definitions for “reject”:
- Dismiss as inadequate, inappropriate, or not to one’s taste
- Refuse to agree to
- Fail to show due affection or concern for
What are the incompatibles we are to reject?
- The world as our purpose
- Guilt as a motivating factor or call to action
- Fear as a motivating factor or call to action
In a way, we aren’t to reject the world, guilt or fear, and in another way we are to reject them. First, I will write about how we are not to reject the world, guilt or fear, and then I will write about how we are to reject them.
The World
We are not to reject the world by avoiding the roles we are to play in the world. There are roles that come with each bodily existence. Our roles may include spouse, parent, child, worker, homeowner, pet owner and etcetera. Each role has ‘doing’ that is part of that role. Doing is natural, and doesn’t need to be avoided.
What is unnatural is attachment to doing. We are attached to doing when we associate our identity, self-image, safety, or happiness with doing. We are detached from doing when we see that doing has nothing to do with who we are, what we are, our sense of well being, or joy.
We are to reject attachment to roles in the world, while continuing to do the doing called for by those roles. See attachment as inadequate or not to your taste. Refuse to agree to it. Do not be concerned with thoughts that lead to attachment.
Guilt and Fear
We are not to reject guilt or fear by avoiding those feelings. Whenever those feelings arise, we are to pay attention to them. They signal false ideas that are to be seen and let go. In fact, when guilt or fear arise, it is best to give them our full attention by inquiring into them to see what we can learn, and then by practicing rest-accept-trust until they have passed.
We are to reject guilt and fear as motivators for action. In other words, we are to reject doing what guilt and fear urge us to do. They are not appropriate motivators, and so do not agree to them as motivators. Instead, stay with inquiry and rest-accept-trust, and do nothing else, until guilt and fear have dissipated and a sense of peace, acceptance or well-being returns.
The same is true for the many forms of guilt and fear, which include unworthiness, the sense of lack or the sense ‘I am lacking,’ anger, hatred, jealousy, and etcetera.
A Final Tip
I recommend printing this tip for future reference. Great confusion often comes with attachment to the world, with guilt and with fear. It may be difficult or impossible to remember this tip once confusion sets in. If you keep this tip in a handy place, you can reread it along with NTI Matthew 23 whenever it is needed.
(Note: This is the third tip that I have suggested you print. Consider keeping the printed tips in a notebook, so you know where they are and you can access them easily for review. The other tips I’ve recommended printing are Day 5 and Day 11.)
