The Pull of Self-Righteousness

Everyone makes an ego or a self for himself, which is subject to enormous variation because of its instability. He also makes an ego for everyone else he perceives, which is equally variable. (T-4.II.2)

The realization that you make an ego not just for yourself but for others too can be very uncomfortable. Because that means only your mind has to be changed. This is particularly frustrating to ego, which wants to see the world and others as having the problem that needs to be solved. But spiritual awakening is an inward path that requires you take full responsibility for what is in your mind.

When you embark on a spiritual path, ego can take refuge in self-righteousness. It may stay here for a long time, mitigating your discomfort by telling you that you are better-than others because you are spiritual, or because your spirituality is more “right” than theirs. The pull of self-righteousness is very strong and can be very subtle. Whenever you look on others or some situation in the world as having a problem, you are engaging in self-righteousness. This may take the form of pity or compassion, as well as more obvious forms of feeling you are better or know better than others.

However, an inward path of spirituality strips this refuge from ego because there is no one to be self-righteous over. If only you have the problem, if only you are responsible for what you see “out there”, who could you feel better-than? You will have to live with the discomfort this brings for a while, but it will go as the rewards of peace and happiness come to take its place.

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Comments

jerryo said…
Technically speaking..if you love your enemies..you r really just loving your self in the right way ..

In other words your true self is in alignment (?)

As opposed to self righteousness alignment


Yes ? No?
7:55 AM
ACIM Mentor said…
When I am aware of Truth I do not experience "loving others". I experience Love within me, which is an experience of Wholeness. Then I do not need self-righteousness, which is a replacement for wholeness in the limited personal identity.
9:56 AM
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