Humility as the path of the Wise Man and personal fulfillment through acceptance.

“Knowing that you don't know, that's humility. To think that one knows what one does not know, that is the disease. ”

Lao Tse.

The Great Virtue

Few qualities are so precious and have both learning and humility.

The best teachers and the greatest seekers of truth have always been characterized by being humble in their search. And for professing that humility to anyone interested in listening to them.

However, humility is also a strange quality. Many times it threatens the image of ourselves that we have been building throughout our lives. And after destroying that image, it has the ability to make us free and authentic .

But what is humility and what are the conditions to guide our life?

Humility Definition

The definition that the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) proposes about humility is “ virtue that consists in the knowledge of one's limitations and weaknesses, and in acting in accordance with this knowledge ”.

For the truth is that the word humility comes from the Latin humilitas, and this from the root humus which means "earth." Hence, humility has to do with being rooted in the earth. While the gods lived in heaven.

Talk about our earthly limitations . In turn, humus is a root that is present in "human" and "man."

Humility is an intrinsic property of man, necessary for learning and growth . Naturally, to be able to incorporate a teaching one must first admit that it is not known. Only there can man be ordered to learn, and with learning comes evolution.

Feel the Void

The problem is that since we came to the world, we find a void inside. It is a blank, with many doubts and uncertainties. And we tend to want to fill that space with the clues that we find in our path. In that journey, sometimes we avoid dealing with some questions and we intend to obtain the answers of another. When that happens, we end up defining ourselves from what others can say about one . And in that attempt to prove that we are worth it, we do not give rise to our defects.

We show that we know what has to be done, what to feel and what to think in all circumstances. That way we position ourselves above others in the speech. But when we live it we enter into conflict, because what we say is not really what we feel . And, needless to say, that emptiness is not filled.

We are automatically in a position to hide our feelings in the eyes of others. Such attitudes pollute and poison inside.

You have to forgive yourself.

It is acceptable not to know . And to the extent that one knows oneself he begins to define himself. It's okay to ask for help and admit your mistakes, because we all have defects. In some way or another we are all insecure. It is our nature.

Accept it.

Be Humble of Heart

Humility, to be true and heartfelt, brings with it some conditions. It implies first accepting that one does not necessarily have the capacity to perceive by the senses that truth that he seeks. And second, that one does not have the power over becoming.

The first condition refers to a physical impossibility. Our senses are, in effect, absolutely limited.

This is a predicate that has existed since the days before S crates, and that has been reappearing in Western thought throughout history .

In addition, science has already shown us several of these limitations . The human ear has the ability to perceive sounds between 20 and 20, 000 Hz, while that of a cat ranges between 30 and 65, 000 and that of a bat between 10 and 175, 000 . Our eyes, on the other hand, can only detect what emits at least one photosend if it impacts our retina.

This involves the two senses through which much of the information we receive throughout our lives enters . And it shows us that there are things that are there, but we cannot see or hear them. Obviously, this ability to perceive varies from person to person.

This also explains that there are people with the ability to detect other types of stimuli unrelated to the traditional senses.

What makes you think about the search for truth?

The second predicate is a fundamental condition of spirituality . One does not have the power over the way in which events unfold, nor over time.

You have to recognize yourself as small and limited, at the mercy of life events showing the way.

If you are not humble in this regard, a battle begins in which you cannot win . The frustrations, the disappointments and the lack of an immutable sense brings with it the anguish and depression. In addition, it is a battle that can last a lifetime as long as one refuses to position oneself as an apprentice.

Therefore, better late than never, but the earlier, the better.

How to be humble

Here is the dilemma. Many people say that there are people who are born or raised humble and others who are not. Either way, humility, like all good things, is also a daily exercise . Although it implies, first, to admit that one is ignorant.

Have you ever heard someone say that you want to be humble but don't get it? Me neither.

Humility is not something that is acquired spontaneously from nothing. If it is not instilled as a child, it is rather by revelation . Like a bucket of cold water.

This is because to call into question every knowledge that one brings with it, first it will take an impact. An inconsistency between what is thought and what reality shows you.

It was believed that the earth was flat until it sailed to the horizon and it was seen that it was not. Because that law was tested, we extended our limits and learned.

This is a simple example, but many times we build our lives with values ​​and judgments that are not necessarily true . And this can have catastrophic consequences. Every form of authoritarianism is an example.

With practice, one stops needing that verification of falsehood. We begin to realize that everything we affirm is subject to the possibility of error.

Voltaire said “ the ignorant denies or affirms flatly; the wise doubt . Socrates said " I just know that I don't know anything ." Baltasar Gracian said " the first step of ignorance is to presume to know ."

The concept is clear.

Accepting Reality

Accepting reality is accepting oneself . Limited, with defects and virtues, with difficulties and abilities.

Your power over your experience is not material, but attitudinal . You can change your life if you are willing to learn from every person and situation. And to be a true apprentice, humility has to be your flag.

Each event is a new opportunity to be humble. Things follow one after the other and show you the direction and direction in which this superior force makes them flow.

This event is so wonderful and immense that it involves every aspect of life.

And you too.

Don't let it go unnoticed.

Shut up. Contemplate You accept.

You will see that you yourself are your best teacher .

If you allow it.

AUTHOR: Lucas, editor in the big family of hermandadblanca.org

SOURCES:

http://etimologias.dechile.net/?humildad
http://espiritualidad-almalu.blogspot.com.ar/2013/07/la-humildad-sin-arrogancia.html
http://forbes.es/life/10623/por-que-la-humildad-es-tan-importante-en-la-vida-el-liderazgo-y-los-negocios/