Do you feel unappreciated? Or maybe you would say it another way? Not Seen? Misunderstood? Taken advantage of? Walked all over? Judged unfairly?
Do not feel alone. Essentially everyone feels that way… at least from time to time. Perhaps you would pick a different term than the ones listed here. What term do you relate to most?
Let’s first take a step back and take a look at the anatomy of this. What is really going on here? Everyone can feel that place deep inside where they are precious. Some would say where they are one with God or their inner Divinity. Even atheists feel that place within them. They would just name it differently. You live from that place. Your life revolves around it. Even thieves, liars, and all other unscrupulous people are acting from that place, though the dance they do around it can be quite distorted and confused. Everything you do is done to support it, nurture it, feed it, bring it forth, share it, show it, manifest it, express it, live it. How frustrating, hurtful, insulting, enraging, humiliating, depressing, offense, painful, disheartening, etc. it can feel when others do not seem to see it or acknowledge it. From one perspective, you could say that this world is filled with people who feel unappreciated. You may think that some are exempt. For example, some famous people are showered with appreciation all day long. The Dali Lama and the Pope are worshipped all day long. Yet in a sense, that makes it even worse for them. Famous people often feel so misunderstood… so not seen for who they really are… so projected on to as having a life that is not what their life is in reality.
So what do you do about this? How do you live with it? We just took the first step and that is to understand it. You are Divine, but others just can’t or don’t seem to see it. In fact, they are caught up in trying to express their own Divinity. The essence of this problem is the same as the essence of every other problem in life… looking to the surface for satisfaction and fulfillment instead of looking to the depth of your being. Rest in the depth. That is where you find peace, fulfillment, satisfaction and Grace. Then act from there.
When your cup is full, it naturally overflows. When it is not full, it desperately longs to be filled. Filling your cup is not an attitude – it is a state of being. When living that level of life, you still have the full range of human emotions. You can still feel unappreciated, hurt, sad, and taken advantage of at times. However, the under-standing is there… not just an intellectual understanding, but a standing-under the churning ocean of wanting… just as the depth of the ocean remains quiet and peaceful beneath the waves of even the harshest storm. That is what it means to be wise. Wisdom means understanding. Rest upon you wisdom.
To live better, you must look deeper.
Thank you Maharishi, this blog makes so much sense. I struggle with these feeling a lot. I long for my cup to be full someday. Hopefully this life : )
I sometimes feel that way. Then I stop and look around and see how much harder the rest of the ashram works. At those times I feel that I am not doing enough. When I get really tweaked about the underappreciation, but honestly mostly the not being good enough, I go to why I am really here….and how service done for the Guru and for the community, done with self righteousness or resentment or grumpiness is not much of seva or Bhakti. I think feeling the Divne aspect of myself, and of everyone around me, helps to melt my issues.
Jai Guru Dev.
Your words took my breath away. Thank you so much! I understand in a different way now.
Donna,
Correct!… Just keep your eye on the ball… “self righteousness or resentment or grumpiness” …. who cares? Just ignore them. Such thoughts and feelings enter everyones mind from time to time. It does not matter. Do not let them bother you. Just keep your eye on the ball and go forward, forward, always forward. Everyone has negative thoughts in one form or another. That is ok… That does not matter. View them as nothing more that gnats buzzing around as you go about your business… your purpose … As the stagecoach goes forward, it naturally stirs up some dust. Who cares? Our focus is on the goal, not the dust. Our focus remains on our purpose… steady hand on the rudder!
Beautiful blog. Thank you. I’ve been keeping a frenetic pace, perhaps trying to escape feelings of low self worth. I felt compelled to stop this month and let things settle, to look deeper and not be afraid to rest into my depth, to trust the wisdom and Divinity that I know is there. There are those uncomfortable layers of samskaras that frighten me, but to my surprise underneath that I didn’t find the depression and darkness that I feared, but a beautiful cosmic cushion that you so eloquently talk about.
I’m quite sure my feelings of isolation and loneliness are from not being connected to myself, to that depth of Divinity. I also realize that my feeling unworthy and unloved is a result of my own samskaras, my conditioning, an inability to let love in, to receive the support of nature that’s all around. My “filter” caused me to often take things as critical or judgmental even if they weren’t intended that way. It seems that few people intentionally set out to hurt us, they’re just dealing with their own issues, as you say, seeking to express their own Divinity. It’s freeing to understand that my self worth comes from within; I don’t have to depend on others for it. But that doesn’t discount the value and importance of relationships with people. It only makes those relationships richer and better.
Thank you for the reminder, our focus is on the goal. Sometimes it is so hard to stay focused, then I get into lecturing myself for being distracted, and then it goes on. I like the “gnats buzzing” discription. Thank you Marharshi.
Brahmarshi/Marharshi, thank you for this reminder, perfect today, and living in this environment here. I loved your response to Donna, that was also a helpful reminder. It’s challenging to remember that we’re all Divine at the depth of our being, mine and others I feel a pinch with. I look then with my relationship with, in the moment and situation. It can be humbling.
Jai Shiva Sankara
I love, love this blog. So helpful. Thank you.!!
Great blog, thank you! Very helpful reminder, also your response to Donna.