All For One and One For All

[Guest guest]

Om Sai Ram

 

"indiatimesSpirituality" published yesterday an article by

William and Debra Miller

 

"All For One and One For All." The article based on Sai Baba's

Teaching concern to human values.

 

Below is this article in a little short form.

 

When your values come from a spiritual basis, you'll become

a beacon, or a magnet, to draw forth those values in others; that alone

will begin to resolve many of the value conflicts you may be

experiencing.

 

From time to time, people ask us, "What if my personal

values conflict with the values of the company or person I work for?"

After inquiring intently into this question, we've found that when

values (whether personal or organisational) come from a spiritual basis,

there will always be harmony among them. When values come from

egoistic, self-centred intentions, that's when conflicts occur.

 

Over the past few months, we've been writing about five human

values found in all spiritual traditions. When you look closely,

you'll see that they are a great example of the harmony of

"all for one and one for all." Since all five human values have the same

spiritual core – seeing and appreciating the Divinity in oneself

and all creation – you cannot express one human value in isolation;

each supports the others.

 

If you are strong in truth, you can bring out your natural

ability to be ethical (righteousness), self-confident (peace), pure

at heart (love), and dedicated to equality (non-violence).

If you are strong in righteousness, you can bring out your

natural ability to be trustworthy (truth), contented (peace), helpful

(love), and cooperative (non-violence).

If you are strong in peace, you can bring out your natural

ability to be authentic (truth), disciplined (righteousness),

compassionate (love), and forgiving (non-violence).

If you are strong in love, you can bring out your natural ability

to have integrity (truth), be charitable to others (righteousness),

be equanimous (peace), and respect others (non-violence).

If you are strong in non-violence, you can bring out your natural

ability to be honest (truth), dutiful (righteousness), patient

(peace), and kind (love).

 

Sathya Sai Baba, a spiritual teacher that often speaks about

these five human values, says:

Righteousness dwells in your heart. When the impulses arising

from the heart are expressed in words, that is truth. To put into

action your words is righteousness. For all these love is primary.

Love in action is righteousness. Love in speech is truth. Love in

thought is peace. Love in understanding is non-violence. When you

realise that God is in everyone, you will practice non-violence.

The next time you are feeling a "conflict" between your

personal values and the values of another person or your organisation, first

take a close look at whether your values are coming from a spiritual

basis. You might ask yourself: In this situation, how well am I

seeing and appreciating the Divinity in myself and in all creation?

 

If this approach seems too "lofty," the following

questions (using the human values) can also help you discern whether you are

coming from a spiritual basis:

Truth : To what extent do I have a clear, objective

understanding of "what is" (free from personal opinions,

prejudices, justifications, and rationalisations)?

Righteousness : To what extent am I acting in alignment with my

inner sense of duty and character (free from unethical actions,

insincere obligations and improper use of time, money and energy)?

Peace : To what extent do I have quiet confidence, equanimity

and calmness (free from stress, fear, anger, hate, and confusion)?

Love : To what extent do I have compassion, caring and

selfless concern for others (free from criticism, self-centeredness

and selfish intentions)?

Non-violence : To what extent do I have respect, forgiveness

and good wishes for all (free from any intention to hurt, blame,

belittle, or oppress)?

 

When your values come from a spiritual basis, you'll have

the wisdom, inner peace and compassion to know how to interact with

others whose values may not be coming from a spiritual basis.

 

Source:

http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/485529.cms

 

Namaste - Reet