Inner  Frontier
Fourth Way Spiritual Practice

 

Inner Work


For the week of: May 20, 2002


Respect

            For this week, take a careful look at your attitudes toward others and toward yourself. Is it respectful, or not? Whom do I respect? Do I treat everyone with respect? Do I consider anyone to be below me, unworthy of respect? Am I inwardly disrespectful, while outwardly feigning respect? Am I indifferent toward others, neither respectful nor disrespectful? Is indifference a form of disrespect?

Do I respect myself? Do I consider myself to be below others, unworthy of respect? Do I consider every person to be equal, in the sense that we are all children of the One God?

Respect for others begins with respect for our self, the quiet dignity that derives from self-acceptance, understanding our own destructive emotions, and keeping our word. But respect for others also reinforces respect for our self.

Seeing our own inner lack of respect shows us the path toward cultivating it, toward intentionally adopting a genuinely respectful attitude. And respect, coupled with spiritual practice, leads toward humility and love.

 


     

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