Does this help?
9/7/2023: In praise of humility.
How do you understand humility?
Is it an acceptance of low social status? Or is it the not even considering social standing? Or is it an unending mystery, an ever-unraveling thread?
Bliss Theory says, humility is a doorway to bliss.
Practice humility.
Is perfection in the practice of humility possible?
What would it be like to encounter, understand, be around, someone who had achieved perfection in humility?
They could hardly talk about it; would that be humble? Me, I'm hardly humble; so I can talk about it.
I highly praise humility. It is not just a virtue, but an attainment.
I do imagine that perfection in this practice is possible for regular humans in this world.
Some cultures admire humility more than others. It seems a Chinese cultural practice, for example. Some people seem to get it, others not.
Humility is attractive, beautiful, appealing, nice to be around. It decorates innocence and wisdom alike. It creates a safe space for others.
Humility enables presence: you are not thinking about your standing, high or low. It lets you see what's actually going on now around you, and not just as evidence for the progress of your personal drama or the recognition and accumulation of your achievements, but for what's really there.
When it's not about you, you are also free to be yourself, and respond authentically.
The humble person is actually greater: feels more deeply, feels more, sees more deeply, adapts more responsively, is more able to fully experience things, than the self-status-carrying bound person, who keeps everything at a distance while remaining primarily aware of the development of their personal drama, status, and story.
Why be egotistical? It's unnecessary.
Humility is a path to the flow state. The great ones are actually humble.
The non-humble are not the kind of person one wants to be; if one were the kind of person that wants to be like that, then the sincerest authentic lover seeking the beloved will never find it in you. They want your authentic presence; don't run away by only thinking about your story; be present by abandoning status-consciousness and being open to what is here.
Admire humility, respect humility, try practicing humility. See if it doesn't make things more wonderful.
What shall we call a person who is perfect in humility? Is that person not a teacher of wisdom and joy to others by their mere presence? A discipleship-friendly culture might call that person, Guru.
If one isn't humble enough to even value humility, how can one understand high achievement in this high virtue, or even recognize it? A mind of greed and fear, of aggrandizement and suspicion, will tend to see others in its own image.
Please, for my purpose here, let's skip the offensive connotations, take responsibility for ourselves, and just consider this universal high virtue of humility, its deeper meaning, its disciplined practice, and the possibility of its effortless perfection.
Humility is a gentle doorway home. Open it, and find yourself already there.