Do you love yourself?

[Peace]

This thread is based on an answer by michel. While asking about love of God in a new thread "Do you love Him?" michel's answer to a part of it was the following:

I love him more than I love myself, because I don't have love for myself. As far as my wife and family, I love them in the same way; they are God (In my understanding of my faith, because we are all "of God".
I suppose that means that I should love myself too, but I haven't quite ever managed that yet.

Actually his answer pushed me to create this thread and ask you : Do you love yourself? How?

I actually love myself in the sense that I love good for myself, I like to see myself successful both in this life and the life to come. I love seeing myself obediant to my Creator. I love doing good to people and bringing happiness to them and thus to me as well. I love being loved by people and not hated by them......

Peace

 

[EiNsTeiN]

Ya, I love myself...cuz loving myself is the first step to love others..
Loving myself means I care about myself, my acts, my look, my communication with others..
It's me!...I love me, thus I work hard for getting me better, and for letting everyone loves me..

I love myself, thats why I want the paradise for me, I worship God asking him to reward me..

Sometimes, it's all about me!

However,I love my wife and children (although I don't have any yet ) more than myself, I love my parents more than myself....I love prophet Mohummed (pbuh) way more than any human on earth....
Finally I love Allah more than anything in the universe, that I can sacrify myself for His sake..

That's how loving myself has levels..

 

[michel]

This thread is based on an answer by michel. While asking about love of God in a new thread "Do you love Him?" michel's answer to a part of it was the following:



Actually his answer pushed me to create this thread and ask you : Do you love yourself? How?

I actually love myself in the sense that I love good for myself, I like to see myself successful both in this life and the life to come. I love seeing myself obediant to my Creator. I love doing good to people and bringing happiness to them and thus to me as well. I love being loved by people and not hated by them......

Peace

I like to see myself successful both in this life and the life to come. I love seeing myself obediant to my Creator. I love doing good to people and bringing happiness to them and thus to me as well. I love being loved by people and not hated by them......

I never thought an snswer of mine would create a need for another thread....

I understand what you said completely, but I find that way of looking at things so difficult to put into practice.

To me, all my life is sin.

I will explain (with a very short demonstration that may explain why I feel this way.

Say that I get an opportunity to help an elderly lady cross the road safely; soehow, I cannot help (after having helped her) feeling a sense of "Joy" at having done a good deed.

To me, that renders the deed valueless; I believe that I ought to go through life forever trying to help others - because I want to help others (There are occasions that we help people because we feel guilt, or some other emotion that does not make the deed totally altruistc).

Even if I can succeed in doing the deed totally without it satisfying a need in me, I believe that to feel joy, or pride at having done the dded invalidates the good of the deed. I just can't win - and that is one of my biggest hurdles in life; one to which I have no solution whatsoever.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Nice thread, Peace. :flower:



Sure, I love myself. I'm way too golly-gee-whiz cute not to. j/k




I think for me, the more appropriate feeling is that I forgive myself of my shortcomings, and I try to forgive others more. I take care of my body's health for longevity and safety, and I try to do that more for others. I try to experience life to the fullest and step outside my shell, and I also try to introduce that more for others.



And when it comes to happiness, I do what I love and keep what I love for the sole reason that I can share that joy with others. At least, that's a spiritual calling for me to do so IMO.



The Buddhist concept of putting yourself last and all others first can not and simply will not work if one doesn't right his or her own ship first. For us, then, we must accept that not just everyone else, but "I" have buddha-nature (from the Mahayana view-point). All of us do, including me.



One of my favorite quotes of all-time comes from Marienne Williamson, and was used famously by Nelson Mandela:


http://womenshistory.about.com/od/quotes/a/m_williamson.htm

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel unsure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. As we let our own Light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

That about sums it up.



Peace,
Mystic

 

[standing_alone]

Do you love yourself? How?

Sometimes I love myself and sometimes I don't. It depends.

 

[FatMan]

I love myself because everyone else does and I'm a follower.

Now, if I were a free thinker......

 

[Ðanisty]

Yup...I love myself. I'm the most important person in my life.

 

[Radio Frequency X]

Sometimes I love myself and sometimes I don't. It depends.

That's about how I feel. Sometimes I show myself love and sometimes I show myself something quite different. It's the same with respect. Sometimes I have self-respect and other times I show myself no regard for my own good and character.

 

[Jaymes]

Whether or not I love myself depends on how my day is. I haven't had a "love myself" day for a while.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Whether or not I love myself depends on how my day is. I haven't had a "love myself" day for a while.

Well, here ya go!:flower: Much love for Jaymes! :hug:



Peace,
Mystic

 

[BrandonE]

Having just read The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck, I have to answer using his definition of "love".

To love truly, it is a prerequisite to love yourself. Peck defines love as "the will to extend oneself for the spiritual growth of yourself or others". Of course, he goes on to explain (of particular importance is his disambiguation of "love" as commonly used and cathexsis), and I find his definition and viewpoint very compelling. Thus, I do love myself, and I try to extend myself daily to grow and to foster the growth of others in whatever ways that I can. By trying to live to my potential, I work towards both.

I feel like I've mentioned that book too much lately, but it's really been personally significant to me lately. If you haven't read it, it's definitely worth the effort.

 

[EiNsTeiN]

I never thought an snswer of mine would create a need for another thread....

I understand what you said completely, but I find that way of looking at things so difficult to put into practice.

To me, all my life is sin.

I will explain (with a very short demonstration that may explain why I feel this way.

Say that I get an opportunity to help an elderly lady cross the road safely; soehow, I cannot help (after having helped her) feeling a sense of "Joy" at having done a good deed.

To me, that renders the deed valueless; I believe that I ought to go through life forever trying to help others - because I want to help others (There are occasions that we help people because we feel guilt, or some other emotion that does not make the deed totally altruistc).

Even if I can succeed in doing the deed totally without it satisfying a need in me, I believe that to feel joy, or pride at having done the dded invalidates the good of the deed. I just can't win - and that is one of my biggest hurdles in life; one to which I have no solution whatsoever.

I don't see any problem feeling joy for doing good deeds..
I consider this ''Joy'' as an instant reward from God, and a motivation to do more good deeds..

 

[Hema]

I love myself because my real self or Spirit - is a spark of Divinity. We will make mistakes because we are having a temporary physical experience but our true nature is perfect. This is because God - from where we came is perfect.

 

[Gentoo]

I have my on days and I have my off days, but I'll be honest, I've mostly been having off days as of late...

 

[Peace]

I never thought an snswer of mine would create a need for another thread.... .

Thank you for that

I understand what you said completely, but I find that way of looking at things so difficult to put into practice.

To me, all my life is sin.

So try to improve you life and get away from sin. As far as you have a living soul within you don't ever lose hope but do your best to make your present better than your past.

I will explain (with a very short demonstration that may explain why I feel this way.

Say that I get an opportunity to help an elderly lady cross the road safely; soehow, I cannot help (after having helped her) feeling a sense of "Joy" at having done a good deed.

To me, that renders the deed valueless; I believe that I ought to go through life forever trying to help others - because I want to help others (There are occasions that we help people because we feel guilt, or some other emotion that does not make the deed totally altruistc).

Even if I can succeed in doing the deed totally without it satisfying a need in me, I believe that to feel joy, or pride at having done the dded invalidates the good of the deed. I just can't win - and that is one of my biggest hurdles in life; one to which I have no solution whatsoever

This is I believe the first time I hear such a point of view. No michel you are wrong and sorry to say it. From where did you get that? Did you read it in the Bible, in any other Holy Book? It's very normal to feel joy when you help a person. That's the purpose of helping people is to make them happy and thus normally make you happy as well and get a reward for that in the hereafter. If you bring a smile to a person it automatically creates a joy within you heart and soul and that's really a great feeling. Do you see what I mean michel?
When I do any kind of good deeds towards people I do it with a good intention for the sake of God so as to feel happy and be rewarded for it by my God. Why feeling guilty if I am feeling happy for helping people and making them happy??
Yes I will feel guilty if I am helping people so as to boast or out of hypocrisy so as for people to say "hey look that person is so good s/he helping people", if I am doing any good deed just to boast or out of hypocrisy in that case I won't feel the joy within my heart and I won't be rewarded by God for that insincere deceitful dishonest deeds or help.
Hope I made myself so clear to you michel

Peace

 

[MysticSang'ha]

I love it when theists and I agree on something.



I look at the "reward-in-heaven" to be somewhat paralleled with the impetus for why we are here in the first place, although as a Buddhist to be reborn in heaven is to still remain in the desire realms (but that's another debate). No, I'm feeling what Peace is saying, that the best kind of joy is the joy of seeing others benefit from your actions. And for me, this is the perhaps the most comprehensive answer to the question "why are we here?" To benefit as many others as possible.



To truly love oneself is to realize this destiny and this duty, if you will.



Peace,
Mystic

 

[cardero]

Do you love yourself?
About 2-3 times a day.

 

[cardero]

Michel writes: I love him more than I love myself, because I don't have love for myself. .

In the two and a half years that I have known you Michel I can honestly tell that you are indeed lovable. You give it freely, honorably and unconditionally. I understand that this may not be observbable or easy to admit from your perspective but it is to us, so on behalf of everyone on RF we are not asking you, we’re are telling you…..

Go Love Yourself!!

 

[michel]

Thank you for that

This is I believe the first time I hear such a point of view. No michel you are wrong and sorry to say it. From where did you get that? Did you read it in the Bible, in any other Holy Book? It's very normal to feel joy when you help a person. That's the purpose of helping people is to make them happy and thus normally make you happy as well and get a reward for that in the hereafter. If you bring a smile to a person it automatically creates a joy within you heart and soul and that's really a great feeling. Do you see what I mean michel?
When I do any kind of good deeds towards people I do it with a good intention for the sake of God so as to feel happy and be rewarded for it by my God. Why feeling guilty if I am feeling happy for helping people and making them happy??
Yes I will feel guilty if I am helping people so as to boast or out of hypocrisy so as for people to say "hey look that person is so good s/he helping people", if I am doing any good deed just to boast or out of hypocrisy in that case I won't feel the joy within my heart and I won't be rewarded by God for that insincere deceitful dishonest deeds or help.
Hope I made myself so clear to you michel

Peace

You have; you have made yourself perfectly clear. The trouble is, it is something that is wrong with me; I know it, and I have tried to change it, but - so far - can't even get near to thinking as you do.

The problem I have is to do with mental ilness/psychological problems - and that came about because of things that happened when I was a little boy. It is nobody's fault- it was "Just circumstances".

I am completely unable to see anything good in myself - and I do realise that that is a thing that would "Hurt" God, because I am his child - and he doesn't like his children being made to feel worthless.

I do know that (in my faith) Jesus Christ died so that I may have my sins forgiven - and I try very hard to accept that. But I am unable to forgive myself for my sins.

This is something I have had most of my life - and it (obviously) stops me from being happy. Whenever anyone says to me "well done" (because I have either achieved something, or they are grateful), I feel very uncomfortable, and find myself unable to accept the praise. I will say "Oh, it was easy", or "It was nothing - anyone could do it.." It is something that doctors, physhologists and psychiatrists have tried to hel me with for many years, and have never succeeded.

I can forgive anyone anything, but I cannot forgive myself for anything at all.

 

[Peace]

You have; you have made yourself perfectly clear. The trouble is, it is something that is wrong with me; I know it, and I have tried to change it, but - so far - can't even get near to thinking as you do.

The problem I have is to do with mental ilness/psychological problems - and that came about because of things that happened when I was a little boy. It is nobody's fault- it was "Just circumstances".

I am completely unable to see anything good in myself - and I do realise that that is a thing that would "Hurt" God, because I am his child - and he doesn't like his children being made to feel worthless.

I do know that (in my faith) Jesus Christ died so that I may have my sins forgiven - and I try very hard to accept that. But I am unable to forgive myself for my sins.

This is something I have had most of my life - and it (obviously) stops me from being happy. Whenever anyone says to me "well done" (because I have either achieved something, or they are grateful), I feel very uncomfortable, and find myself unable to accept the praise. I will say "Oh, it was easy", or "It was nothing - anyone could do it.." It is something that doctors, physhologists and psychiatrists have tried to hel me with for many years, and have never succeeded.

I can forgive anyone anything, but I cannot forgive myself for anything at all.

I am sorry michel if your childhood wasn't a happy one, but you should try to overcome all those feelings. If you are unable just entrust that to our God, resort to Him and ask Him for help and for fogiveness. Believe me you will find a loving Merciful God who is so near to us than we expect, He forgives the sins of everyone who repents sincerely and ask forgiveness. Yes, of course we must feel guilty if we wrong somebody and even wrong ourselves, that means that we have a pricking of the conscience and that's very good but once we ask for forgivenss from the ones we wrong and ask forgiveness from God and we repent God forgives us and that's the ultimate goal. We must not dwell into the past otherwise we will never be happy. The past has gone and we are living our present day and what we must do is to learn from our past in order not to repeat the mistakes we did and try to live a better present full of good deeds and obedience to our Creator so as to attain happiness in this life and the life to come.

Peace