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The Lion, The Jackal and the Fox
On a Spiritual Teacher’s Advocacy of Self-Abnegation as Godliness
As I packed for my three-day stay at my mother’s house last month, I dialled down to zero, any expectations of empathy for me, any appreciation for my efforts towards her well-being, and any acknowledgement of the decades of emotional cruelty meted out to me by my brother and female siblings.
By the front door, I placed the bag with some fruits and a box of big medjool dates she likes, a jar of pistachios and another of walnuts, and gummy sweets of Vitamin D, porridge and honey for me. Next to that I placed the second bag and checked it had my laptop, Ipad, chargers, phone, and work folders. The third bag had some extra clothes and most important of all, my close friends to sustain me. The distilled wisdom from the voices of people not in my present has been my greatest comfort and inspiration. Of course, Dear Reader, I’m talking about books! Chief among my favourites is ‘Meditations’ by Marcus Aurelius (to encourage a stoic mindset). I also packed ‘Children of the Self Absorbed’, by Nina W. Brown, (to help me not take anything personally).
Thus feeling fortified and with a flask of coffee, crisps and chocolates for comfort, I opened my front door, loaded up the car and looked back at my house, the longing to return already…
