I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us -- don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us -- don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
by Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson is one of my favorite poets. She was born on December 10, 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts. When she was a child and her parents told her not to go in the woods because she might get hurt, she responded by saying that all she ever met were angels. She said the angels were shyer than she was and she went into the woods anyway.
Hmm. Maybe Emily talked to nature spirits, which certainly fit this description. Nature spirits are angels, after all.
This simple poem talks to me about ego -- how the ego is always wanting to be somebody -- shouting its name, its many names, all day long. And to what? An admiring bog -- which means only the admiration of other egos.
Only by letting go of being somebody can we hope to be nobody. Can you imagine the relief of being nobody? You'd still have your name, your body, your role in life. But the attachment to all of that would be gone. There would be no unhealthy concern with yourself or what happens. You would be identified with something higher than yourself. You would be living life in a vertical (awake) state, instead of horizontal (asleep) state. And so the emotional and mental suffering would be gone.
Hmm. Maybe Emily talked to nature spirits, which certainly fit this description. Nature spirits are angels, after all.
This simple poem talks to me about ego -- how the ego is always wanting to be somebody -- shouting its name, its many names, all day long. And to what? An admiring bog -- which means only the admiration of other egos.
Only by letting go of being somebody can we hope to be nobody. Can you imagine the relief of being nobody? You'd still have your name, your body, your role in life. But the attachment to all of that would be gone. There would be no unhealthy concern with yourself or what happens. You would be identified with something higher than yourself. You would be living life in a vertical (awake) state, instead of horizontal (asleep) state. And so the emotional and mental suffering would be gone.
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| EMILY DICKINSON |
Sounds great being nobody! I wish I was nobody from right now until the end of my life here...
ReplyDeleteHowever, I find it difficult. It is hard to stay/be nobody in this world of egos. Not getting involved in all the stories around me,... which is food for my ego, growing and complaining and criticizing me for being too small - for being nobody! What a trap!
You do not have to try and stay uninvolved in the stories. Just watch yourself. Watching yourself is a way to educate yourself. Learn as much as you can about the ways you get involved in the stories around you. Notice yourself reacting.
ReplyDeleteSEE what is happening. Be AWARE of what is happening. STAY AWAKE AND AWARE! When you stay awake, you will even be aware when you are asleep and unconscious.
Watch yourself feeling small -- like nobody. Watch the pain that grows from that feeling. Just watch. Without trying to change anything.
If you try to change something, it will be "you" -- trying to change you.
Watch the pain consciously. Endure the internal suffering with CONSCIOUS AWARENESS.
Awareness is a higher power. Awareness can change what we cannot.
Remember what the angels tell us, “What we are not aware of controls us. When we become consciously aware of negative habits, they begin to lose control over us.” There is great truth in these words. A truth the mind cannot comprehend.
You are doing better than you think, Sandra, dear. And even having the thought, as you do, that it would be great to be nobody -- even that has an internal transforming affect.
Today - it was my working day at the doctor's office - I practised being nobody! :-)
ReplyDeleteIt was very interesting and exciting! I watched my thoughts and found my ego judging my colleque, fighting to be somebody higher or better than her. When I realized this I consciously stepped back and sad to myself: There is no need to be somebody! Just be nobody!!
And it felt so releasing so enlightening - and I very much enjoyed it!
Amazing!!
To be nobody, show up for my self or both?
ReplyDeleteMostly I am glad to be nobody but I love it to work with my clients. Now my problem. If I don`t make advertisement, I have only very few customers, if I make advertisement, people will notice the advertisement, me and my work and that frightenings me.So, if I do no advertisement, there is no me wich is frightenet, but also no work wich makes ( me ? ) happy.
What shall I do?
Good exercise, Sandra. The main point is that you were aware. You did something different, rather than follow your negative thoughts. You also talked back to the ego. The main purpose of the exercises in your lessons is to increase awareness. Otherwise we forget. We go into habitual unconscious reactions, without even realizing we are doing so.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, it is exciting to let something new in!
You might try the Homework IV in your newest lesson, also, as another way to increase awareness. And I like that you created your own! Give yourself an A+ :)
Ruth, True courage is doing what you are afraid to do. I just wrote that in your newest lesson. Only your thoughts tell you there is a problem. Change your thinking and the problem disappears. If you want to swim in the ocean, you must let go of the shore. The angels always suggest that we offer our work, whatever it is, as service to God. Enjoy yourself and have fun, in the present moment. If you let your work be about the people you want to serve, you will forget yourself, because you will be focused upon service to a higher power, which is always fulfilling. You are only afraid because your thoughts keep boomeranging back to you.
ReplyDeletealso, Ruth, you might want to review Lesson 33, "Beyond Mind." It talks about success and vision. And what you have is a vision. Being afraid that someone might notice us is not being nobody. It's being somebody -- the somebody that people might notice. Remember that the false self wants to stay false. And in control. It controls through fear. And so the way to go against the false self is to go against the false fear. This is going toward the real self. This is walking the Path of Angels.
ReplyDeleteHA-HA! This poem and Indira's interpretation of it, it put this picture in my mind, of a big old fat bullfrog, all puffed up with itself, croaking its name to an admiring bog. Which put me in mind of myself. Sometimes I am that big old fat bullfrog! I would rather be nobody than that somebody! This image will help me remember when I am full of myself!
ReplyDeleteHi Students,
ReplyDeleteIn the world, we must put forth effort to have a career if we want to earn money and take care of ourselves. Please do not equate being "nobody" to mean that you must not achieve goals in the world.
But please keep your worldly goals in perspective. There is no worldly goal that will take us closer to Truth. Worldly ambitions are for our survival in the world and not for our souls.
You can be "somebody" in the world - you can even be famous, if that is part of your profession. But deep within you can be "nobody" - meaning that you do not identify with your outer role. You do not take pride in "being" a worldly success. You have inner humility, while being successful in the outer world.
It may be important to advertise and make sure everyone knows your name, for the success of your career. There is nothing wrong with this. There is nothing wrong with being a worldly success.
The important thing is to be "in" the world without being "of" the world.
Always remember your true reason for being here. It is for the upliftment of your soul. It is to know yourself. It is to find God at last.
Whatever you do in the world, just do as consciously as you can. Be awake. Do your best. Be your best. The earth is your schoolroom. Be your own teacher. Use every moment as another moment to wake up.
Then you will be an inner success, no matter what happens in the world.
Dear Judy
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your answers.
During the last two weeks I went in touch with my fears.
Somewhere I read the following sentence: don't say no to your life, say no to your fears and the angel told me this:
The sun
The sun shines.
Unimpressed by her worshipers,
unimpressed by her enemies,
she’s shining in her radiating beauty.
Regardless of dry up harvests,
animals and humans dying of thirst,
it is her duty to shine and just to be.
Today I gave two advertisements in order.
Now I wonder what happens.
Lots of Love
Ruth
Thanks for sharing your poem, Ruth! It is so true. And you will see what happens with your steps foward. That is all we can do. Take action. See what happens. Say no! to fear. Say yes! to life. Love, Judy
ReplyDelete