Feeling not good enough? Act like a blade of grass

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Practicing nonresistance

The spiritual principle underlying modesty is really the quality of humility.

True humility does not mean belittling oneself. I cannot enjoy that kind of thinking that promotes focusing on one’s weaknesses. It is false humility to believe that we’re not good enough.

I was reminded of a prayer by Chaitannya, the great bhakti yogi. In this prayer he expresses the thought, “O my mind, be humbler than a blade of grass.”

Chaitannya uses images in nature as a wonderful way to illustrate humility. The reason the blade of grass is able to bend to the ground when it is stepped on is that it practices nonresistance. The blade of grass is able to bend without being crushed.

Where to fix your mind

Krishna recommends a way to free us from any kind of resistance to what happens when someone crushes us with misunderstanding, judgment, blame, thoughtlessness, or insensitivity of any kind.

Krishna tells Arjuna, “Fix thy mind on me alone.” Another way to say that is that we are to put our attention on that alone which keeps us in the state of well-being and harmony. When we are nonreacting, we are not giving power to anything or anyone outside of us.

“It is false humility to believe that we’re not good enough.”

If I were there I would say to you, “Isn’t it wonderful you are finally discovering that you cannot do it yourself? But remember there is One who will do it through you, if you acknowledge with all good grace and openness of mind and heart: ‘There is One within me that is all-wise and all-knowing and all-nurturing and that is the one on whom I will keep my attention focused and fixed and invite that one to speak through me, to act through me, to express through me.’”

Fixing our mind on that alone which is the source of our well-being, strength, peace, equanimity, and freedom is not something we do with the intention of cultivating humility. We do it because it feels so much better to be established on that which is the source of our joy and freedom, harmony and concord.

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If you are interested in learning more about how to act like a blade of grass, there is a wealth of information available online about the teachings of yoga philosophy, Advaita Vedanta, and the mystical teachings of Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, Zen, Hinduism, and Judaism. You are also invited to discover these teachings through Awake Yoga Meditation’s offerings. Based on your interest in this article, you may also enjoy:

You are also always invited to schedule a private, personal, spiritual conference with Swami Nityananda whether you are completely new to the study of yoga philosophy and meditation or one who is seeking to deepen your practice.

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