Preparation Prompt: What does transitioning from a self-centered perception of reality to one grounded in altruism entail?

[Julian Edwards- KabU Instructor]

Preparation Prompt: What does transitioning from a self-centered perception of reality to one grounded in altruism entail?

[Matthew]

Learning to grow from self-service to seeing and serving the needs and desires of others as myself.

[Elisheva]

On a point I did not get to comment regarding the video I watched from Dr. Laitman on what reaction one should have with evil people, something like that. I watched it twice and did not agree that it was so easy to forgive people who have been/are evil towards one. Dr. Laitman’s response was to have compassion on them even if that person/s were insulting one in our face. I watched it a third time. Then I watched a movie about the Holocaust and a boy asked a Holocaust survivor if he hated the Nazis. The man responded that he did not. He felt pity for them. That allowed me to review the cruelty that I am receiving from a certain person. I have only hated two people in my life. However, that hate subsided quickly when I realized I was wasting my time in doing so. Hence, I watched Dr. Laitman’s video again and realized that one needs to have compassion/pity if so towards anyone who is blatantly insulting one constantly. That gave me a lot of peace and now I understand and agree with Dr. Laitman. If we are to leave egoism and “hate,” one needs to transfer those emotions to true altruism.

[Elisheva]

Jon, I agree with your statement: “…consciously replace the ‘why’ of our actions for something greater. Our actions still depend on our egoism, but originate from an altruistic force.” Last year I helped a dear friend who when she found out that I had a Ph.D. in Psychology and she had a master’s, she was honest in telling me she felt jealous. Hence, she embarked on pursuing a doctorate. She is from my country. Therefore, we would communicate through WhatsApp and occasionally on the phone. I was more than happy to help her all the way through including her doctoral thesis. I was very happy to help her. After three years, she accomplished her goal. We always stayed in touch even before she decided to go for the doctorate. She gave her dissertation before several professors and I also guided her on how to present it. I was truthfully happy. I sent her so many congratulatory messages and then she stopped communicating with me. It has now been a year that I have not heard from her. In the last two months, I have had thoughts of how ungrateful she has been by not even give me a friend’s call. After reading your response, I have to admit that at the time I was helping altruistically. However, in questioning the fact that she has no longer communicated and posts how she alone accomplished this degree on her own; I thought to myself “how ungrateful.” Therefore, my action did originate from egoism, “but originated from an altruistic force.”

[Arjun]

Its about reminding oneself that ‘the other’ and you are part of the same vessel that shattered in order to come back together. Your provocateur and you have soul purpose – to recognize the one soul within each other…

[Oliver]

Being able to see the interconnectedness of things that dont seem to have any relation to each other.

[Diana]

The transition from a self-centered perception of reality to one grounded in altruism involves seeing everything outside of us as actually being part of ourselves, and relating to it in the same way we relate to ourselves.

[Author]

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