Selfishness

THE LEAP OF DARING
In order to overcome selfishness, it is necessary to be daring. It is
as
though you were dressed in your swimsuit, standing on the diving board
with
a pool in front of you, and you ask yourself: “Now what?” The obvious
answer is: “Jump.” That is daring. You might wonder if you will sink or
hurt yourself if you jump. You might. There is no insurance, but it is
worthwhile jumping to find out what will happen. The student warrior
has to
jump. We are so accustomed to accepting what is bad for us and
rejecting
what is good for us. We are attracted to our cocoons, our selfishness,
and
we are afraid of selflessness, stepping beyond ourselves. So in order
to
overcome our hesitation about giving up our privacy, and in order to
commit
ourselves to others’ welfare, some kind of leap is necessary.
From “Renunciation and Daring,” in SHAMBHALA: THE SACRED PATH OF THE
WARRIOR, the Shambhala Library Edition, page 63.
I am saddened by the death of Christopher Bock. A longtime friend of a friend but still a wonderful memory in my mind.