Envy is a common human experience. Yet, allowing envy to take control of my thoughts, feelings, and life can limit my joy and optimal growth. Living a life controlled by envy takes away my authenticity. Monk Anselm Gruen explains envy very intricately as follows.
Envy makes its appearance in continuous comparisons with others. I can’t meet another person without comparing myself with that person. I immediately begin to appraise people, to value, devalue, and revalue them. I look for their weak points or downgrade their performance as inhibited or morbid, their success as illusory, their intelligence as weak, etc. And conversely, when I don’t succeed at this, I devalue myself and put others on a pedestal.
In envy too I am not standing by myself, I am not content with myself, I have no sense of dignity. I recognize my value only by comparison with others. This is very exhausting. It either forces me to surpass others or plunges me into depression because I see no chance of holding my own [value] with others.[1]
Overcoming envy requires emotional and spiritual growth, coupled with the recognition that I am inherently gifted and valuable in the eyes of God. When I look at myself with the divine vision, I can see who I really am. I am not lesser or inferior to others. Thus, I do not need to compare or to prove myself as inferior or equal or superior to others.[2] I no longer need to feel different or special because God has created only one me.
Conversely, if I see myself as not unique but like many others, I compare and need to feel special — I labor to outshine others. Envy is a betrayal of my giftedness and authenticity. Only when I give up envy and genuinly connect with myself can I discover my unique capacity for creativity and transformation. An authentic encounter with myself is essential to open myself to joy and to attain optimal growth.
You give insight and clarity. Thanks Bro
ReplyDeleteAppreciated! Great works.
ReplyDelete