Being Oneself
Very many human beings are not themselves because they make the thoughts, feelings and machinations of others their own, by which they fall prey to anger, joylessness, hatred, grief and worries, etc. In general, the human being does not understand, that when he/she is raked over the coals by others with nasty words and actions, he/she takes them in, makes them to his/her own and is thus no longer himself/herself, but becomes a copy of those who cause him/her suffering or harm in any form. However, becoming this copy must precisely be refrained from, because fundamentally, the thoughts, feelings and machinations of the affliction-, malevolent- and harm-intending ones are not the concern of those human beings who are exposed to the attacks, but they are solely the concern of the malevolent ones, the adversaries and self-appointed enemies, etc. And since everything is a concern of the opponents, it requires the urgency that thoughts, feelings, words and machinations and so forth created by opponents are not taken up and are not made into one's own concern, as to the contrary is unfortunately often the case, by which the human being is no longer himself/herself, but becomes the image of the one who provokes unrest, un-peace, hatred and slander, etc. However, in order not to allow these un-values to come near to oneself and not to indulge in anger, grief, worry and hatred and so forth, there is only one possibility for the attacked human being, and this is that one's own thoughts and feelings are directed to not take seriously the aggressiveness of the antagonists and to be consistently clear to oneself and to say that the thoughts, feelings, the hatred, the enmity, the evil words and the calumnies and machinations, etc. are solely the concern of the adversaries, but not one’s own concern. So it is said, 'All attacks and problems of any kind of the hostile-minded are not mine, but are solely and exclusively their own concern, which they harm themselves with, and with which they themselves must cope.'
Attacks by others, be it through thoughts and feelings, through words, hatred, slander or actions, must never be made to one's own concern, because fundamentally they are an issue of the formers, who themselves have to cope with it. Through their attacks against fellow human beings they do harm to themselves, because their machinations affect their own thoughts and feelings, by which they are peaceless and joyless in themselves and fall prey to evil frustration.
In general, attacks and problems of others must be disregarded and parried in such a way that they are the concern, the aggressions and problems of the adversaries and not those of one's own person. Only through this rational insight as well as mode of thought, feeling and action, can the human being protect himself/herself against attacks, lies, accusations, hatred and calumnies, etc. of others, because in fact all the evil and problems of such things are not those of one's own person, but are those of the attackers and adversaries. “The attacks and problems of the other(s) are not my concern, but those of the (male or female) attacker”, this must be the constant motto for those attacked, who are raked over the coals with words, thoughts, feelings, lies, problems, calumnies and actions, etc. And only when the thoughts and feelings as well as the modes of action are cultivated in this form, can the human being free himself/herself from the image of the adversary and truthfully be himself/herself.
If the human being wants to be himself/herself, then he/she also must not practice any enmity, and indeed not even against his/her worst enemies and adversaries. Firstly, if the attacks and problems, etc. of the adversaries are not regarded as one's own concern and are repudiated as such to the attackers, then, as a further form, it is required to peacefully confront the adversaries. This is to be done in a friendly, loving and peaceful kind and wise, as well as, however, that frequently and if possible on daily occasions, thought and feeling-based wishes of love and boon are sent to them. On the one hand, this prevents enmity from building up toward the adversaries themselves, and on the other hand, it creates thereby a valueful self-protection, that prevents bad thoughts and feelings and therethrough malice, hatred or even revenge-needs, etc. from arising.
The whole thing also has the effect that, in general, everything has a beneficial effect on one's own personality and on one's own character and therefrom a completely neutral-positive equalized attitude is built up.
As the human being thinks, so he/she lives, and as the human being lives, so he/she thinks; and what the human being thinks, this he/she is. This ancient wisdom is confirmed in the world of thoughts and feelings and in the actions of the human being. And if he/she truly and consciously makes an effort to regard his/her self-appointed enemies and adversaries, etc., only as human beings and not as enemies and adversaries and not to make their attacks and problems his/her own, but to repudiate them to the initiators, in order to cultivate loving and peaceful thoughts for them at the same time, then all enmity disappears, so at the end of the life only dear fellow human beings and even friends, however never enemies remain.
SSSC, February 5, 1980, 1.58 am Billy
Translation: Bruce Lulla, USA / Assistance – Mariann Uehlinger, Switzerland