From The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire is this second principle: “I see the other in myself, and myself in others.” The sutra is “Tat tvam asi.”
What is this saying to me?
I have learned (and have been learning for a while now) that relationships are the most important thing we are doing on this earth. We may think we are here to build a career, provide for our families, leave a legacy, or even build a successful non-profit that helps the poor. But actually, we are here to build relationships.
This is reflected in today’s Sutra: “Tat tvam asi.” Everyone is a reflection of myself, and I am reflected in everyone I meet. Remember the Course In Miracles, the lines from Marianne Williamson? “We are here to give and receive love.” Same idea.
The reflection part of ourselves in others is difficult. We like to see the good qualities of ourselves and others reflected. I see generosity, kindness, friendship, loyalty, joy and mindfulness reflected in those I love and cherish.
But what about darker attributes? Like betrayal, fear, deception, misrepresentation and hatred? Yes, when I see that in someone else, it means it is also a quality I have inside me too.
I suffered a huge betrayal by someone this past week, and I see now that I have that same potential in myself. I have those same leanings in my own heart. That right there is the lesson – I was betrayed. I am betraying.
If I had to guess why I might have asked for a lesson in betrayal, it would be so that I could set my own heart free of betrayal.
Back to relationship building. One of the email newsletter writers that I read frequently said this: If our goal in life is to do something, we create all kinds of problems for ourselves: what to do, how to do it, how much to spend on it, what to give up, who to get rid of, what order to do things in, and so on. But if our goal is one of joy, of relationships, of giving and receiving love, then things just get a lot easier, more pleasant, and more joyful.