Discernment and humility
Indispensable qualities for avoiding life’s traps
March 2nd 2012
To avoid falling into the traps life inevitably sets us at one time or another, we must chiefly develop two qualities: discernment and humility. Discernment is a quality of the mind and humility a quality of the heart.
Discernment enables us to distinguish the true from the false, the reality behind the appearance, in all circumstances. It shows us which direction to take and which foolish mistakes to avoid; it shields us from error and illusion. As for humility, a quality that is so neglected, scorned even, you cannot measure its value unless you understand how dangerous the opposite attitude of pride can be. Pride shuts people off from the divine world; it cuts off the currents that bring the living water of heaven. And so, just as we have to cultivate discernment, which shows us the path we have to follow, we must also cultivate humility, which opens us to the currents of the divine world, for it is from those currents that we receive sustenance for our progress along the path.