Repentance (Metanoia)


It takes an ego to be humble.

'I' feel the need to apologize, 'I' feel offended. Pride and humility thrive on the same thought of 'I.' But when there is simply awareness, empty, open and present, then who can get puffed up, and who can
get deflated? Who is there to feel humiliated?

The I-less flame has already burnt through this moment of humiliation, this moment of pride. Burn through the conflict, for it has already happened. Why cling to the wick? You are not the flame you were a moment ago.

A vast priestly hierarchy of control empowers itself through our subtle feelings of offense and apology, guilt and forgiveness. But it all collapses in a single instant of open naked truth telling.
Naked in the clarity of each others gaze, we have no need to feel offended any more, and there is no need for an apology. Only the ego holds onto a mistake. Awareness lets it go. "Forgive them, Father-Self, for they know not what they do." Ignorance deserves our pity, but not our blame. Why demand an apology from the ignorant? Why apologize for your ignorance? Was there any intention behind it? Just move on.

Simply meet the eyes of the beloved. Your very gaze is repentance.

The Greek word for repentance is metanouia. It comes from the roots, meta (beside, beyond), and nous (intellect). Metanoia means surrendering the intellect and moving beyond the mind, beyond the 'I,' to stand naked in the gaze of the other, free from blame.

If we don't want to get rid of this afflicted little ego, who is always either offended or afraid it has offended, then we can at least soften our ego and untighten it a little, by bathing our 'I' in the gaze of the Beloved, where no apology is asked and none given.

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