The concept of sacrifice is interesting to me. What is a “sacrifice?” What is a worthy sacrifice?
To me a worthy thing to sacrifice is one’s illusions, one’s clinging to one’s beliefs, certainties, illusions, and assumptions. When one sacrifices her own illusory existence, she is sacrificing herself (her self), and is, at the same time, allowing her “true self” to be. With sacrifice, as in all things, one should be mindful not to throw the baby out with the bath water.
The best thing to sacrifice is what you think you know, what you think you are, that which is not true to who you really are, but you might think is. Sacrifice your beliefs, certainties, and assumptions. Be mindful of what you sacrifice and why. Be wary of a sacrifice serving as proof of something. Proof of what? To whom or what? Why? Sacrifice without understanding is like leaping without looking. To prove blind loyalty is to prove oneself a fool.
It makes sense to sacrifice “for the greater good.” The problem is knowing what the greater good is. Be careful of who, or what, you let decide this for you. In my opinion, one’s highest loyalty should be to truth. To trust blindly is to walk blindfolded through a minefield. We may not choose whether or not we are in a minefield, but we do choose whether or not we leave the blindfold on. It is about faith, but there is no more important faith than that which you have in yourself—not your illusory, conditioned self (the self you think you are now), but your true, awakening, open-minded, loving “not-self.” True faith is not blind.
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From my personal notes, 5/27/00
