Chapter 11: Laws of Self

Today I was sent this inside an email:
Young souls learn to accept responsibility for their actions.
Mature souls learn to accept responsibility for their thoughts.
And old souls, learn to accept responsibility for their happiness.
If you can't be there for yourself, who will be there for you?

Here we go with the chapter that still makes the little girl inside of me think not to be selfish. That was clearly instilled into me. I think it is part of my culture, but this chapter is not talking about “selfish” but self love and that is so different. I think it took me half a century to figure that out, that I deserved to think about myself first and my place in the Universe.

To fully understand the higher Universal Laws begins with the laws of self. Understanding of all truth is found in self. I discussed this in Chapter 10, finding the divine wisdom within yourself and reconnecting. You are the most important person in the world. Are you doing your job or are you trusting someone else to do it for you? One of the greatest mistakes you can make in trying to know yourself is to compare yourself with others. Where you are as compared to someone else is not important. The Spirit within does not judge you, but knows rather the infinite potential that exists within you. No judgement, isn't that amazing?

There are several laws of self, the first one is the Law of Individuality: As you honor, respect,and love your own unique individuality, so you honor, respect, and love the individuality of others. Your individuality is your real self, your soul. Only to the degree you know and love your individuality can you truly know and love others. Service to others is one of the basic requirements for spiritual growth. Effective service is the expression of our individuality.

The second is the Law of Equality based on the understanding that all of us come from the same source, we are all created equal children of God. The law reads: Your true needs, wants, desires, hopes, dreams, wishes, and their fulfillment are as important as those of any other soul in existence.

The next is the Law of Priority: You must first "save" self if you would "save" another. Your body is truly the temple of your soul. Take care of your body and mind first and foremost, not just when something goes wrong. Our purpose on earth in essence is to "save self", if you neglect self for "saving" another you have defeated your purpose. This honors the divinity within yourself.

So how do I apply these laws? The book states I am to give of myself in any activity only to that point at which I do not feel depleted-physically, mentally or emotionally. It is important to love and nurture yourself as much as you love and nurture anyone else. I know I have struggled with this as I feel I have been rewarded for caring more for others at times. This doesn't mean I have to stop doing but be more in balance with myself. it is arrogant to believe that you can do something for another that the person is not capable of doing for her or himself, but that does not mean that I cannot be of service. Service is essential to our growth. I need to be of service when someone asks for help, I can then respond to their request within my own boundaries. As you live in accord with the laws of self and value others as you value self, you become selfless. I need to trust the spiritual power within to guide me.

The next law discussed in the chapter is the Law for Manifestation of Your Higher Self which reads As you put the God within first in your life, so you manifest the God you are. Accept that you have that God Presence within. Acknowledge that you are a spiritual being by living that concept. As we begin to put Spirit first, we begin to think as a God, to love as God and to live as the goddess or god we are.

The last law is the Law of Mastery of Self which reads As you become master of your lower self, so all things, conditions, and elements become subject unto you. As you release the fears, anxiety, guilt, shame, and other negative aspects of your lower self you release these thoughts explaining that you do not need them anymore because you know a higher thought. As you become selfless you master self. As you become master of self you become the goddess or god you are meant to be, with all things, conditions, and elements subject to you. There are no limits.