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A Humiliation a Day, Hopefully Mild.


"I have prayed for years for one good humiliation a day, and then, I must watch my reaction to it. I have no other way of spotting both my denied shadow self and my idealized persona."

This powerful piece of wisdom comes from our new MEA friend, Christian mystic Richard Rohr (recent blog post about him). And, of course, who am I to argue with one of the greatest spiritual teachers of our time? However, if I could edit this, I might suggest “one good humbling” rather than “one good humiliation.”

To be humiliated feels like it requires hubris and an audience. To be humiliated feels very public. Yes, it may right-size my ego, but it also may mean I spend a few years hiding afterward. That’s not very MEA. That’s MIA…Missing In Action.

On the other hand, to be humbled is to be human, which involves a right-sizing of the ego and a reminder that we’re not perfect. So, to be humbled feels very personal.

Of course, whether it’s a mild humiliation or a hilarious humbling, I’m all in. As ancient Japanese philosopher, Miyamoto Musashi suggested, “Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.” In other words, don’t take yourself so seriously!

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