Kabbalah: Moving from "Me" to "We"

by Bnei Baruch

Current events in the world have shown us that the world is interconnected. As individuals, the time has come for us to change our program from thinking only of ourselves to thinking only of others.

Have you ever really taken a look at the world around you? Have you noticed people driving their cars, eating their food, and talking on their cell phones or children running through a store grabbing toys, yelling, "Will you buy me this?" Or maybe you have heard your own family members at gatherings as they discuss their next cruise, the 7500 square foot home they are building, or the new Mercedes they have ordered. All of these examples show that we are totally self-absorbed within ourselves, and desire only to please ourselves in some way.

In America, it is typical to name the various generations. We have had the Boomers and of course, Generation X. However at this time, it seems most of America and much of the world could clearly be defined as the "Me" Generation.

Why is this so? It is very simple. We are not willing to do one single thing if there is not something in it for us! Now this is not a pretty thing and many people may disagree with this statement. The ancient wisdom of Kabbalah speaks clearly on this issue and states that man does not move a muscle if he will not benefit from it, since our nature is one of egoism and operates under the system known as "the will to receive."

As it may be difficult to accept this concept, you are invited to accept a challenge. For one week, each time you do something "nice" for someone other than yourself, see if you can get to the root of your action. For example, let's say you loaned a friend some money, or gave up a baseball game to attend your wife's play, or got up an hour earlier to take your friend to the airport. Those actions were done for a reason. Sometimes we do things simply because we feel good when we help others, or we may do something because we feel bad or guilty for not doing it. The point is we always get something out of our actions or we would not do them.

What would it take to move from a Me Generation to a We Generation? How can we make the world round, instead of polar? We have to become friends and relatives, instead of enemies and competitors.

This sounds so idealistic and simplistic for life in the 21st century. It sounds similar to all the religious and spiritual teachings that say, "Love your neighbor as yourself." And yet, this concept is now being uttered by great world leaders. Could there be some real truth in these simple words?

There is so much to observe as we make our way into this 21st century but our choices are becoming clearer. We can either begin to "Love our neighbor as ourselves," or humanity can continue along the path it is on today: the path of war, world hunger, global warming, hatred of others, and consumerism. We can aspire to gain more knowledge, earn more money and continue to stuff our faces with every food imaginable, satiate our senses, and fill our homes with "stuff." Then we can buy "stuff" to store our "stuff" in.

Each individual on this planet has a choice as to what path he or she chooses to follow. Are you interested in the Me path or the We path? We are living in a global, interconnected world, where everyone depends on everyone else. The flap of a butterfly's wings in a small village may be felt in the metropolises of the world.

Therefore, we must begin to realize that if we behave in an egoistic, selfish way, this will affect all those around us. This is the description of the "We" world.

Can you imagine living in a world where each individual really cared about and sensed his friend's needs and desires? How safe and secure each person on the planet would feel knowing he or she was being cared for by another. It seems so monumental and yet… imagine a huge circle of people, and within that circle, the only requirement would be for each member to take care of the person on their right. And, that means you would automatically be cared for by the person next to you! The concept is simple, but the challenge is huge. It requires changing the entire system under which we have been operating. Thinking of others' needs as our own opposes our egoistic nature. And yet, what a beautiful world would be created from this simple, yet most challenging act.

Love your neighbor as yourself. That is the plan. Changing from the Me Generation to the We Generations is necessary for the survival of humanity. Are you willing to give it a try?

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1273101