Daily Meditation: Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Higher nature - alone can enlighten human beings on the quality of their actions

06/16/2010

For many people, feeling compelled to do something is sufficient justification for their actions. They say, 'So what? It's normal. I'm just doing what nature tells me to do!' Indeed, they are obeying nature, but which nature? Their lower nature. When a tiger pounces on its prey to devour it, it doesn't feel guilty, because its nature, its animal nature, is driving it: it feels hungry and it eats. And it is the same for certain human beings: they feel the need to steal, wreck, rape or murder, and they do so without experiencing the slightest feeling of guilt, because they are entirely ruled by their animal nature. People are surprised: 'But how can such people exist?' They don't understand. Yet it's easily understood: it is only when people's higher nature begins to awaken, and not before, that they are able to feel guilty for the actions inspired by their lower nature and decide to control themselves.