Being modest is the topic of this article.
Defined: placing a moderate estimate on one’s abilities or worth; neither bold nor self-assertive: tending towards diffidence; observing the proprieties of dress and behavior: decent; limited in size, amount, or scope; unpretentious.
Introduction: Members of the team are in the community center discussing preparations for the next seminar.
Catharsis: Let’s finalize the list as to who will be at this next seminar. Wendell, since you are an apprentice of sorts around here I highly recommend that you be there…Kailoken will be out of town on another project…Naruto of course will be in charge of security…Zhi will also be out of town attending a medical conference…I know Addison will be there…and of course I will be there…how about you Waneta?
Waneta: I would love to be there to help spread the light.
Catharsis: From my observations you would be spreading a lot of joy as well, particularly for the men. Have you ever noticed that the male attendance rises when you are on the ticket? I am just guessing here, but I have a strong sense that it may be because you tend to go natural when it comes to keeping your ample curvage in the upper region of your body contained. Not that I personally have a problem with that, mind you! If more women were as natural as you there would be a lot more men smiling with great joy in this world. [Laughter erupts from the group.]
Waneta: Yes, I often go natural because it is more comfortable for me. So-called modest dress can be so confining and unnatural…it can keep my energy from flowing well. And as you all know I love having my energy flow well without any constraints! [More chuckles.]
Catharsis: Yes, well, if a good proportion of the American population was not so puritanical in its view of naked bodies and such, many of the men, not to mention many women, would not get so worked up when they came across someone being natural with his/her body. As it is now, so many people have been sexually repressed that for safety reasons women have to often go unnatural in order to not get the population sexually worked up. You know what happens then…you risk either getting stoned or else.
Waneta: Yes, it is a shame that being natural today is so unnatural in occurrence.
Catharsis: One good thing about having you attending these seminars is that we can readily tell who is sincere about doing the exercises and who is not. For instance, when we are doing a sitting meditation I can look around and see which men are cracking their eyelids trying to get a peek at you. [Laughter from the group.]
Naruto: Those are the ones I have to keep my eyes on when it comes to security!
Waneta: I am glad I can help with security. [winking] Unfortunately for many women on mother Earth, the cover of modesty is used to keep them as second-class citizens.
Addison: This is a timely and interesting discussion. Since we are on the topic of modesty, what else might it mean? What other connotations may be associated with this word?
Naruto: For me, modesty can mean middle way. One stays away from having big head on one end and small head on the other.
John: When you say big head do you mean conceited or arrogant?
Naruto: Perhaps. It may mean also what you call…self-esteem. If one’s self-esteem is too high then one may become conceited or arrogant and therefore close oneself off from spiritual development.
John: Okay, and the small head?
Naruto: Oh that is when the big head gets shrunk after making people mad. [Laughter erupts.]
Addison: If one’s self-esteem is too low then life is more challenging than it needs to be due to a perceived lack of efficacy. In other words s/he is too weak to produce a proper effect in his/her life.
Catharsis: You know what is interesting about modesty? A person with low self-esteem and one that is merely being modest can look the same at first glance. The person that is calm, having an even demeanor, and who can look you in the eye, is usually the latter.
John: Can’t a person that is just confident in his/her abilities be mistaken for being arrogant?
Waneta: Yes, if s/he is seen as not having enough modesty. That is the hard thing about modesty, one has to walk a line between asserting one’s own will while not treading on another’s. And as with many things here with humans, the guidelines for modesty changes from one location to another.
Zhi: Ah, very good. I find that many people ignore me as nonimportant because I do not clamor for attention. I overhear many interesting things if I just remain quiet. Just the other day I hear man say what he do with food he fix at restaurant for people he no like. Believe me I will not go there to eat! I call Health Department to check it out.
Catharsis: Another thing I have noticed when it comes to modesty is that some people think you are trying to hide something. “What are you trying to hide buddy?” I tell I am just trying to hide my own ego! Then they look at me like I am crazy. Either way they stay away and that works for me.
Addison: A point that one can keep in mind when it comes to being modest is that you can see it as being effective humility. That is a person that is humble but does it in an effective way. Alright, shall we get back to the seminar preparations?
Catharsis: Our panel list is now settled. The next topic is…
[Until the next time the portal opens up on the team.]