Individuality
The Human Higher Ego, which is the product of accumulations of past lives.
It is most essential to learn to discriminate between these entirely opposite conceptions: selfishness and individuality. Selfishness is the most terrible scourge of humanity, the source of destruction, and, first of all, self-destruction. Selfishness is a dead separatism. The old truth about the unity of Cosmos and its humanity being an integral whole is very poorly realized, but it should finally reach the consciousness of the people. What would happen if someone tried to separate or isolate one organ of the body from the whole organism? Individuality is a life-holding receptacle. Individuality is beauty, is the crown of man, the synthesis of all his accumulations. But how can he accumulate if he separates himself from all other life-holders? Individuality is as honey, gathered by the man-bee from the best flowers, and of different meadows. But what kind of honey can a person gather who locks himself in the darkness of selfishness? (LHR I, p 156)
There is thought which leads inwardly, leaving the surface of the spirit unruffled, and there is also thought which flies into space as a projectile, carrying an explosive charge. A ray accompanies the flying bullet. Every spirit knows when thought flies like a boomerang. It is especially desirable that the thought be tinted by one’s own color. But it is only opened nerve centers that do not give color to the thought, leaving it enwrapped in the color of the person; and then true individuality has begun. Instead of the thoughts being colored by its contents, the whole sending is permeated by the color of the individuality. Thus is the ray physically formed. (LMG II, p 59)
It is possible to preserve the whole potential of individuality and to attune the consciousness harmoniously. (COM, 173)
Often the community is accused of doing violence to the freedom of individuality. This charge is applicable to any compromise state but not to the community. In a conscious community there is a place for every labor. Each one may select his task at will, for every labor is sharpened by new attainments. There is not the tedium of mechanical performance, for the worker is at the same time an experimenter. He understands the significance of the problem of introducing perfectionment of work without disturbing the general complex of rhythm. (COM, 202)
Your heart is the only judge, accumulator and guardian of the acquired precious energies. The structure of these acquired and accumulated energies is our individuality and destiny. (LHR I, p 49)
Individuality and egoism are like birth and death. The building of individuality manifests the conception of a New World, whereas egoism can mirror itself in the dead volcanoes of the moon. Not only does egoism deaden itself, it strikes the surroundings with sterility, whereas individuality kindles fires in all adjacent camps. Cooperation is the crown of individuality, but the scourge of egoism is like the sting of a scorpion. Can one rely upon egoism? No more than upon a viper! But true individuality contains in itself the foundation of universal justice. We must gather individualities; for a new diamond is in need of cutting, but egoism must pass through many incarnations. Indeed, this law may also be changed by the fire of the heart. Therefore, we can advise those adhering to egoism to be kindled by the proximity of a fiery heart. (HIER, 342)
see also Collective Labor, Free Will, Individuality and Personality
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