{"id":5419,"date":"2017-06-03T01:58:22","date_gmt":"2017-06-03T00:58:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennethsorensen.dk\/?p=5419\/"},"modified":"2026-03-07T15:42:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T14:42:17","slug":"discrimination-in-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennethsorensen.dk\/en\/discrimination-in-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Discrimination in Service, The Wise Helper"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whenever we help a person it is very important to be conscious of our different motives for doing so. We must also learn to discriminate between what the person asks for and what is actually needed.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

By Roberto Assagioli <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b>MD <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b> Source<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i> : The Institute of Psychosynthesis, London<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

This is a subject with many facets and these comments can only constitute a general survey, touching briefly on certain points of practical interest. The subject can be divided into three parts:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Discrimination on the part of the server <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i>Discrimination concerning service <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i>Discrimination towards those to be served<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Of course, these divisions overlap and blend in practice, but considering them separately can help clear thinking about the issues involved and thus lead to wiser action in service.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I. Discrimination on the part of the server<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

This is largely a question of motive. It is almost superfluous to emphasize the importance of motive and the need for a careful examination of and constant watchfulness over the motives that impel us to serve. We may often discover behind motives that are pure and right – and mixed with them in varying proportions – others faulty or wrong because they are the outcome of some kind of glamor or illusion. The most frequent of these are:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

a. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Ambition<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i> . When there are seeds of ambition dormant in a server they may find fruitful ground in which to thrive in his activity. Service may become a means of reaching some position of command or authority, thus satisfying a desire for power and eminence, the urge to personal self-assertion. People on the First and allied Rays are more susceptible to this kind of wrong motive.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

b. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Sentiment<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i> . The discovery of this kind of glamor often requires subtle discrimination. We must discern between true spiritual compassion and the personal distress aroused in us by contact with the suffering of others and the consequent urge to eliminate it so as to get rid of our own discomfort.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There is a sure touchstone by which to discriminate between these two motives. When service is motivated by sentiment, we rush to alleviate the pain, to soothe the suffering personalities, without realizing that we are thus dealing only with <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>effects<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i> , and perhaps are producing no real and enduring benefit. Often we may, in fact, even delay the progress of those we “help” by indulging their attachments and preventing them from becoming aware of the lessons which their souls are trying to impart to them.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

True spiritual compassion, on the contrary, while not excluding some measure of immediate relief when the suffering is acute, is concerned primarily to ascertain, point out and help to eliminate the causes of the suffering. This is done by interpreting the lesson with what wisdom we can and helping the person to understand it.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Another wrong motive, based on sentiment, is the desire to be loved and appreciated, and to have the praise and gratitude of those we so “generously” help. Fortunately, people are often ungrateful and thus help us to get rid of that tendency! Indeed, we should really be grateful to them for their ingratitude! To this glamor of sentiment servers on the Second Ray are particularly susceptible, and they should be constantly on their guard against it.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

c. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Evasion<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i> . This is a form of glamor that appears frequently in the field of service and manifests itself in subtle ways, masquerading under the best and noblest guises. Too often we consciously or unconsciously shirk our responsibilities, either from physical or moral laziness (it is far more agreeable to follow the line of least resistance!), or through fear, or simply because the task confronting us is distasteful to our personality. In such cases some useful activity, some kind of service we are accustomed to render that is easy and pleasant, may offer us a plausible excuse for evading the irksome or forbidding venture which, being our true duty, is a greater spiritual opportunity and would prepare us for higher types of service.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

d. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Attachment<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i> . This kind of glamor may delude us in two ways:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1. By attachment to a favored habitual form of service<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2. By attachment to the fruits of our service. In its crudest form this consists of expecting some kind of personal reward for service rendered, such as praise, recognition or gratitude.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A more refined type of attachment is the apparently justifiable desire to know that our service has been useful, that it has brought the fruits that are right. Of course, there is nothing wrong in noticing that good has resulted from one’s selfless efforts; it is most encouraging. But there are some kinds of long-range work or subjective service the “fruits” of which cannot be seen and can only be surmised. In such cases we must work with utter detachment, renouncing the evidence of results and relying only on an unswerving faith in the great law of cause and effect. We can be sure that, if good seeds are sown in the proper soil, good fruit, in due time, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>will<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/i> appear.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n