Virtuous Action through Spiritual Awakening

That patience is a virtue is conventional wisdom; yet the ego is virtueless. The self-absorbed, self-centered mind fixated in the stories we are always apt to be telling ourselves is utterly incapable of virtue, or patience for that matter. Our false 'self' - that restless and relentlessly wandering stream of thought that can carry us away at any time to the heights of pleasure or the depths of despair and suffering - the undisciplined movement of our 'thought-stuff' is virtueless.

All virtue lies in the undisturbed, discerning awareness of our depth. To know the stillness of tranquility - the inner peace that surpasses all understanding - to rest in this void and avoid nothing, neither labeling, judging nor blaming things, people or circumstances whether real or fancied - is to become capable of manifesting one's virtue, to awaken spiritually and thus become capable of undertaking truly virtuous action

Actions may from time-to-time appear to be virtuous to the onlooker, but unless they are inspired by and carried out from the inner place of one's virtue, tranquility and awakened awareness, they are not virtuous - even if the benefit to others is great. To one's own Being, to one's authentic Self they will still lack virtue. Such seemingly virtuous actions will still be self-reinforcing and one will still be swept away by the thoughts of the ego that say, "Look at me . . . Now I am being virtuous . . . Look how patient I am being . . . . Look at all the virtuous action I am undertaking for others." All for naught.

One who lacks inner stillness and discernment, lacks the capacity for virtuous action.