Humility as a Skill
I believe that humility, like many things, is a skill. Some people may be blessed by being naturally humble. The rest of us need to practice.
I do not differentiate between humility before God, others, and myself. It is the same thing - the absence of Ego. The moment of absolute trust in infinite knowledge and power that is greater than you. I know. For many, "Don't verify, trust" might sound like a very counter-intuitive idea, but bear with me.
Prayer as the Direct Channel of Communication
What aligns infinitely better with the sovereign cypherpunk, is my view that a relationship with God does not have to be outsourced to a third party (a representative of the Church). Indeed, prayer doesn't get more permissionless than this.
What follows represents my own experience, and nothing else.
The direct channel of communication with God only fully opens within you, while you (the Ego) are absent. You (the Ego) are NOT there. What an interesting mechanism. Not unlike the mysterious hide and seek of qubit particles.
I thus pray :
"Almighty God, you know better than me. Show me the way, I will follow. Without my wants, without my schemes. The only expectations I have are none. I don't know myself. Show me who I am." Like being unborn again.
And in that moment of momentary dissolution, we are empowered by God and we are one with God, because there is nothing else left.
I therefore believe that practicing a living relationship with God through active prayer creates some level of humility as a byproduct.
As much as we are all Satoshi, we are also children of God
Technically we are one with God, but any associated Ego power trip immediately cancels the most direct experience and introduces our beautiful human imperfection and error. Just think about it: As soon as the Ego is present, you are essentially talking to yourself (the limited part) as opposed to having a conversation with God (the limitless part). I find it hilarious, genius, and also very much like the way Bitcoin security is designed with greediness in mind - if you want the very real thing, you will act honestly.
Only that the "Don't Trust, Verify" model is upside down. Even if you wanted to verify God, you can't. You trust. And you trust absolutely, because the relationship with your own Creator is unlike any other.
I also resonate with hopeful descriptions of the God-like essence of all beings found in Eastern cultures. Take, for example, the concept of Buddha-nature mentioned in Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, or Krishna's words in Bg. 10.20: "I am the Self, O Guḍākeśa, seated in the hearts of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle, and also the end of all beings."
The Closing Image: Milonga of Life
All of the above can be much better felt than explained, or fully understood. That's why we use poems, stories and images. So I leave the reader with a closing allegory, one of a close embrace:
I am but a tango dancer who strives to move with Higher Power as one single unit. He leads, I follow.
Yet here comes a disconnect, and the gracefulness of the dance falls apart.
I only ever notice after the fact, while continuing to move about in my bodily vessel.
It does take just the right amount of relaxed focus to reconnect. Like everything else on Earth. Minor second back to tonic. Error and repair. Distortion and truth.
The milonga of life.
For the Curious Mind:
Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra:
encyclopediaofbuddhism.org/wiki/Laṅkāvatārasūtra
Bhagavad Gita 10.20:
vedapedia.org/library/bhagavad-gita-as-it-is/10/20
#God #Prayer #Mysticism #EgoDeath #CypherpunkSpirituality #BitcoinPhilosophy