Stillness 10-1: Because of our reliance on a monetary or barter system of economics, we tend to see everything in terms of its value. We weigh, judge, feel screwed, feel like we got a bargain, or stand fiercely for fair trade and equality. Whatever. Everyone feels differently about what’s most important when we shop, or what is most important in our lives, or how much insurance to buy, or how much to gamble.
It’s all a bit of a game—perhaps a necessary game, but a game nonetheless. Nothing has any intrinsic value—only what we ascribe to it. Legend has it that a civilization on the small island of Yap in the South Pacific counted stones as their currency—the larger the stone you had, the richer you were. One family, the richest, was bringing a huge stone to the island when their boat overturned in a storm and the stone sank to the bottom of the sea. But everyone knew the family still owned it and so they were still the richest on the island.
Two friends I had, one a masseuse and one a lawyer, wanted to barter their services with each other on a regular basis. Very quickly the lawyer felt cheated because they felt their time was worth more than the masseuse’s. (They are no longer friends.)
There’s no right or wrong way to behave in the world of value—except to be clear about the rules you’re following, just as you are when you’re playing a game. But don’t judge someone else’s game as being right or wrong, or foolish or bright. You don’t have to play their game—or feel free to join in if it looks fun.
The only aspect of value that is absolute and constant (and therefore has its higher aspect in the spiritual world) is how you value yourself. How do you value your personal significance, inner power, and truth? How can you stay true to your own worth? When you feel your own deepest value, without shame, justification, hurt, or outrage, no one and nothing can take it away. No one can take away your freedom, no matter what prison walls encase you. No one can take away your dignity, no matter what sticks and stones are tossed your way. No one and nothing can take away your humor and courage—as long as you feel it in yourself.
By valuing yourself more highly, you let others value themselves more highly too. The more you value yourself, the more you discover that wonderful feeling of “plenty” in the world. Scarcity only happens when you feel empty inside. There’s always plenty of kindness—when you value the compassion inside yourself. There’s always plenty of love—when you value the love that lives inside you: the real love you have for yourself.
And if you value things like shoes very highly, love the shoes you have and wear. You’ll discover you even have plenty of those. It’s a cornucopia.
How much are you worth? Everything.