“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
--Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech.
Oh man.... that is so powerful... I have read that before... but it is always like it's the first time... he is an amazing being... that Mr. Mandela... Thanks Don, so much for sharing that. It touches me deeply. Om Shanti!
ReplyDeleteIndeed a VERY powerful one. Blessings Kathleen.
ReplyDeleteThis quote sounded like something I'd read by Marianne Williamson, so I tried googling it. It turns out this is a quote from Williamson's book "A Return to Love."
ReplyDeleteNote About Nelson Mandela
This quote is often found on the Internet incorrectly credited to Nelson Mandela from his Inauguration Speech, 1994, especially the last sentence of that quote, “As we are liberated from our own fear, our automatically liberates others.”
Who wrote the piece isn't as important as what the it says. Marianne would say, I think, that we are all amazing, poweful beings, and that's way the words resonate with us so much: some part of us knows they are true.
Oops, sorry I screwed up the link. It works, but not in the way I intended! LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks Rachel. I think it is a beautiful statement no matter who said it. Mandela and Williamson are both wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI guess our greatest fear is rejection by others. We are afraid of not being accepted. And if we are accepted and admired we are afraid of inciting jealousy in others, which may in turn cause them to reject us.
ReplyDeleteThanks Imemine...excellent observations.
ReplyDeleteI love this. I need this. We all need it. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYes there are risks to this, fine lines that should be considered, but overall it is right and one should be all one can be and draw back from it.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with what IMEMINE said about it, this is what comes up if one tries to do it fully.
Thanks Brenda and Jim.
ReplyDeleteBrenda...we all need this. Hope you're well. Sounds like you have many things a foot these days from reading your blog. Best of luck.
Jim...yes, there are fine lines as you say. That's the beauty of life--we create one for ourselves with all the fine lines that exist.
Excellent quote. A great reminder.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rob. For all of us it is.
ReplyDelete