Thoughts on Usefulness

by Julie Shackley, student of TSG Spiritual University
On page 176 of the book, Initiation, Torkom Saraydarian writes, "In each initiation, one must prove his usefulness in the world."
We are measured by our usefulness.  This measurement is applied to everything we do - in our families, at our workplace, in our social and everyday settings, and within our spiritual Groups.  It is our usefulness that brings the value, the meaning, and the readiness to our service.  Our usefulness is also directly related to how many people we are able to touch, inspire, uplift and help.  We can be around people all day long, but if we are not leading with the heart, then we are not useful to promoting the purpose of life. 
What is usefulness?  I looked at usefulness in terms of how we use energy, efficiency, discrimination, discernment, and attention. 
Usefulness of energy - The smallest amount of our energy is useful for humanity.  Think of the smallest things that we do each day that uplift others:  the safety of our smile, the voice of understanding, the look of guidance. Our radiation, our joy and our goodwill may affect those we don't even know, as our example is put at the crossroads for unknown passersby. 
Our thoughts are useful energy.  Our thoughts can be a service for the Good, as they travel instantaneously all around the world.  We can offer up the best thoughts by using our discrimination in choosing which thoughts to let enter our consciousness, or which thoughts to ponder on.  We can reach for creative thought the more we approach the Highest in our meditation, and the more we observe Beauty in all of Life. Torkom's guidelines for preparation, containment, and radiation of each full moon cycle helps us to make the zodiacal energies useful.  (See Symphony of the Zodiac, preface vii-ix)  Without our conscious participation in the full moon period, the energy can be wasted or even cause added problems in our life. 
Usefulness of efficiency - Usefulness, in relating to the past, asks us to apply the lessons we have learned to the present and to the future. Usefulness can be efficient if we don't waste time repeating the same lessons; if we choose to quickly forgive with discernment, and if, when we stumble, we get right back up and keep going. Usefulness is developed from our own labor.  It is the natural unfoldment of our heart.  Nothing that is forced is ever useful, as it will crumble under the pressures of service.  Usefulness becomes most efficient when we learn the importance of silence.  
Usefulness of discrimination and discernment - Usefulness relates us to the development of discrimination - to separate what is good from what is harmful.  Within any situation there is not 100% all good or 100% all bad. Sometimes harmful effects are not seen right away because our lack of foresight or intuitive perception.  As we continue to develop the virtues of our heart, we are able to make better choices.  It is the heart that can sift through the soot and ashes to find the embers of light.  The same is true for experiencing negative or bad behavior of someone who is right in front of us.  It is then that our emotions must be steady so that our heart can give the appropriate response.  Sometimes walking away and doing energetic work for the situation from afar is the most useful in promoting right relations. 
Usefulness of attention - Usefulness requires our attention.  The whole notion of recycling was based on finding usefulness out of those things which were deemed useless.  Can we apply an even higher attention to those who are sick, infirmed, incarcerated, or enslaved?  Usefulness is increased as we focus our attention and our resources on creating an environment of hope, transformation, healing and freedom.  Usefulness comes into being when we commit to giving our life's attention and our life's action to the Teaching of Christ - "...feed My sheep."
When we realize that our usefulness has no measurement of big or small, then our excuses for inaction will cease.  We give what we have, and we labor to create more, to become more, so that we can give more.
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