Have you ever been told by a friend, or even someone who isn’t a friend perhaps, that you have something about your personality they dislike? Most of the time, when someone points out negative traits in us that we haven’t had the merit to see for ourselves, we immediately disagree with them.

Maybe we think to ourselves, “I’m not like that!” or “That wasn’t my intention.” Or worse yet, we try to find faults in the other individual, saying things like, “Well, he has plenty of negative traits, so why should I listen to him?”

The great Kabbalists would often teach that we are blind to our real negativity.

When we have the merit to be shown, by friend or foe, what it is we need to change about ourselves, we should understand the message isn’t just coming from them, but also from the Light. Everything is from the Light.

Therefore we should take heed, listen and instead of trying to justify how they are wrong in their accusations, try like a detective with a flashlight to search in our darkness the ways in which they might be right.

For instance, maybe you were told that you were selfish by someone who you’ve gone out of your way to care for.

Start to ask the tough questions like: Could they be right? Even though I’ve been helping them a lot, was my intention selfish in nature? Did I do it because I wanted something from them in return? Did I help because I wanted to look like the hero?

This week, really listen to the feedback you get from those around you.

In fact, if you want to go the extra mile and reveal a lot of Light, ask three people who maybe you don’t get along with so well what they feel you most need to change about yourself. The ego you will break just from asking is tremendous!

Because we are blind to our own negativity, we need the help of those around us to shine a Light on the things we most need to change about ourselves.

The more open we are to criticism, the more we can take off our blinders and start to dive into our real spiritual work.

72 Name of the Week

I concentrate on this sequence of letters and ask the Light to illuminate my nature, to show me where I can make improvements in myself.
Reactive behavior, my ego, all negativity that might taint my soul – I want it out.
I will push it away and pay attention to the circumstances around me, spending each day spreading Light and joy in the world.