Yearning for Lishma – The Pursuit of Perfect Love and Service
In one moment, the “I” exists as it always has – immersed in self-interest and individuality – yet in the next, this “I” fades away, leaving behind only a part of me capable of selfless, unconditional love and service to others. This state, known as Lishma – acting solely for the sake of others – is unimaginable from the perspective of our current, self-centered nature. It cannot be achieved through personal effort alone; it requires help from a higher force, something beyond our inherent capacities.
The only action we can take is to cultivate an irrepressible, intolerable yearning for this state, a yearning so intense it becomes a matter of life or death. We must come to a point where our existence is defined solely by this all-encompassing desire to achieve Lishma. This yearning must consume us entirely, becoming our sole need, and it is through this burning desire that we can connect with the single, governing force of reality – the Creator. Remarkably, this yearning itself becomes a form of fulfillment, as it serves as our communication and alignment with the ultimate force that guides existence.
Achieving this state is only possible through a unique and deliberate process, one that involves constant, purposeful work within a collective of like-minded individuals. This group must be composed of people fully devoted to this singular goal. Together, they must openly declare that attaining Lishma is the most important pursuit in their lives, recognizing that only through mutual efforts to help one another can they justify their existence. Their purpose becomes assisting others in reaching Lishma, creating a collective striving for selfless love and service.
Even our inherent negative qualities – such as envy, ambition, and the desire for respect – can be harnessed for this purpose. By using these traits to mutually push and pull one another toward Lishma, the group fosters an environment in which life becomes unbearable unless it is dedicated to achieving this higher state. Paradoxically, this process involves developing an entirely unnatural need and yearning for a way of being that is completely opposite to our inherent selfishness.
To move closer to this state, we must engage in continuous, collective exercises aimed at imagining, tasting, and experiencing true love and bestowal. Over time, this “artificially generated” need must become stronger than all other desires, to the point where we are prepared to abandon our egocentric existence entirely. In this “supernatural” state, life is no longer about self-preservation but about giving and transmitting love to others.
This transformation unfolds through a gradual and methodical process, one that requires recruiting even our selfish desires to inch closer to the ultimate goal. Along the way, we reach a breaking point – a profound realization of the chasm between our self-serving nature and the selfless existence of Lishma. At this point, we recognize that even asking for help to reach Lishma is beyond us, as our ego cannot truly desire altruism. Thus, we must rely entirely on the Creator to adjust our intentions and guide us toward the proper yearning.
Part of this journey involves understanding just how opposite Lishma is to our natural state. True love and bestowal require an external force to help us overcome our limitations. This realization deepens our awareness of our dependence on the Creator, as only the inherently selfless and bestowing force of reality can plant within us a genuine desire for selflessness.
The path to Lishma is not an individual endeavor; it is a collective achievement. It requires total dedication, open commitment, and constant mutual effort within an appropriate environment. Together, we must reach a state of readiness to forsake our instinctive, egocentric existence, pledging instead to exist solely for the sake of others. This involves feeling the desires and perspectives of others as if they were our own, working tirelessly to fulfill those desires at all costs.
In this environment, the others become more important than oneself. My existence becomes meaningful only when I can serve and uplift those around me. This singular need – to love and serve others selflessly – becomes the only deficiency for which I seek help from Above. I yearn to enter a state where I desire nothing for myself, where my very being is defined by love and bestowal, and where I cease to feel my own existence except as a vessel for giving.
Through this work, we aim to reach a clear and all-encompassing desire for Lishma. When this desire is pure, honest, and complete, we receive assistance from the single governing force of reality. This force enables us to begin living in a state of total selflessness and unconditional service to others.
In this state, I sense the all-encompassing force of reality – a force that operates entirely through selfless love and bestowal. By surrendering my ego and individualistic tendencies, I align myself with this force, experiencing its life-affirming and nurturing energy. This sensation, born from similarity to the Creator, reveals the ultimate purpose of human existence.
Attaining Lishma – the state of complete alignment with reality’s selfless governing force – is the greatest pleasure in life. It is the culmination of our existence, and there is no fulfillment greater than this.