About Envy - I

   This series of articles I dedicate to special negative feelings in human nature – like envy, lust, egoism, gluttony, aggression, addiction, possessiveness, jealousy. All of them have one very good point to reside in human emotions and heart – and it is to serve as lessons and be overcame. We all have need and obligation to fight with this feelings, in order to achieve expansion of mind. They are special stones on the way, that can be turned in big rocks, or little stones, or even serve as springboard on the way to success. 

( reading pages total -10) 

   I`ll speak about envy. What we call envy? What are the basic other qualities that surround the feeling of envy? What is the root of it? (from which feelings envy is brought to life?) Can envy be a “positive” feeling? What is the color in aura of feeling envy? Is it too natural for humans?

Lets begin by answering these questions.

I. Envy is a feeling residing in human society since ancient times. It comes naturally from the people living in groups, and being able to make comparison between each other. As people never are equal since they are born, between them always is space for challenge, comparison, competition. That is connected with all areas of life – as each individual has different fate, abilities, positive and negative sides, qualities and finally achievements. All that good and positive qualities are subjected to the feeling of envy. Of course we do not envy for something negative or bad in another human. The energy of envy (or also called a “bad eye” energy) is directed to something in another person, which we don’t possess, which we are missing and we want to have. Moreover envy is a hard feeling – not just outline. Envy does not have positive side, but make us think what we really want to achieve, if we are mindful enough.

Envy comes naturally with the humans living within social groups, family and institutions. Now I`ll observe the fundamental statements from the Bible, directed to envy in commandments of God of Moses: [ Deuteronomy 5:21 ]

[ “ do not covet your neighbor` s wife; do not covet your neighbor` s house, his field, his male or female slave, his ox, his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” ] [ Complete Jewish Bible ]

      From these so simple and powerful for the ancient people commandments, we see the exact nature of envy. This example covers in first sight just the material goods, that can be subjected to desire of humans eyes. If we want to translate these simple teachings from God on moral values to symbolic language of modern times, we can say: 1. the first obligation, don’t desire the wife that belongs to someone else, and not yours. That has evolved meaning given from Jesus – keep your eyes away (don’t fall in love) for woman who is not your wife. 2. Do not desire the house, property of your someone else (that means to not desire not just to take it away or steal from it, but the meaning is exactly to not envy for that property, as this will send energy of bad eye to your neighbor. 3. his field, his male or female servant 4. his ox, his donkey;

That relates in symbolic language to the higher aspects than it can be read from the surface of the text. The first strophe is linked with the need of love. Don’t desire love, that you cant have, or which is not meant for you. That means also – keep yourself pure for your lover, wife, husband, realize the value of your own love and spouse. 2. The house and property is related to personal achievement and qualities of other person. This is also his private life, what he has in his home, that we cant see. These are qualities he has and are hidden sometimes from us. That refers to understand and value your own personal achievements, to look to your house, take care of it, and turn attention to your own personal qualities. 3. “His field, his male and female slave” – that can refer symbolically to the social life of the person and people who support him. Field is easily seen from everyone, as it is in open area, the same as female and male servants – who are the benevolent supporters, friends of the person. The bigger is his field (his social life and status), the more servants he will need (friends, people of support). 4. “his ox, his donkey” – an interesting aspect, as the animals of the neighbor are the authority and power he has. No one can succeed in ancient times to be rich without such domestic animals. Ox were signs of strength, fertility, male power, potency, prosperity, abundance. In this time this is highly important animal, that was sacrificed for Jewish God (YHWH) or worshiped in form of aspect of God power. By desiring the ox of other person, we need his qualities of power, strength, prosperity.

    Donkey was amazing ancient symbol of  devotion to work, willpower, determination, caution. Donkey, opposite of what is thought by mass culture in later time, is quite intelligent animal. The envy to these animals symbolizes the need to take the same powers and qualities of our “neighbor” or anyone. 

I. Following that examples, we can clarify what is envy: feeling of desire, need to possess certain material goods, qualities, objects or people, that belong to another person, by looking at them on the surface. We need to acquire the same things or objects for ourselves (or in some ways to steal) them from the person to whom they belong. This is my understanding about envy, and the consequences it has for individual. If we observe last part of the first sentence – “by looking at them on the surface” we will go deeper in the meaning of envy. Its important to underline –what we see, is not always what is truth. (not all that glitters is gold). This aspect of “desired gold” that is turned to “dust” is important for understanding of envy. The essence of this feeling lies in eyes, that look to another in the way of greed. That greed comes mostly from the dissatisfaction of our position (material goods, qualities, achievements) in our life. 

I hope you enjoy reading, please continue to the next part ...