Selfish or Selfless

  All that is required of you is to give up the thought that you are this body and give up all thoughts of external things or the non-Self.

Maharshi

Hmm! I am approaching the end of Maharshi's book and I am overwhelmned with this question.  "If  our highest goal is to reach Self realization which is basically the dissolution of "little me" so we can see/Be the interconnectedness of everything, why should we even bother looking after 'little me', meeting its superficial needs or ensuring its survival?" 

The body, which is a part of "little me" wants its basic needs met for survival...but if I am not my body, only in my body, and in fact 'limited' by my body...does it really matter if I feed it well, get sick, go to the doctor etc? Do I really need to keep it  safe by strapping on my seat belt or locking my doors at night?

If I am not this ego personality that sees itself as seperate, does it really matter if I get those needs  on Maslow's pyramid met: Love (special relationship kind) and belonging, Esteem or even Self actualization as it pertains to the little self? 

Why would I look after 'me' if 'me' is just an illusion that gets in the way of realizing who I am?

As I watched the things that I once defined as a crucial part of 'me' get  stripped away over the years I would soothe myself by saying..."That isn't me anyway"...I found myself getting less and less concerned about my own needs and more and more concerned about the needs of others. Certainly a psychologist would say that wasn't healthy but I reassured myself that the less I thought of 'me' ...the more the ego dissolved and the closer to realization I got.  

Others needs became much more important than mine and I now am constantly seeking to serve.  I often deny or push past  my own physical symptoms to be there for others as much as I possibly can ( and for some it was never enough); I push aside the issues in my own 'little life' so I can be there for those of others.  I sacrifice the needs of 'little me' for the needs of others.  I tell myself ..."as long as someone out there is hurting so am I...because we are one." 

But

If that is the case and I want to be truly selfless, I have to consider that if I am hurting and doing nothing about it...then I am prolonging the hurt in others. 

If we are all truly One...by neglecting to look after little self are we not being selfish?

 If I suffer others suffer. If I allow myself to get sick...others suffer?  If I stay in this poverty situation ...others suffer? If I don't set boundaries and meet the needs of 'little me'...others suffer? 

I have to think more about this one, lol. 

All good! 

Arthur Osborne(Ed) (2002) The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi in His Own Words. Kindle Edition