Worship means reverence and humility it means revering your real self and humbling delusions

Worship means reverence and humility it means revering your real self and humbling delusions

Worship, in its truest sense, is a practice of reverence and humility. It is a way of acknowledging and honoring something greater than oneself, whether that be a deity, a spiritual principle, or one's own inner truth. In the context of Bodhidharma, the legendary Buddhist monk who is credited with bringing Zen Buddhism to China, worship takes on a deeper meaning.

Bodhidharma is often revered as the founder of the Chan school of Buddhism, which later evolved into Zen in Japan. He is known for his teachings on meditation, self-realization, and the importance of direct experience over reliance on scriptures and rituals. For Bodhidharma, worship was not about bowing down to external gods or seeking salvation from outside sources. Instead, it was about recognizing and honoring the true nature of one's own mind and spirit.

In the famous Zen koan attributed to Bodhidharma, he is said to have declared, "Worship means reverence and humility; it means revering your real self and humbling delusions." This statement encapsulates the essence of Bodhidharma's teachings on worship and spiritual practice. To worship, in the eyes of Bodhidharma, is to cultivate a deep sense of reverence for one's own true nature, which is inherently pure and enlightened. It is to humble oneself before the illusions and distractions of the ego, which cloud our perception of reality and prevent us from realizing our true potential.