Deep Poem About Being Selfish – I Me My Mine

Are Introverts Self-Centered or Self-Aware?

(Poem at bottom of the page) I wouldn’t define myself as selfish per say–it’s more self-absorption, being self-centered. I know it’s a weakness, but it’s a tough character defect to change. Is it the cross of every introverted person to bear? Am I alone in my self-centered world, my thoughts (and words) filled with “I”, “Me”, “My”, “Mine”? Or is this a struggle we all bear?

Although, introverts are especially prone to being self-centered. Because we usually prefer quiet and solitude, the mind naturally thinks about itself and reflects on its relation to the world. It is both a blessing and a curse. It can make us more self-aware and observe insights into life that offers miss. It can also make us a bit self-absorbed. But as some of you can probably attest–it’s frustrating because I don’t want to ever be labeled “selfish”, even though I can be selfish at times, as we all can.

I will go out of my way to help another person. I will listen intently. At times, I am more empathetic and sympathetic than the typical person, but I still can’t deny that I am self-absorbed.

While I’ve always known this about myself, it has only been after making meditation a part of my morning routine that I realized the extent of my self-absorption.

“While meditating we are simply seeing what the mind has been doing all along.”

-Allan Lokos

Insights Learned From Mindfulness Meditation and Spiritual Prayer Practice

Well, I’ve discovered my mind has been definitely thinking a whole lot about myself. The whole purpose of me waking up at 5 AM every morning to meditate and pray was to become grow closer, more connected to God. It was meant to be a gift or form of sacrifice and self-denial in order to force myself to become less self-centered. But alas, my mind has spent that time doing what it’s always been doing–I’ve just become more aware of how BAD it is!

I’ve lost a bit of momentum over the past few weeks in my daily practice but was grounded this morning with an insight into my problems. I’m not reaching my meditation goals or growing in the way I wanted to because my SELF is so bloated that it is blocking out the light.

I saw meditation as a practice that would draw me closer to God–and it has, just in different ways than I imagined. But today, I realized that what my ego really saw was a way to receive something I knew I couldn’t gain on my own, not to serve God but to further serve myself.

Healing Begins With Self-Denial

Fortunately, for this self-centered man, God has had enough mercy on me to show me time and time again how destructive a life revolved around me is. I am an addict, recovering from passions I couldn’t tame but have had removed. I am mentally ill, at least partially fueled and sustained by obsessive thoughts about my SELF, constantly doing SELF checks, asking how I’M feeling, is anything wrong with ME, why do I feel this way, why can’t MY life be different? This only fuels more depression, more fear.

As humans, we all live inside our own little egotistical worlds. It’s part of our nature to place ourselves first. Partially because we’re selfish creatures. Partially because it’s what has helped us survive. And yet, some of us are almost pre-programmed to have these worries about the self become the dominant (or only) major force in our lives.

There is a reason that the Resurrection begins with a cross. Self-denial is the only real way forward. In that area, I’m definitely a work in progress. But I was inspired by my revelation during prayerful meditation this morning of how damaging self-centeredness can be and wrote a poem about being selfish below.

Damaging even when we’re sober. Destruction even when we’re not causing any harm to another person. Because when we inflate ourselves too big we live in the shadow of the fickle false-SELF; when we allow the ego and pride to grow too large, we block out the loving rays of the Sun.

A Deep Poem About Being Self-Absorbed

ME Who Shall Not Be Named

I, Me, My, Mine are words
that must be forsaken.
For they are a prison
to the soul blocked from light,
locked tightly in its own shadow;

they are poisons that cause
a slow death for the drinker--
veiled killers that remain hidden
beneath longing, demons lurking behind
feeble attempts at spiritual discovery;
deep wounds that ooze pus but never heal.

I should know because I'm an expert
into the wants and thoughts of ME.

MINE are the foolish paths of folly
that MY feet have tread upon.
I'm the jailer that has kept ME
confined in MY selfish cell,
yearning for freedom for eons.

But MINE are the lips
that keep sipping and spewing
the venom of these vile words.
And these are the veins filled with poison,
pulsing with the slow death of the soul--
a sickness injected by self-centered living.

Justin Farley

Enjoyed This Poem? Check Out My Collection of Deep, Spiritual Poetry

A Voice in the Wilderness – A Chapbook of Poems About God by Justin Farley <— Click Here

Here Are Some Other Poems About Selfishness, Growth, and Self-Denial You May Enjoy:

Fasting in the Desert A Godly Poem About Contemplation and Selfishness

Metamorphosis A Poem About Butterflies and God’s Grace

Planting is a Prayer Poem