Living With Imperfection

As imperfect beings living in an imperfect universe we inevitably, at times, find life a frustrating experience. Here's how to not only cope with life's inescapable imperfection, but to recognize the genuine beauty of its experience.

Imperfection is part of the great design and an inherent part of nature. Physicists believe the physical universe exists only due to the big bang's imperfection in producing unequal quantities of matter and anti-matter (known as baryon asymmetry). Put another way, if the universe had begun with perfect symmetry, we wouldn't be here.

The heights of human achievement and the incredibly rich diversity of life evolved only because living things reproduce imperfectly. They introduce random mutations along the way, some of which improve the status quo and allow things to get better.

A great wonder of the human experience is our uniqueness. We are each born into different (enormously varied) circumstances, with different characters, aptitudes, and weaknesses. But unhappiness arises from two distinct kinds of imperfection - the inner and the outer. (more…)

Attitude is more than something

By: LT Col R.K Langar

What is Attitude

Attitude is the way we think about ourselves, others and life in general. Attitude can also be defined as outlook and tendencies which a man comes to acquire as a result of his past actions. The way we think is exhibited through our speech and actions. As our life is shaped by our thoughts, positive thinking would make our attitude positive while negative thinking would make life miserable. Positive attitude evolves us and brings newness in life. (more…)

Psychic Attack: Spiritual Purification and Cord Cutting

By Lisa Whatley

Energy stealers are everywhere! They are your family members, your  friends and they are your co-workers and YOU may even be one yourself. A more common name is a Psychic Vampire and we all know what vampires  do! In this case the vampire is sucking our vital energy, depleting us and causing us to become unhealthy emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. Spiritual purification and cord cutting are some tools that can keep the vampires away! (more…)

Overcoming Guilt and Regret

Too often we are dogged by the dark clouds of guilt and regret. Regret is the feeling of wishing we had (or not) done something in the past different than we actually did. Guilt is feeling bad, or even disliking ourselves, over some past act or omission that caused unjustified hurt.

Dealing with Regret

Time, as we perceive it, is linear. What is done is done and never can be undone. The most powerful man on the planet cannot change by one iota what happened a fraction of a second ago. Given that, stop worrying about it. You're only wasting precious energy that ought to be channeled into now.

We all experience feelings of regret at some time in our lives. Since we don't always (ie never) perform perfectly, after any event there will be feelings that we could have done better. Begin by accepting that our imperfection is not only inevitable but also part of our very purpose, ie to learn.

Despite our inevitable imperfection, the best form of cure is prevention. Incarnate entities (like us) operate largely at an automatic, instinctive level, and for much of the time this works well, eg how often do you arrive at a familiar destination with no recollection of the journey, and it wouldn't be so good to have to remember to breathe. But we often allow our internal auto-pilot to abdicate our responsibility for making conscious choices.

Try varying a standard routine, just for the sake of change! Instead of doing the things you've always done just because you've always done them, question them. Are they really the best, or is there a better option. Just by taking control and actually thinking more about what we do we can improve the quality and effectiveness of our judgment and avoid the errors that fuel regret.

By taking greater responsibility for our choices we can reduce, but never eliminate, the causes of guilt and regret. Knowing this, bite the bullet and openly and honestly review what went wrong. This may be painful but it’s the only way to profit from disaster. Analyze what you should have done; what you should do in future; what you can do to improve yourself to prevent similar failings. And make these lessons part of yourself.

Winners never quit and quitters never win - Vince Lombardi. Never give up. Failing to achieve a particular objective first (second, third or nth) time around does not make it unattainable. Learn the lessons, grow stronger, and try, try again.

By taking the lessons on board, we can safely let go of the negative feelings surrounding our regret. What's done is done and never can be altered. If we have adapted and grown, and our determination is intensified, then be satisfied the experience was worthwhile.

Dealing with Guilt

What of guilt, where we have not just under-performed, but actually done some harm in the process? Don’t beat yourself up too much. The fact that we feel guilt at least proves our humanity and our compassion for our fellow beings. That is no small thing, so give yourself a big pat on the back.

If we have done harm to another, materially or emotionally, then we have a duty to try to compensate for that harm. We can never turn back the clock, but we can attempt to ensure those we damaged are no worse off as a result of our misdemeanors.

Sometimes the person to whom we feel guilty cannot be adequately compensated. In such case we can always make some contribution to the general good, perhaps donating to a worthwhile cause, or doing a favor to a complete stranger etc. Since we are all one anyway it matters not.

Too often in this world we are results orientated. The end justifies the means. This is wrong. The end, at least physically, for us all is the grave. What really counts is the process, and the intention. If you want something, and you try your best to get it, you are fulfilling the purpose of your existence. For whether or not you achieve your hypothetical goal is unimportant. What really matters are the lessons you learn, and the contributions you make, along the way. At the end of the day material achievements are wiped out; but lessons learned, and experience gained, contribute to personal and universal Spiritual growth.

If you do "wrong", don't allow it to destroy you. If you are here on earth it is because you are meant to be here and you have a duty to make the most of every second of your existence. Acknowledge your mistakes, gain from them, make any necessary recompense, resolve to put them right, and move on stronger and wiser as a result.

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Opening Your Heart

During certain experiences, we may find ourselves trying to protect ourselves by closing off our heart.
We close off our emotions and shield ourselves from others and their behaviors so that our heart will not become hurt even more than it is.  How others behave toward us affects our openness.  The situations we experience alter our perception of how open we can be with our heart and with ourselves.  If we are trying to protect ourselves because of past experiences by closing off our heart, then the past is all we will feel.  For if our heart is closed, then all it knows is what has come before. (more…)

Thinking Out of the Box

What is Thinking Out of the Box?

Thinking out of the box is the mode of thought that dares to challenge conventional wisdom, ie it dares to question beliefs so deeply held by so many that they are considered almost sacred. Thinking out the box is an all too rare quality, but when applied it can bring revolutionary leaps in human progress. Even where the existing ways really are most appropriate, an "out of the box" critic can actually enhance their validity by forcing their proponents to justify them. (more…)

The Introvert Personality

Introversion is the tendency to focus one's attention towards the inner, mental world rather than external, physical "reality".

Introversion is a natural characteristic occurring in about 25% of the population according to psychotherapist Dr Marti Olsen Laney in her excellent book The Introvert Advantage. Dr Laney offers a further definition of introversion, ie that introverts are those who draw energy from the inner world of ideas and emotions as opposed to extroverts who thrive on external experience and interaction.

Introversion is not something we have or not, rather we all occupy a specific point on an introvert extrovert continuum. (more…)

Our Awareness Of Time

When we project ourselves forward in time, we alter our behavior now.
We change how we feel based on what may be. We begin to think differently because of our thoughts about the future.  By being only in the moment you are in, you let go of your future, you let go of planning and trying to control everything. You let go of maintaining any form of awareness you have of yourself in the future.  Time is not how we think it is.  We believe we will exist as the same as we are now, with only time passing. We believe that we will continue being as we think or imagine we will. We see time as a stream within our control, and yet it is not. (more…)

Creating Your Own Happiness

Creating your own happiness is letting go of what is holding it back, for we are all meant to be happy in our lives, living from a place of enjoyment, contentment, and love.
Why then does it feel like sometimes your life is missing this element; why are you without it?  It can feel this way and really seem like this is so.  But being happy is realizing you can be and that it is a choice.  Happiness is not because of something on the outside, it comes from within.  No matter the circumstances in your life, or who you are with, or where you are from, happiness is a part of you, internally and completely.  Happiness is not given to us or provided by someone else.  We are the makers and the acceptors of our own happiness. (more…)

Empowering Our True Selves

When we choose to come from a place that is real, that touches who we really are, we are then coming from our true selves.
We are empowering our destiny, our truth, and our calling in this life when we act from our true form, from who we really are and not just from our idea or perception of self.  What does this mean?  It means looking at ourselves truthfully and really seeing if we are true to who we are. It is looking deep within and asking if how I am and how I act is who I really am.  It is not confusing; although, it may feel this way, for often people believe that who they are is already real.  They believe how one acts and behaves is everything; it is all of them. However, when left unchecked, we often develop into a ghost of our former self, and our real being, our true self, is left to wither and die within. Thus, it is vital, not only to our happiness, but our strength as well, to re-register the truth of who we are. (more…)