Happiness

tularcitas: Does true happiness come from total acceptance of self that is a product of self realization? Or, do we have to go further than self-realization and correct what we see as flaws in ourselves? See, this leads to an issue. If we become proactive and try to correct our behavior are we totally accepting ourselves as we are? Tis a conundrum,

muskey68: very interesting, leave room for thought

muskey68: would love to chat with you

tularcitas: Hi...I'm Sara..what would you like to chat about?

muskey68: In general you post about happiness

tularcitas: Yes....I was thinking in terms of it being elusive.

muskey68: not sure I know what you mean elusive?

tularcitas: Once we find happiness we want more. We are always on the search for new happiness.

muskey68: most people dont understand what happiness is and or never satisfied with the happiness they have

tularcitas: I think because happiness comes from within...that's what I mean by elusive...seeking external instead of internal sources.

Jaguar Essence: Through the authentic teachings of Kabbalah the soul of Judaism, I have discovered and experience happiness comes from the realization that I am complete, that absolutely everything I have been seeking and needing has been with me always. Those mindfulness moments where I'm able to realize and experience that my cup is and has been overflowing, where absolutely everything has been given to me with absolute love.

Accepting who and what I am is a constant challenge because I am a total egocentristic, I have to constantly calibrate my campus of reality to perceive what I'm needing to correct, transcend, accept, embrace about me, and how I react to my environment. Our reactive animal nature holds a lot of information about the self in order for me to become a better version of myself, from reactive to activate, from being driven to driving, from victim mentality to being responsible for my creation.

FistOfStone: just a humble conceptual distinction: Accepting Myself is an attitude that has to do with my perceived self-worth and validity as a human being, not with whether or not i should try to improve my character (improving character is always good) - Accepting Myself is opposed to Hating Myself, not Improving Myself

Not Improving Myself would be opposed to Improving Myself

i think if you get clear about the concepts, you see they don't conflict, though without clarity it's very easy to think they do

FistOfStone: after all, if i don't try to improve myself, it seems like i might not think i'm worth the effort, which would be closer to self-hatred than self-acceptance

tularcitas: Jaguar...I have known you for some time...Your characterization of yourself as a "total egocentric" is not something I have experienced of you..at all..If anything, you are constantly giving of yourself to others as far as i have seen.

FistOfStone: black jaguar i just realized you are empty everest, i'm clenchedfist00, plz accept my humble friend request if you are so inclined

tularcitas: Stone, are you talking about your perception of yourself in a dispassionate, observing yourself observing yourself manner, with no value judgments? At some point, do we utilize this perception to correct behavior? I feel the key word is intention...intention to look at ourselves, and intention to correct behavior if we deem it necessary. My query, is if we deem it necessary are we accepting who we are?

FistOfStone: i don't know anything about the spiritual life tular, so i'm not much help there ... but i can quote the great zen teacher shunryu suzuki, who said "you are all completely perfect as you are - and you could use a little work"

tularcitas: Stone..I that quote!

cedarrrrock: I keep rediscovering that things that bug me the most about others are things about myself that need some work.

tularcitas: Cedar, I feel that people are often mirrors to each other!

cedarrrrock: That's probably true when we are really paying attention. On the negative side of that, I regret I still sometimes react with righteous anger toward people I love who happen to be in an angry state of mind toward me at the time.

tularcitas: Understood!

sickandtired604: can we be happy checking behind ourselves? we all have flaws and accepting them is a big part of being happy I know I'll never be perfect we ask others to accept us as is

tularcitas: I imagine accepting ourselves is most important...and that would mean realizing that although we may not measure up to some self imposed ideal of perfection, we are rather perfectly who we are at this time and place/

sickandtired604: its not about perfection for me its improvement

FistOfStone: happiness consists in the lack of the need for happiness, the problem is solved by dissolution