November 14th, 2008
Human beings have emphasized the practical value of some sort of character analysis in dealing with others. But to know himself has a tremendously practical value to every human being, as on that knowledge depends self-correction. Since human being is the only creature that deliberately attempts while reshaping his outer world to reshape himself also. Moreover, man is the only seeker of perfection; with a deep, intense critic of himself. To reach nobility of character is not a practical aim, but is held to be an end sufficient in itself.
So man constantly examines into himself –”Are my purposes good; is my will strong–how can I strengthen my control, how make righteous my instincts and emotions?” It is true that there is a worship–and always has been–of efficiency and success as against character; that man has tended to ask more often, “What has he done?” or, “What has he got?” rather than, “What is he?” and that therefore man in his self-analysis has often asked, “How shall I get?” or, “How shall I do?” In the largest sense these questions are also questions of character, for even if we discard as inadequate the psychology which considers behavior alone as important, conduct is the fruit of character, without which it is unproductive.
Tags: character analysis, conduct, emotions, human being, instincts, psychology, self control, Self Improvement, self-correction
Posted in Self Improvement | No Comments »
November 13th, 2008
Because the feelings are in part reflected on the face and body, we tend to judge other human beings and their character to a certain extent by facial expression, manner, carriage and dress. A few of the methods used have become organized into specialties, such as the study of the head or phrenology, the study and analysis of handwriting or graphology, the study of the hand chiromancy or palmistry, characterology etc. All of these systems are really “materialistic” in that they postulate so close a union of mind and body as to make them inseparable. But our perceptions may indeed be imperfect. For example, facial expressions and make-up is more influenced by diet, disease and racial tendency than by character. Human beings are interesting mosaic of different characters, and a fine nature in one direction may be injured by a defect in another.
As a matter of fact, judgment of character will never be accomplished through the study of face, anatomy or hand. Equally linguistic communication is a way not only of expressing truth but of disguising it, so these surface phenomena are as often masks as guides. Any educated person, intent on knowing himself or his fellows, will seek no royal road to this knowledge, but will attempt to understand the fundamental forces of character, will strive to trace the threads of conduct back to their origins in motive, intelligence, instinct and emotion.
Tags: analysis, carriage, characterology, chiromancy, different characters, facial expression, Feelings, graphology, handwriting, manner, palmistry, perceptions
Posted in Feelings | No Comments »
November 12th, 2008
Hide-and-seek is one of the great games of children as well as of adults. Adults hide their own defects and seek the defects of other people in order to avoid inferiority and to feel competitive superiority. But there is a deep contradiction in our natures: we attempt to expose ourselves as we are to those who we feel love us, and we hide our actual self from the enemy or the stranger. The protective marking of insects and birds look unskilled compared to the defensive marking we apply to ourselves.
I refrain from describing further character types because people are not as easily classified as cars, and the combinations likely outmatch computation. Character growth, in each individual human being, is a growth in likeness to others and a growth in unlikeness, as well. As we move from childhood to youth, and thereof to middle and old age, qualities come out and fall behind, and the personality passes along to unity and harmony or else there is disintegration.
While understanding character is a difficult discipline, it is also one of the principal science of life. If we want to develop such as skill; we need to approach our subject with fairness and without prejudice. Although our subject brings us in direct contact with the deepest of problems, the meaning of life, the nature of the Ego and the source of consciousness, these we must ignore as out of our knowledge. Limiting ourselves to a basic attempt to know our fellow men and our own selves, we shall find that our efforts not only add to our knowledge but add unmeasurably to our sympathy with and our love for our fellows.
Tags: character, character growth, character types, likeness, love, people, protective marking, understanding, understanding others, unlikeness
Posted in Relationship | No Comments »
November 10th, 2008
This is our first post and request for your help at the same time. Your help and words are needed in sending this blog out into the world.
We want all our postings to be good quality material based on your knowledge, ideas and practical experiences, like a series of helpful practical manuals designed to meet the public demand for a simple knowledge and honest help to others interested in achieving the perfect balance of mind, body and spirit.
Tags: balance, blog, blogging, body, first post, help to others, knowledge, mind, practical manuals, spirit
Posted in General, Uncategorized | No Comments »