Self-control

Definitions: Definitions: (1) able to manage one’s own temperament; self-control; apatheia <mastery of the passions> (2) mental or emotional restraint exercised over one’s own impulses, emotions, or desires especially in the face of self-described negative temptations; (3) able to curtail one’s own appetites <especially restraint in order to keep within (social or moral) bounds>; (4) exercising authority over one’s self or others; in command <able to set things in order>

Compatible Quality: self-forgetful

Poetry:
Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice;
Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment.
— William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Hamlet {1603}

Quotes:
• Rare is the person who can weigh the faults of others without putting his thumb on the scales. — Byron Joseph Langenfeld (1909-1996) American humorist
• Human nature is complex. Even if we do have inclinations toward violence, we also have inclination to empathy, to cooperation, to self-control. — Steven Arthur Pinker (1954-) Canadian-American cognitive psychologist & psycholinguist

Reflections:
• You cannot control the facts of the past. But you can control your attitude toward the facts of the past. You can control your attitude and judgment about the present and what you will do in the future. You cannot control what other people do, or how they think, or who they are. You can influence them, but only if they are willing or susceptible to your example or power.
     Recognize what you actually have control over and what you do not have control of. It is useless to try to control what is not yours to control.
• There is also negative control: fear, torture, sleep deprivation, threats of harm to loved ones, threats of loss of job, or loss of life. If one is to encompass the positive aspects of control one needs to persuade with logic, emotion, spiritual flavor, experience, love, nurturing, and so on, to help others recognize their own values and to move forward at their own pace.
     Christ suggested we love our enemies. If we do, we will help them get in touch with their divine selves, just as we would our friends. We find ourselves within an evolutionary process. Progress is truer if it is focused on the positive. Negative pressure forces warped growth. Besides, people usually put enough negative pressure upon themselves.

Comment: Let go of the part fear plays in your growing process. As you let go of fear, experiences will get more accessible, more exciting, but they also may seem more out of your control. As you change from a material to a spiritual being, you are relinquishing control of the physical in favor of cooperation with the Spiritual; thus growing your soul.

Consideration: Politicians can only tackle the hard problems with laws covering the entire populace. If the individual is mature enough to control their emotions and actions, then there will be fewer problems. Laws, morals, and family rules do have influence in shaping an individual’s choice, but in the end the individual makes their own final choices.

Observation: The person asking the questions is in control of the conversation.

Symbol: the chariot




Sacredness

Definitions: (1) dedicated to worship; (1) devoted to one’s sacred duty; (3) recognition of that which is highly valuable and important
     See also: Holy

Derivation: Latin, “holy”
     Note: Sacred and sacrifice have the same root.

Quotes:
• Joy is finding the holy in the small and the sacred in every day. — Mary Davis Holt, American leadership coach
• There are four questions of value in life, Don Octavio. What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for? And what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same. Only love. — Lord George Gordon Byron (1788–1824) English romantic poet

Comment: Humans tend to get stuck in the historic understanding of what is sacred. We rightly reject the Golden Calf but hold on to the stories of reality from hundreds, even thousands of years ago. The scholars of those times had good moral, even farseeing ideals. But God is infinite and there will always be new revelations of Divine light unfolding in our minds and souls. Listen to the still small voice.




Sacred

Definitions: (1) dedicated to worship; (1) devoted to one’s sacred duty; (3) recognition of that which is highly valuable and important

Derivation: Latin, “holy”
     Note: Sacred and sacrifice have the same root.

Quotes:
• Joy is finding the holy in the small and the sacred in every day. — Mary Davis Holt (~1960’s-) American leadership coach
• There are four questions of value in life. What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for? And what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same. Only love. — Lord George Gordon Byron (1788–1824) English romantic poet

Comment: Humans tend to get stuck in the historic understanding of what is sacred. We rightly reject the Golden Calf but hold on to the stories of reality from hundreds, even thousands of years ago. The scholars of those times had good moral, even farseeing, ideals. But God is infinite and there will always be new revelations of Divine light unfolding in our minds and souls. Listen to the still small voice.




Risk-taker

Definitions: (1) one willing to expose themselves to danger, ranging from minor challenge to major peril; promethean <especially creative, courageous, and innovative>; (2) venturesome

Quote: The challenge is that the day before something is truly a breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea. And crazy ideas are very risky to attempt. — Peter H. Diamandis (1961-) American engineer & entrepreneur

Comment: For a little kid wanting to ride a bike is worth the risk of scraped knees. But they don’t anticipate the pain, only the freedom. However, very few go on to conquer the unicycle.

Observation: The first circle is your comfort zone. Risk taking is lived in the second circle. And it is really risky if you get out to the third. Of course, these ‘circles of risk’ are relative to the individual.
     See also: Changeable




Progress

Definitions: (1) advancing or moving onward; (2) making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities; forward-looking; (3) marked by growth, reform, or continuing improvement

Quotes:
• I’ve seen this problem before; does that mean I am making progress or going in circles? — Michael Hanna (1950-) 100 Thought Adjusters {2007}
• If virtue promises happiness, prosperity and peace, then progress in virtue is progress in each of these for to whatever point the perfection of anything brings us, progress is always an approach toward it. — Epictetus (55-135) Greek stoic philosopher

Observation: To live in a complex society, progress is necessary.

Tip: If you concentrate on the openings instead of the obstacles, you will make progress.

Comment: The smallest of positive decisions, multiplied by a sincere intention to make it real, plus your other active positive qualities creates a proliferation of positive action. This leads to a more accurate assessment of what is the best action to take under any new circumstance.

Symbol: wings {Spiritual Evolution}




Poise

Definitions: (1) composed, dignified, and self-assured; (2) well-poised <being in balance or equilibrium>

Derivation: Latin, “equal weight”

Quotes:
• For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone. — Audrey Kathleen Hepburn (1929–1993) British actress.
• It is to the mind of perfect poise, housed in a body of clean habits, stabilized neural energies, and balanced chemical function – when the physical, mental, and spiritual powers are in triune harmony of development – that a maximum of light and truth can be imparted with a minimum of temporal danger or risk to the real welfare of such a being. By such a balanced growth does man ascend… (110:6.4) — The Urantia Book {1955}




Playfulness

Definitions: (1) fond of fun; frisky; indulging in sportive fancy; frolicsome; (2) humorous; joking; (3) possessing a positive attitude which spills over into active cheerfulness; merry

Synonyms: gamboling, gay, jocund, lively, romping, sprightly, vivacious

Balancing Quality: Fair

Consequential Qualities: order, sharing
     Note: When a child, or anyone, plays they learn it is fun to be friendly with other individuals.

Proverb: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Quotes:
• Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child’s soul. — Friedrich Frobel (1782-1852) German pedagogue, Founder of the first kindergarten {1837}
• The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves. — Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) Swiss psychiatrist
• In a sense, all science, all human thought, is a form of play. Abstract thought [is the way we are able] to continue to carry out activities which have no immediate goal (just as other animals play while young) in order to prepare… for long-term strategies and plans. — Jacob Bronowski (1908-1974) Polish-British mathematician

Symbols: 1) swings; 2) the seal; 3) viola flowers




Ministry

Definitions: (1) acting as a helpful instrument or means; (2) giving care or aid; service-oriented; (3) providing information <often of a spiritual nature>; (4) fulfilling a duty prescribed by law, ethics, or morality; (5) an act in obedience to objective reality

Quotes:
• The true character of ministry is a servant’s heart. — Harold Ashton Warner (1917–2012) Australian journalist
Love never ends or fails. Everything must be based on love – the relation between two friends, ministry, service; every field must be based on love. Why? Because God is Love. — Pope Theodoros II (840–897) 116th Catholic Pope (Served only 20 days before dying)




Commitment

Definition: devoted unreservedly <to an idea or a project>; engaged; pledged; bound

Synonyms: entrusted, confided, consigned

Saying: Have a can‑do attitude.

Quotes:
• Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. — Margaret Mead (1901-1978) American cultural anthropologist
• Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no one could have dreamed would have come their way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets:
     Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
     Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
     — William Hutchison Murray (1913-1996) Scottish mountaineer and writer
Note: This quote was actually from Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (1910-1987) French dramatist (see EARNEST) who took his inspiration from the words of Goethe.

Comment: You cannot make a commitment for someone else even if you know, without a doubt, they are ready to take the first step. You might be able to provide inspiration, encouragement, or information. You can offer some help or preparation, but it is ultimately that person’s choice.

Mythological Figure: Juno, the supreme goddess of Roman mythology, wife of Jupiter, and goddess of marriage

Symbol: ranunculous flowers




Sanity

Definitions: (1) mentally clear and sound <especially the ability to anticipate and appraise the effect of one’s own actions>; rational; (2) having or showing good reason or judgment; sensible; (3) free from hurt or disease; healthy
     See also: Realistic

Compatible Quality: prepared

Quotes:
• In order to be sane and adjusted as a human being, an individual must realize that he cannot know all there is to know. It is not enough to understand this limitation intellectually; the understanding must be an orderly and conditioned process, “unconscious” as well as “conscious.” Such a conditioning is essential to the balanced pursuit of knowledge of the nature of matter and life. — Alfred Elton van Vogt (1912-2000) The Players of Null A
• In the case of permanent insanity the exits to the theater have been blocked, usually because of the knowledge that the show outside is so much worse. The insane person is running a private unapproved film which he happens to like better than the current cultural one. If you want him to run the film everyone else is seeing, the solution would be to find ways to prove to him that it would be valuable to do so … Otherwise why should he get “better”? He already is better. It’s the patterns that constitute “betterness” that are at issue. From an internal point of view insanity isn’t the problem. Insanity is the solution. — Robert Pirsig (1928-2017) Lila

Reflection: Accepting reality is fine as long as everyone holds the same criteria for “reality.” The problem comes when you are presented with a false impression of reality. Slavery was explained as necessary and accepted as “good” by a certain segment of the population. War is accepted as the only solution by a large enough group of people that it takes place. A single person who sees a higher reality is in a difficult position. Truth requires they act on the higher reality, but practicality dictates they live with the facts of the prevailing reality. Embracing both is sanity.