A Potpourri of Personalities & Fresh Flowers of Wisdom- 17th August 1991

The Homely man:

Well satisfied and uncomplaining, can make a home wherever the bed be put down, with cushions assorted. At ease with his station, obliging and with an enduring attitude of friendship. A big, broad handshake and smiling countenance. Works tenderly, faithful to family, has much love for simplicity and gives all, with expectations set so as to be achievable. Rarely suffers conflict, is sensitive to criticism. Tends to the garden. Does not speculate on fortune or fame.

Earth man

The Holy man:

With loving concern and much regret, cherishes the world and is pained by injustice. With deep set retrospection, he attempts the awkward, desires the unachievable. Aspires to values that he grieves for. Knows moments of exalted rewards, knows too the moments of depressing failure. Loves to love and hates to hate, and fulfills both. Calling for penance, unsettled in society; cleaves to a community, a people, and longs for the residence of Heaven as a bird who knows the circulations of flight, but e'er must return to stable earth for rest and repose.

Air man

The Artist:

Dances with inspiration through night until dawn, through troubles to glee; and derives much, each being equal. Seeking to remonstrate the beauty perceived, and to touch, to color, to hold essence of beloved Creation. Takes people as he finds them, and is comfortable in any society. Flip and uncommitted, unshackled, unrestrained. Discipline is not in vocabulary. Time and motion are unaccounted for. Bedazzled by experience, in awe of all Creation, be it Heaven or Earth; for does find the two's reflections imparted and in bonded union. Cleaves to glamorous surroundings, be them exotic or elaborate, indulgent, extreme or aesthetically pure. Cares not for moderation. Pays homage to life through the altar of favor and the relishing and embracing of Creation. Furious the passion.

Fire Man

The Quietly Persistent Man:

Ever enduring, with noble aspect and sombre countenance. Reflective and disciplined. Adjusts to circumstance without, whilst inwardly unshakeable. Knows and prefers the quiet existence. Hermit, recluse, divided, undecided. Perceives time and life to be a continuum. Discerns not with detail, but exclusive exactitude. Pursues courses unhindered, following self-directions, but adapts and works changes wherever involved, with a gentle disposition and steady constancy. Reliable, unthwarted, unimpressionable, as he moves within and around the world with inner calm. Melancholic the soul. When stirred to passion, rarely, may have unfathomable outbursts. With preferences evenly distributed, thoughts deeply kept and concealed. Not self-demonstrative. A face in a crowd, who moves amongst the people, keeping to himself.

Water Man

There are many influences and outer conditions, temperaments and qualities, which assist in defining the characteristics of a man and his personality. Whether zodiacal or animal, racial or socially equated, all aspects of an individual's constitution are complete, with some active whilst other aspects remain latent.

Just as one may not experience four seasons in one, or morning, noon, evening and midnight equally at once, man cannot express himself in all ways that are his very substance in existence. Rather he will shift with presumed qualities best suited and expressed, adopting characteristics which best befit him for that time. He will not go about with one eye blue and one eye brown, for example.

The key to understanding the nature of a man is to firstly examine both extremes of that which is plainly of benefit to such characteristics, and that which may be turned detrimental to activities flowing therefrom. The above outline given is to explain something of the extreme positive characteristics, which in their turn do have their lesser examples in personality and personal application.

All qualities have their commensurate weaknesses. The rule of the land certainly indicates this point. Therefore one might have unnatural limitations and unnatural expectations of an individual who is so motivated and expressive, peculiar to a specific type. In our efforts to restrain from judging others, it may be important to hold a concise overview as to the limitations of characteristics and their extreme and most glorious possibilities. This may be achieved without the need for personal criticisms; rather objectively- a lesson firstly in observation, and secondly, a further understanding of the powers and qualities an individual might hold.

Too often we set about to make molds for others, without self-considerations and self-reflections. This is understandable, for it is far more comfortable to realize another's imperfections than to confront one's own. So when one comes to choosing this or that which is desirable in our fellow brother, we may conjecture also, accordingly, of their corresponding qualities which accompany any failings, obvious to us.

Such analysis is relevant to ourselves and our attitudes. We make assumptions daily, consciously known or not. Better to re-establish coherently true value judgments than confuse or disregard an individual because of our unqualified surmise. 

Essentially we bring all judgments into ourselves - all assessments are inwardly weighed. Just as truly as that which we are intent upon is that which we become, also as truly, must we observe correctly each negative point to be balanced by a positive; and the two must correspondingly relate.

A man might be unselfish. He might be aglow with fiery warmth. He might offer many gifts, all of which may be useless.

Contrary to that, a man who does not make of his fellows with selfish intent, might indeed appear dispassionate and unconcerned. He may indulge in passionate activities to distraction, perhaps even to the point of decadence, but also too, impart a vital warmth which embraces all men, all women and all of the world. A man might offer you many a useless gift which is rejected and perhaps even troublesome, but the gift of the giving, and the spirit therein, may be cherished and received in gratitude.

There is a saying, that so and so is not "all bad". Neither have we the capacity of Angels to be "all good". When the 'bad' reforms to 'good' however, and such transformation is acknowledged by the soul, another set of values relative to that heightened status of character replaces the parameters formerly in place. 

From this perspective one may be disheartened unwittingly, but also find comfort that the progressiveness of character renewal is ongoing, and need not be so immediate as to break the individual attempting a personal struggle. Self-development and the panoramas which open out to the soul thereby, offer the individual a true zeal and encouragement in living a life. Contrasts which are born out from different conditions and experiences of expression are exciting and exhilarating to all who awaken to the multitude of variables awaiting new experience.

To cease the path of perfecting self-expression and to deny the skills of adaptation and survival is something of a false interpretation of reality, which is assumed by the smug and the lazy. However, the upshot to this is that the smug and the lazy are rear-end characteristics to being most grateful and content. If one is to shoulder these characteristics and balance them with perspective as to a cosmic insight, one would therefore have to experience in measure the opposing virtues which are dissatisfaction and perpetual striving. The rear-end of these being dissatisfaction and aggressive aggravation/disharmony.

Thus we live a colorful existence. We gain much experience by entering into phases of expression, and experience thereby. One does not disqualify or negate another. When put to the task, the object is to work through characteristics joyfully, proportioning them with the highest attributes whilst discarding the lower.

Every virtue has its rear-end.