FULFILLED SHATTERING THE MYTH OF PERFECTION

PHOTO ILLUSTRATOR: ANTHONY CASTO

Perfection is a notion that essentially makes no sense as far as the human soul is concerned. Spiritually speaking, all of us live in a constant state of becoming. Although we may achieve goals, meet deadlines, and complete personal projects, our actual existence is never finished. Perfection implies that a person has reached a state in which no further growth and development is possible and such a state is a myth.

Oftentimes, people devote themselves to various spiritual practices out of a sense of guilt or inadequacy rather than out of any real passion for the path. They strive so hard for purity (a word that carries implications similar to those carried by “perfection,” and likewise a myth) because they actually doubt their worth as they are. There is such a thing as love for spiritual growth and there is such a thing as intolerance for one’s self. Energetically, the two stand light-years apart.

True spirituality is an extension of our natural selves. It is not to be found by denying ourselves and always striving to be different, better, or purer. The fixation upon end result is a powerful aspect of our modern civilization. Even the concept of enlightenment, which one can find repeated within many spiritual disciplines, suggests someone having arrived, once and for all, at a destination.

Furthermore, the desire to be perfect is fueled by the idea that we should better ourselves because there is something wrong with the way that we naturally are. True spirituality is discovered by seeing the beauty and value in what is happening at the present moment. It involves finding the personal lessons within each of our experiences and knowing that there will always be more lessons. There is no end to the great adventure of consciousness, despite what the tenacious notion of perfection may suggest. There is no finish line where we will be presented with a medal and told we have arrived. Growth and development will continue, and new challenges will always arise.