One day I showed my little cat to a friend. My cat Tara is a Russian Blue ā or at least that’s how my veterinarian defined her ā but she has a small white heart-shaped spot with tiny rays on her chest. I still remember my friend’s comment: “But she’s not perfect!” āPerfectā Russian Blues have a coat entirely in that beautiful shade of gray with cobalt nuances. Without any heart-shaped spots!ā
A few mornings ago, I woke up with a clear sensation of the difference between perfection and uniqueness. And when I say sensation, I mean something really tangible and physical that I experienced: the word “perfection” contracts my body and muscles, while the word “uniqueness” lifts me off the ground. Please try and see if it’s the same for you; I’m not saying it’s a universal fact, but I’m writing this page based on this feeling.
Perhaps we are already unique. It’s a matter of birth: everyone is different, unique. Not even two twins will experience the same event in exactly the same way. But maybe the catch is that it’s about BEING, that is, we need to remove ā Ā or, at best, simply set aside, like lifting a veil ā part of what has been added to the warm and luminous core that we already are. On the other hand, to achieve perfection, at least as most of us in the West understand it, we must work hard, for a long time, often with the feeling of never reaching the goal. It requires DOING, just as implied by the etymology of the word, derived from the Latin verb “perficere,” a verb meaning āto doā preceded by a reinforcement (per) that adds more effort to it!
Both paths are not devoid of obstacles, but I believe that the path that consists in removing what blocks our way back to Being is much more enjoyable than the other one, i.e. adding more and more things in order to attain some imposed form of (phony) accomplishment. And both paths may be necessary, perhaps at different times. This is always a personal opinion that arises from contemplating my own life: in my youth, like many others, I had less experience and therefore fewer means to spontaneously choose the path of uniqueness. I was a very serious student, in some way chasing a certain perfection, due to the constant drive of a mother who wanted the best for me, and a family with illustrious academic, medical, scientific, and artistic backgrounds. But I can say with certainty that every time I followed the voice of the heart, which I believe is precisely the voice of uniqueness ā i.e. James Hillmanās acorn (here the link to his most known book) ā Ā leaving behind the obvious paths suggested by the outer world, I always felt a sense of lightness and relief. Surrendering to my uniqueness has always brought me pearls of happiness, while the effort exerted in reaching socially appreciated goals has undeniably provided some satisfaction, yes, but has somehow often left a bit of bitterness in my soul, as if something were always missing. I would like to know how it is for you as you read this.
I believe that all this discourse is deeply connected to what in the Christian tradition, and in many others, we call talents. Every human being comes here from the stars with an absolutely unique ray of light. I am certain of this. Each of us comes into the world with one or more special gifts, whose true uniqueness stems from the fact that if we manage to manifest them, they not only benefit us, but also, and above all, others. The number of these others is absolutely irrelevant. It’s more a matter of vibration, of universal breath: for every human being who lives in the light of their uniqueness, somewhere a clear space opens – by resonance, by reflection – a space free of clutter, a time outside of time. Freedom and joy increase exponentially, irresistibly, in this and other worlds.
Perhaps it is precisely for this reason that in our society, I would say in our entire civilization, that does everything to standardize people, implementing growingly sophisticated strategies to make us more uncritical consumers than thinkers, more conformist and predictable than creative and unpredictable, it is anything but easy to pursue our uniqueness. There are more people who clip our wings than people who help us spread them wide and take flight. At least, that’s how it seems, or maybe somebody wants us to believe that. But it’s not true. Wise and rebellious people still exist ā Ā it is their friendship, their companionship that we should seek. There are countless books that contain invaluable treasures belonging to all of humanity, from the East to the West, from the North to the South.
So, since we come from the stars, from Spirit, it is enough to pause, turn our gaze inward and listen. The Spirit speaks only in Silence, when thoughts are silent. Even if they are not completely silent, it is enough to transcend their chatter: this means not to take them as 100% true, and not even believe that they truly belong to us, and to dive BEHIND them, into the silent and vast inner space that contains them. It is a wonderful experience, the only one that can truly make us taste the unconditional Self beyond the conditioned small self, often gripped by anger and fear. From this Silence inhabited by the Spirit ā which in us is Consciousness ā another wonder arises: unheard-of words, insights, flashes of genius, yes, from our inner genius/daimon/angel, our Heavenās Messenger, just pour onto us, and if from this space we also engage in DOING what feels more natural and easy, a small or great masterpiece may come to light. In any area of human action: painting, writing, craftsmanship, but also comforting a child, caring for a patient, preparing a good meal or a school lesson, cultivating a garden, discovering a new miraculous drug or an unseen constellation, drafting a new ethical law, which helps especially the last amongst the last …
It is urgent to learn the art of inner listening. It is essential to discover who we truly are, and why we are here, NOW.
Our bodies are filled with tension, so before we stop and look within, it is often helpful to reach a certain level of relaxation and serenity. That’s why I practice and teach Qigong and some forms of Taijichuan. Nothing is as beautiful as rediscovering our creative capacity and engaging in a dialogue with our Soul through images. That’s why I accompany small groups of people in my ArteaTime with Panna meetings. It’s what I do and enjoy best!
Now, I’ll add a little haiku that arose from within a few days ago, while lying on my towel at the beach, closely observing the tiny sand avalanches around me. Microscopic collapses that continually changed the shape of the sand. I wish you may let go of everything that weighs you down, so to rediscover your true form, your precious and unique talents, and put them in the service of your own and others’ happiness.
LIKE THE GRAINS OF SAND
THE SOUL WILL REMOLD ITSELF
AFTER EACH COLLAPSE
(The original Italian sounds like this: COME SABBIA/LāANIMA SI RIPLASMA/DOPO OGNI CROLLO)
As a conclusion, here is a link to a beautiful video that shows the changing forms of the Sahara sand… with the musical background of one of Satie’s GymnopĆ©dies…
Sparks of Wonder 