A teacher once told me that you need an overall strategy to be able to teach. The strategy was to have a Concept, Tactics, and an Operational Vehicle.
In this instance, the concept would be building character, the tactics would be aligning yourself with those who have those characteristics you want to emulate. The operational vehicle would be reading, praying and meditating.
So how does one build character? Depending on what characteristics you are looking to build, you would associate yourself with those who have the ones you want. I don’t just mean to physically associate yourself with someone; you can also align yourself with someone by reading his or her writings.
What are the characteristics that one would want to have to live a life that is filled with Peace, Joy, compassion, intelligence, creativity and wisdom?
It is the characteristics of Abraham, Jesus of Nazareth, Isaiah the Prophet, The Buddha, Krishna, Rama, Mary, Mother of Jesus, Shirdi Sai Baba, Mother Anandamayi Ma, Srila Prabhupada, Hazrat Babajan. These are prophets, saints and incarnations of God that held the main principle that formed their characteristics: God First.
I know you’re saying “But these are saints, sages and incarnations. I am none of these!” But to embrace all that God wants us to be, and those characteristics of honesty, devotion, loyalty, loving kindness, compassion, purity, selflessness, charitable, integrity and much more, we are to align ourselves as much as we are able to at this time, where we are right now. Do the best you can…now. Man up!
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