Individuality

"By Natures law, no two things are alike, each possess the qualities another needs to survive, individuality will be respected ans nurtured."

 Individuality; The sum of the characteristics that set one person or thing apart. This is the very existence of the individual and the marrow of the species. Ones' individuality must be allowed to flourish, be protected and respected.

  Due to our individuality, it is impossible to project exactly what will be required to allow each person to find their personal balance. What works for one may not be suited for another and each must find their own path. Do not try to be like another when seeking your personal balance. Although some things that work for others may help you, remember that you are an individual. Try to be something that you are not and you will fail to discover happiness and personal balance. This is an accepted reality within the Dak~Tien culture. Our inner being, our soul and spirit are as different from another as our physical characteristics and appearances.

Physical Appearance:

  This brings us to the very touchy subject of physical appearances. Many complain that they are unsatisfied with how they are. How many times do we hear this; "I do not like how I look, or I am ashamed of how I look, I do not have the body I use to have and I do not understand why my mate does not look at me like they use to."? These are comments that are commonly heard comming from the individuals own lips which makes it very clear that this person is not satisfied with themselves. Again we find ourselves back at the foundation of personal balance (understand and accept our limitations and who we are).

  Today within our modern society we are blessed (Or cursed depending on the situation) with the ability to look back and see ourselves as we were in years past (A Picture says a thousand words). The majority of the times when a person is disatisfied with their appearance today, they were just as disatisfied in the past (They were to tall, to short, wanted blue eyes when they had brown eyes, skinny or large and the list goes on.). If this is the case then all one has to do is look at the pictures and determine if the root of their disatisfaction is a genetic, medical and or inherited problem, which will have to be understood and accepted with little chance of change. If in the grammer or high school pictures one is skinny and tall the chances are that today this adult will be thin and tall. If the pictures show a large built child the chances are the adutl will also be large. These are the characteristics that were determined by Nature through genetics and are inheirited and should be accepted as a quality of who you are.

  If the pictures of the past show an average size or skinny child and the reflection of the adult in the mirror today is one of a very large person, there may be a problem of self control and or neglect (Neglect in not maintaining the balance of needs for the body). If at seventeen years of age you were thirty (30) pounds lighter or heavier than today, chances are you did this to yourself by allowing the body to fall out of its' Natural balance. The reasons you allowed this to happen only you know, but the fact is, you are the way you are because you allowed yourself to get this way. Once any medical, genetic or inherited reasons are eliminated for the reasons of your present appearance there is only one cause left, your neglect to maintain balance with regards to your body! Saying that you are ashamed of your appearance will not change this. Whinning that your mate is no longer attracted to you will not change this. To balance ones' self physically they must stop feeling sorry for themselves and admit that there is a problem for which they, alone are responsible for causing. Once this is done the next thing is to ask ones' self just how did I allow this to happen. Do not look for excuses, there are none, look for the reasons. There may be stress, depression or anxiety that contributed to your self neglect (Reasons, not excuses). Understanding the reasons as the contributing factors (Not the excuse) will allow you to correct the problem of self neglect. (No one believes that a person will purposely sit at the table and consume more food than three people can eat without knowing the effects.) Contributing factors be the may influence, but the choice to consume more than the body needs is the individuals. Here is the key.......... "NEED".

  A person that wieghs 150 pounds will require certain needs to maintain the body in balance. If those needs are met (nourishment, rest and exercise) the body will remain pretty much the same. If the same person chooses to consume the same amount of food into thier mouth as a 300 pound person would, obviously there is a problem and something will have to give. The majority of times (9 out of 10 times) if someone is way overwieght it is because they choose to cram too much and the wrong food into their mouths.

  If this is how you choose to be and you are satisfied with who you are, then you have found your balance. If not, and you are ashamed, disgusted, or just plain fed up with your physical appearance, then there is a problem and only you can solve it. Remember that if you do not like yourself, if you are not satisfied with who you are, then how could you possibly expect anyone else to feel any different? 

  Once we understand our Qualities and limitations, allow our curiosity to expand (The majority of which is seeking knowledge, how things work, why they work,why this is like it is and why I am who I am?) and if we put all this into play, are we now in balance? Probably not, but we are closer.