The Nobility Of Human Perfection

On a summer night in 1953, a crescent moon sits haphazardly reflected by a gentle current which laps the shores of the Cote d’Azur. Sitting witness to this marvelous spectacle are Jack Kennedy and Swedish aristocrat, Gunilla Von Post. While peering into the opaque depths of the Mediterranean, Jack Kennedy says to Gunilla Von Post, “I fell in love with you tonight. But years ago, I fell in love with Grace Kelly the moment I laid my eyes on her.”

The understated elegance of Grace Kelly.

The divine beauty of Norma Shearer.

The angelic voice of Jennifer Hudson.

Gloria von Thurn und Taxis’s masterful restoration of The Palace At Regensburg, a place with a rich and storied history, not the least of which is its representing the place where Benedictine Monks came in the 8th Century to build a tomb for the holy abbot.

The genius of Manolo Blahnik, the first and last names complementing each other perfectly. Great human beings are by definition contrarian, and Mr. Blahnik is no exception. Being as he is a man by biologic birth, but admitting a profound metamorphosis into the world’s elite shoe designer.

The brilliant and cultured eye of Andre Leon Talley. If luxury is indeed in the maintenance, then Mr. Talley does not disappoint. His understanding of people is renowned and it is for this reason that he is appreciated, if not coveted, by the eclectic swathe of people that befriend him. Such men are easy to admire.

The wholly inspiring words of Diane Von Furstenberg’s mother who was a member of the Belgian resistance and an Auschwitz survivor. She said to her daughter, Diane, who was born on New Year’s Eve, “God saved me so that I can give you life. And by giving you life, you gave my life back to me.”

And dare I mention the Jan 2007 cover of Vogue, Anna Wintour’s masterpiece, influenced no doubt by the preternaturally talented Grace Coddington whose extravagantly romantic ideals infuse every page of this iconic masterpiece of world fashion.

I’ve yet to have the pleasure of meeting Madame Wintour, but I will state quite readily that any person whose sensibilities flow toward uncompromising perfection will not be understood by the world. Such people are the rare jewels of humanity and must be celebrated rather than questioned.

As I have just limned, perfection is present within the details of every human being. And it is present in the way that nature presents herself, naked and fierce without the slightest hesitation or apology.

Yet it is often remarked, and correctly so, that man is not perfect.

If man contains perfection within him, why is it that he is not perfect?

I will state resolutely at this juncture that this discourse is Not an attempt to provide excuses to explain away the apparent imperfection of man.

For the status quo is something I have quite rigorously rejected throughout my life and career.

Rather, the question that I’m posing is an invitation to step foot onto the path toward Human Perfection.

You will most assuredly hear from those whom I have the pleasure to counsel that if there is a central tenet to my guidance of them it lies in abandoning the notion of “compromise.”

You see, the concept of “compromise” arises in things about which one is not passionate. But what purpose can “compromise” possibly serve in that which is at the very essence of a human life?

Shall a man “compromise” his Freedom?

Shall he “compromise” his right of Will?

Shall he “compromise” his state of Peace?

Shall he “compromise” on the quality of his Art?

Shall he “compromise” his right to attain Human Perfection?

The first three or four will, without a doubt, engender full support.

The final one, however, will perhaps raise a brow, at least for some. For it collides with the murky dimension of personal belief systems.

The world has always taught us that “no one is perfect.” We have upon numerous occasions proclaimed, with almost a tinge of pride, that “I am not perfect.”

Further, the very notion of perfection is saturated with awkward connotations such as up-tight, critical, demanding, and zealotry.

There is great behavioral evidence for us to confidently claim that “we are not perfect.” But that is not the question that I’m exploring.

The question is not, “Have you behaved perfectly?” To which the answer is a resounding, No.

The question is, “What precisely would your daily existence feel like if you entered into a journey to attain Human Perfection?”

One of man’s greatest treasures is also his greatest downfall. And that is his skill of Adaptability. He can adapt to a life of freedom. And he can adapt to a life of imprisonment.

And that which he is exposed to most often, he becomes.

Thus, we naturally consider ourselves as flawed human beings because flaws have been a part of our daily experience for as long as we can remember. As a result, any and all ideas to the contrary are immediately met with skepticism.

But perhaps if we learned from whence such flaws arose, we might learn to see through fresh eyes.

Perhaps if we learned that the flaws in our behavior and our outlook are not intrinsic to our humanity, a new possibility would instantly appear before us.

Shall I provide you with a glimpse into this new possibility?

Shall I share with you an insight to which only a handful of human beings in the history of human civilization have ever been privy to?

I will do so, and I will do it without fanfare. I will speak the truth, stark and unadorned.

For this is one of the things that informs my decision of accepting only a small fraction of the consultation requests that come my way.

They, in each and every instance, are taken aback at my polite and respectful refusal of their query. And this is understandable for people who have reached such a publicly celebrated and rarefied station in the world.

People who are in the public eye, and can have anything they want in the world are not accustomed to being denied.

But this is the journey for the Rare Few who walk among us.

It is a journey for the man or woman who seeks to Sincerely Attain, despite all the fame and riches, that which has always eluded them.

It is a journey for the human being who wishes to hold the entirety of his life in the palm of his hand.

I will now share with you a glimpse of The Great Truths. I will not attempt to convince you. Nor will I harbor a shred of hope that you will keep an open mind. For that is entirely up to you.

For this, my dear friend, is not a matter of the wayward mind.

It is a matter of the Human Heart.

Here it is:

The reason that man lives with flaws . . .

The reason that he experiences constant imperfection . . .

The reason that he lives a roller coaster existence filled with happiness followed by misery . . .

The reason that he rarely is able piece together two consecutive days of Complete Peace . . .

The reason that he knows not Equanimity . . .

The reason that he lives in a state of endless minor Conflicts . . .

The reason that his existence is punctuated by jerky Starts and Stops . . .

The reason that he does not create a Masterpiece with every Attempt . . .

The reason that he has not attained Human Perfection . . .

. . . is because he lives As his mind, instead of With his mind!

You have always been told that the mind can move mountains. And what you have been told is true.

But oh how the errors of omission hobble a human being.

What has been omitted is the one insight without which the mind cannot move a snow pea, much less a mountain.

And that is this: In order to have the mind move mountains for you, you must first learn to make it your pet. You must learn to contain it under your thumb.

And once this is done you are in for a grand surprise. Your life undergoes a cataclysmic transformation.

You suddenly no longer see things through the prism of the mind. You see things as they are.

In high definition. And complete clarity. You see the deep red of the roses. And you notice the almost imperceptible movement of the clouds.

You instantly understand the heart of the one you’re speaking to. And you can often read his thoughts. And mark my words, they will be stunned by your ability to see into them.

Once the mind no longer has control over you, you become Free. For make no mistake. True Freedom is not freedom Of mind, but freedom From mind.

As I state in my book, Atmamun: The Path To Experiencing The Bliss Of The Himalayan Swamis. And The Freedom Of A Living God ( http://amzn.to/2b1gp6w ), the path to human perfection is your noble birthright.

While there is indeed a nobility that is bestowed by family lineage, there is also one which is bestowed by the divine hand of nature.

Thus it can be stated with complete confidence that it is not a question of whether human beings should attempt to become more than they are.

Rather, they must become that which they were created to be.

They must not search for new treasures in the desert.

Rather, they must reclaim the treasures they have lost.

They must not set off to conquer new lands.

Rather, they must understand the one and only thing that their heart has forever longed for is to Return Home.

To err may may be human.

But the journey toward Human Perfection is divine.