Self-Examination

by

Joseph Dismore

There are times in a persons life where they come to a crossroads. Often
these crossroads have been viewed with anxiousness, worry, and sometimes fear.
Why would a person feel anxious about coming to a crossroad in life, or feel
fear of having more possibilities to choose from as they ponder their course in
the midst of the crossroads? For the basic reason that often the decision that
a person makes at a crossroads means change, and with change comes uncertainty.

In my personal Alternative Path of Spirituality I have come to a crossroads.
To me this time of Self-Examination in the midst of the crossroads has had some
anxiousness, but also a sense of Appreciation. I have come, and still am
Journeying in the direction that I freely, and knowingly choose. This Freedom
to choose the form, study, practice, and actions of my course gives me reason to
feel Appreciation.

I Appreciate those individuals, those persons, those Journeyers themselves in
the Path of Life for helping to open the sense of what the Freedom To Choose
means to me. I have grown to Appreciate the Alternative Spiritual Path by the
example of others who have Walked the Path, and those who still do Walk the
Path. When a person by example, or by their writtings, or their teachings,
opens up the vast frontier of The Freedom to Imagine, to Think, and to Act for
Ourselves, truly this person has helped us discover a special Gift that we all
desire to obtain.

The ability to be aware that our own Imagination, our own Likes, and our own
Preferences, as well as, Our Own Self-Knowledge, and the Discovery of some of
the lessons this world called Earth is able to teach us, this indeed is one of
the most beneficial aspects to Personal Growth, that I personally believe can
be developed in a person. But far too often people seek Freedom for themselves,
but they themself are not willing to extend this Freedom to others. To be truly
Free we must allow others to have and to share these same Freedoms as ourselves.

One of the greatest Gifts of Self-Examination is often feared, this Gift is
Change. When I as a person have felt so inclined to be decisive in my thought,
my word, my deed, and then I feel as if I am not, or as if I was not being True
to Myself in a given situation, this is when I must re-examine myself closely.
Change can be beneficial, Change keeps rivers flowing and blood pumping through
the body, without this movement, this Change we would die, and without the
rivers flowing to purge out the old stagnant materials, the river soon becomes
clogged in myrh. We must have Courage and Fortitude to grasp the times of our
Change and direct the Blind Bull in the direction of our choice. Yes, we can
take suggestions, and council from trusted advisors, but in the end, it is us
who must be honest with ourselvs about the Change we chose to make.

Self-Determination is often called Selfishness, yet if we are constantly
stripping our thoughts, our words, or our deeds to fit the Image someone else
has of us, we lose that Sense of Self that makes us Uniquely Us. We as a living
person have an Ego to help us be aware of our needs, our desires, our own
personal safety, in order that we may fully manifest Our True-Wills. If we do
not Govern Ourselves we are as slaves to the masses and this makes us pine away
without truly ever coming to Discover Our True-Will, or ever Fulfilling It.

The most accurate picture I could paint about Self-Examination in my case is
that it brought, and is still bringing to my Knowledge that Ultimately I am the
person who will have to answer for my own Thoughts, Words, and Actions, and not
to a Judge, or Jury , or Overseeing Deity, but to Myself. This to me leaves the
Responsibility solely in its proper place, with Me. I have also discovered the
Journey has been, and still is very exhilerating.

Respectfully,

HP Helel (Joseph)