The idea of building a self image

As someone who comes from a spiritual background, for me the concept of self image doesn’t hold much form or substance.

We are essentially formless, shapeless spirits with total and complete freedom from all the worldly bondages. The feeling is liberating and energizing.

That’s cool and all, but we have to snap back to the world of forms images and materialism, and in here the idea of self image , personality and role model seems to play a vital role for our success and happiness.

Whenever I think of any successful person, what comes to mind is an ‘image’ around which the personality revolves around.

Take for example, the image of Albert Einstein. He has distinct characteristics and attributes attached to him that gives him a certain form and shape, that gives both himself and us an idea of who he is . Judging by those attributes he becomes a subject of our admiration, and at the same time he might be a subject to his own admiration.

As a spirituality practitioner, I made the mistake of ‘going with the flow’, and letting my inner instincts and impulses guide my outward self image.

But I am beginning to think, that this might be a mistake.

It all started when I began taking care of my communication skills, and realized that I am actually not so good at it, and I display a certain kind of image from my ‘ungroomed’ communication skills.

The thing about images, is that we cannot not have it. Even if we don’t care about our image, we still have a certain image.

May be, instead of completely rejecting the idea of images and appearances as materialistic, may be it’s time to embrace them not as one’s core identity, but as a goal that one could strive towards.

It’s time to move from, — Samir the formless, shapeless, being (which in actuality is my essential nature), to Samir the expert doctor who treats people, Samir the artist, Samir the entertainer, Samir the philosopher.

Then visualize myself fulfilling those images.

These images can be used as arbitrary points that one could strive towards into becoming something greater than one currently is right now.

As you work towards these ‘images’, you can feel satisfaction and happiness.

It’s not the kind of happiness you get when you buy a house or a car, but the kind of happiness when you realize that the journey has made you a better person. Believe me, it’s one of the best feelings ever.