Does our self-talk reveal something about our spirituality?

Question

“What is this self inside us, this silent observer,
Severe and speechless critic, who can terrorize us,
And urge us on to futile activity,
And in the end, judge us still more severely,
For the errors into which his own reproaches drove us?”-- T. S. Eliot

Self-acceptance is my refusal to be in an adversarial relationship to myself." -- Nathaniel Branden


Agree? Disagree? Why or why not?

Answer 1

I agree. Self-acceptance refers to an individual's satisfaction or happiness with himself, and is thought to be necessary for good mental health. Self-acceptance involves self-understanding, a realistic, albeit subjective, awareness of one's strengths and weaknesses. It results in an individual's feeling about himself that he is of "unique worth".

In clinical psychology and positive psychology, self-acceptance is considered the prerequisite for change to occur. It can be achieved by stopping criticizing and solving the defects of one's self, and then accepting them to be existing within one's self. That is, tolerating one’s self to be imperfect in some parts.

Answer 2

LOLOL! I shouldn't laugh and I'm certainly not laughing at YOU... I'm laughing because your problem demonstrates the difficulties that lie inherently within the topic itself so perfectly! Everything that you have read and been told is basically truth in it's own way. Let me break it down. Gerald Garnder founded the religion of Wicca in the 1940s or thereabouts. He CLAIMED that Wicca was Witchcraft and taught that Wicca and Witchcraft were basically one and the same. To this day, some Wiccans still use the terms interchangeably. Witchcraft, the craft, has been practiced for thousands of years (that's before Wicca was ever founded) but it's not until recently that witches have started actually calling their own craft "witchcraft" and it's not until the last couple of decades that modern witches have started to differentiate the terms Wicca and witchcraft. That's why people often have to define these words each time they meet a new person before they can converse intelligently about the topic with them. Most modern witches now aknowledge that they are two different things, but some people (especially traditionalist Wiccans) are stuck on Gardner's assertation that they're the same. It's no wonder you're confused if some of the most experienced Wiccans and witches still have to debate the meanings of these words before being able to have a conversation. Being Wiccan doesn't excuse you from the human condition. Living by "harm none" is an ideal, but just as Christians can be jerks, so can Wiccans. Not sure why you'd be looked down on by the Lord and Lady of Wicca... that one surprises me, a little bit, but most Wiccans that I know would argue that that is poppycock and that the Lord and Lady don't give a hoot if you worship other deities besides Them... it's just that the religion of Wicca doesn't really teach about other deities and view their Gods as sort of universalistic... that They represent ALL gods. Combining the two belief systems is possible, but very difficult, rare and highly controversial. Don't let others jerky behavior sway what you feel in your heart. Best of luck and blesings, -Scarlet

Answer 3

T.S. Eliot. Another poet whose worst critic was itself. Of course, I agree wholeheartedly with the quotes.

As for the question you ask ~ self talk reveals nothing to others.... and self reflection reveals pain to poets. It rarely helps... which is implied by Brandon's quote.

Answer 4

I like being my own adversary, a little self critisism is healthy too much is destructive, so always questionb your own motives and actions before acting upon your ideas and notions.

Answer 5

I'm pretty tall, right, and most people are intimidated to really whip me into shape. If it's gotta be done right, you gotta do it yourself. I forgive myself some things, but... I'll never go to the bar without putting on a condom first AGAIN....

Answer 6

I agree with the first one. The voice in my head drives me crazy. I take medication to shut that little voice up. It questions everything, obsesses over everything, criticizes everything. I hate it.

Answer 7

I agree.

I know from which I speak, self hatred led to 13 years of bourbon and one night stands.

Answer 8

Completely agree as those who accept themselves understand the God/s desire for us to be truly FREE....

Answer 9

I don't know about spirituality, but our internal dialogues can certainly reveal something about our psychology.

Answer 10

I dont listen to myself any more....
I never agree with myself

((((((((Kallan)))))))))
we are our own best judge , analyser , critic ... and yes we should listen to that quiet little voice xx