Dear Brothers and Sisters,

“How do you improve your self?” Is this a philosophical question or cosmestic question?

If I am a Channel sales rep, I will take the question as a chance to make some sale – perfumes, lipsticks, mascaras, purses, belts, trendy clothes… “We help you improve your self” is my sale slogan. And your self is a moving exhibition cart for my fashion products.

Well, obviously we don’t want to talk about that self. We talk about you real self – the essential you, the essence of you, the spiritual you, your soul.

How do you improve your spirit, your soul, your inner self?

Not that I have anything against Channel, but probably you all agree with me that more people going into Channel and other fashion shops than people who sit quietly to observe (quán) their soul.

Most people don’t realize that they even have a thing called spirit, or soul, or inner self.

Nonetheless, when you ask anyone: “Is your outside appearance or your inner self more important to you?” Everyone will answer: “Of course, my inner self is more important to me.”

So, you see the problem? Everyone knows what is most important to them. But they spend most of their time on the less important things and probably no time on the most important thing?

Why is that?

That is human, man. People know that their soul is most impotant to them, but they never take care of the soul. They take care of all other less important things, but rarely spend time for their soul.

Why is that?

I have to say: Because people are ignorant, using Buddhist terminology. They are điên đảo mộng tưởng (insane and turning every thing upside down as in dreams) (Bát Nhã Tâm Kinh – The Heart Sutra).

So, I feel like a mendicant monk with an alms bowl, who keeps reminding people to focus on their essence, in exchange for whatever they put into my bowl.

So, brothers and sisters, what do you do to improve your inner self?

First, your inner self is most important to you, so you need to spend more time, a lot of time, to tend to it.

Second, take a look at your inner self and ask: “How does my soul look? Like an angel? Or more like the devil?”

That’s all you have to do, and you soul will know exactly what it has to do to improve itself.

Easy and simple. Spend more time and look at your soul, the essence of your self. And the self will know what to do to improve it.

Wish we all know self-improvement.

With compassion,

Hoành

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