On Self-Improvement

Every man

Attempts to be more

Than he is.

 

This is because

Who he believes himself to be

Can understandably

Never be enough.

 

Contentment

Is a forced notion.

 

A man is told

To be happy with who he is.

To be happy with what he has.

 

But what is he?

And what has he?

 

He cannot be happy

With who he is.

 

Because he harbors

Endless deficiencies.

 

He cannot be happy

With what he has.

 

Because he has nothing.

 

What does a man have?

 

He may have money,

Possessions,

Land,

And automobiles.

 

But if such things

Had power,

He would not have yearning.

 

One cannot

Insert a fullstop

By way of principle.

 

The wealthy man

Does not seek more wealth

Because he is in love with money.

 

He seeks more wealth

Because he is in love with Something.

 

Self-improvement

Is thus,

A popular notion.

 

To file the rough edges,

Beautify the skin,

Harden the abdominal musculature,

And temper the emotions . . .

 

The reason that a man

Seeks to improve

Is because he believes

That his troubles

Are the result of insufficient progress.

 

But the improved man

Suffers just as much

As the unimproved one.

 

From the standpoint of suffering,

It matters not if he improves.

And it matters not

If he choses to remain as he is.

 

For the way he is

Cannot in an absolute

And fundamental sense

Be “improved.”

 

He may move to a new home

But he will bring his problems with him.

 

Man is smitten

By the notion of vertical progress.

 

The monks

Are addicted to it also.

 

A higher rank,

A more colorful hat . . .

 

The Truth is,

All forms of progress

Exist solely within,

And serve only,

The domain in which they are manufactured.

 

To progress from priest

To bishop

Has significance

Only within the four walls of the church.

 

It makes no difference

To God.

 

Society spouts its gaseous notions.

The masses inhale them.

 

No matter how much more

One is today

Than he was yesterday . . .

 

Because he has chosen the path of self-improvement,

He will forever be

Less than he otherwise could have been.

 

Namaste.