Pir Zia has been giving these online talks this month on Volume III: The Art of Personality. That’s 4 Thursday night talks, to be continued in Oct. He covers lots of topics with insight and understanding: will-power, self-control, relationships and many others.
There is also an underlying perspective that I find quite hard to catch. What is The Art of Personality really? My first thought is about people who have a truly beautiful personality, kind and lively and charismatic. Or perhaps it’s more about being nice. Or about character development, a major section of the book, and that might focus more on moral culture: honesty and reliability and fairness.
So is the Art of Personality the same as Self Improvement , which usually starts with more attention to diet and exercise and meditation? Or maybe, becoming a better person, when a person tries to live up to their ideals? Or is it a part of Creating One’s Own Life?
I’m sure all these things are related, and that we all give them a lot of attention. So here’s my other question: how is all this related to the spiritual path? Aren’t we trying to forget the self, sometimes even annihilate the self, in our awareness of the One? How does the Art of Personality fit it?
Bawa addresses that right away in his talks, in terms of moving from being an individual to being a person:
. . “People are everywhere to be found, but where is one to find a human being? Individuality is a given, says Hazrat Inayat Khan, but personality must be discovered and created. In a realized personality, the soul expresses its divine inheritance through its thoughts, words, and actions. Hazrat Inayat Khan explains, ‘Personality is the development of individuality, and in personality, which is formed by character-building, is born that spirit which is the rebirth of the soul.’ Character building is described as the very substance of Sufism.”
A talk by Pir Vilayat, on the Art of Personality, is available online, and he also focuses on this question, especially in terms of fulfilling our divine potential. We are all imbued with Divine Qualities and we are called to develop them as best we can. This is our way of creating “a beautiful world of beautiful people.” Don’t worry about missing out, there’s plenty to be done.
Still, attention to the Art of Personality brings with it an entire approach to the Purpose of Life, and that’s what I’d like to explore.
I know many of you have contemplated these questions, and it would be great to hear your comments.
Lots of blessings to you all,
-Jami Klein
Washington, DC
Some Details : Pir Zia’s talks are available live and also archived, from the home page of inayatiorder.org The cost is $50 for the 4 talks, and there’s an option for free tickets if you wish.
Pir Zia’s talks use the new Centennial Edition of Volume III, which includes his introduction and also questions and answers. An excellent older edition is available for free online. It contains the half of the volume that he is using this month, but not the material that he will use in the fall. See wahiduddin.net - message of Hazrat Inayat Khan - index of texts - Volume III - Part III on The Art of Personality, and Character Building.
Pir Vilayat’s talks are now available at pirvilayatlegacy.net It’s easy to stream them. The titles of the talks are nicely organized and right on the home page, so you can find Art of Personality. No cost.