Quotes That Matter – Week 2

By Paul Dunion | July 9, 2019

This week’s quote is from Sheldon Kopp. “I no longer hope to achieve good character, so long as that implies in any way that my Buddhahood is not already at hand. My aim is not improve my Self but only to know it all more clearly and to learn to celebrate all that I am.” Kopp is saying that he refuses to have his interest in personal development suggest that he is now unacceptable. He is advocating a radical paradigm shift, where improvement is not the driving force of growth and development.

Kopp is making a large offering; namely, all growth is driven by paradox. He sees self-awareness and appreciation for who he is as the beginning place for all development. He is placing the weight of human potential on awareness of self and celebration of that self. We can say that he is suggesting that the truth about ourselves accompanied by compassion is the major catalyst for growth. Change is defined as suspending a resistance to know ourselves and letting go of disdain and shame for what we know.

Kopp is advocating for an interruption of striving for improvement. Therapy, workshops, trainings and seminars are considered tools helping us to get closer to ourselves and not ways to improve.

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