Imposing ideals and virtues on ourselves if we have no deep understanding of oneself is going to lead to conflict and a poor image of ourselves as we experience the non-achievement of what we rather superficially set out to do. To impose anything without understanding the real root of our motives is going to fail often. The parts we rarely look at or understand are those which drive us at a deep level so any superficial activity of thought and force of will is not going to overcome the 'real' us even though the motive may be honest.
We talk about achieving a virtuous life through effort because we have an image of what we want to become by reading about it, or listening to those in authority, leaders in society etc. Without understanding ourselves to any great depth we impose the ideal and then struggle to achieve those ideals to become virtuous. Often we do not reach the heights we set out to reach and then we become unhappy with ourselves. After many so called 'failures' we start to have a poor image of ourselves even if we still sound confident to others by acting that way socially. Inside us there is conflict; the what is, as opposed to what one actually wants to achieve.
It is the 'what is' that needs to be observed without judgement and be understood. With clarity and understanding of our root desires and wants we can stop being in conflict and struggle by always imposing a supposedly higher ideal and then finding it is impossible to live that way. We seem to be programmed to become something we 'think' we should be rather than understanding what we are.
Listen to yourself, have quiet when the mind is not analysing, see the world as it is not as we would like it to be. Feel the space that exists when the mind is at peace. Find out everything for yourself do not take the word of others.
