Robert Bike, Licensed Massage Therapy, Reiki Master, Biblical Aromatherapy, Remarkable Stories

The 12 Great Virtues

Practice each virtue for one week, on the following schedule:

VIRTUE

The 12 Great Virtues Patience, a Practicality virtue

"Patience is the willingness to await the outworking of natural processes. Patience stresses calmness or composure under suffering or provocation or in performing a demanding task. Impatience with another person arises from lack of tolerance and a selfish peevishness to have one's own way. To fail to take the time to explain to a child or an employee what is to be done and then jump down their throat because the task was not performed as desired is a typical example of impatience. Impatience is a major source of irritability in our world, and much of this is due to desires which cannot be realized realistically." — Richard Kieninger

Patience, which I believe to be the greatest virtue, teaches us to be in control of our thoughts and emotions. How often do you react quickly, then say or do something that you later regret?

In my Tap Into Success program, we strive for balance. We have our spiritual lives, where we are striving for a greater goal; we have our mental lives where we learn to control our thoughts; and we have our practical lives, living in our physical body, learning to interact with other human beings, dealing with our emotions.

We live in a modern, fast-paced society, with instant communication around the world via texting and email. We connect with old friends through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Everything is happening fast and faster. We live with lots of stimulation. Every day we seek urgency in some areas of our lives while needing peace and quiet.

Take more time for yourself. Eat more slowly (actually chew your food rather than gulping it down). Take the time to write out your daily to-do list in a thoughtful manner.

Look at the difficult situations in your life. What is happening to you now? Step back from the situation, witness your ego deal with disappointment, anger and frustration. How much of that do you need? Learn to let go. Patience is enduring during tough circumstances, and persevering when you are provoked or delayed.

Maintain a positive attitude no matter what situation you find yourself in. When someone provokes you, take some time to assess the situation before you react. Be patient. Remember that while you are actively practicing virtues like patience, few others are. In fact, most of the people you interact with every day never think about it.

This week, practice patience. Look at your life, find ways to be more patient, and seek what is good for each other.

The 12 Great Virtues - Kindliness, a Mental Virtue

"Kindliness is the sincere desire never to bring hurt to another. It is consideration of the feelings of others as well as gentleness, sensitive benevolence and sympathy expressed in word and deed." — Richard Kieninger

It's pretty simple: we decide when we will be kind. Why not just be kind to everyone, including animals? Being kind is a conscious act. No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. Decide to be kind.

Look for instances in your life when you are not kind. Do you treat people close to you kindly? Sometimes we may take those close to us for granted, and perhaps are less kind at times.

Always be aware of who you are, and be consistent in your actions. Always be kind. Consciously act in a considerate and humane way. Open doors for people. Go out of your way to help others.

Kindliness is consciously changing your attitude. Look for instances of kindliness in your everyday life. And remember to be kind to yourself.

The 12 Great Virtues - Charity, a Spirituality Virtue

"Charity stresses brotherly love, clemency, leniency, and an interest in the welfare of others to the extent of giving of oneself. It is wholehearted sympathy toward the suffering which man must endure until he begins conscious advancement. Charity precludes criticism of others." – Richard Kieninger

Do you practice charity every week, not just the week we focus on it? If one of your friends called and asked you for help, would you open your wallet, make time, make an effort to help them out? Most likely, you would. What about an acquaintance? What about a stranger?

Charity is giving from the goodness of your heart. To practice charity, first, feel the love in your heart, and let it grow and fill your heart to overflowing. Let others know of the love you feel for them.

"Making a decision usually means taking one of two roads. One is doing the right thing. To take the other road, you have to sit back and spin a story around the decision or action you are taking. If you find yourself thinking up an elaborate justification for what you are doing, you are not doing the right thing." — Wayne Sales

Are you making the right decisions? Are you doing the right things? Or are you spinning stories about why you didn't help a friend, an acquaintance or a stranger?

We practice the 12 Great Virtues so that the virtues become a habit, so that we always do the right thing without thinking, without spinning stories.

Find a way to practice charity, the goodness of giving. Make a difference in someone's life. Meditate on how you feel about charity, serving others selflessly, and how it is changing you.

The 12 Great Virtues - Tolerance, a Practicality Virtue

"Tolerance is the wisdom of not making judgments on fellow men since we can never be sure of their true motivations, trials and personal problems. Criticism of others' beliefs, habits and personalities is unwarranted, self-righteous and inexcusable. The tolerant man does not measure others only by their errors, but rather he asks himself how he would have reacted under identical circumstances. In place of a critical, irritable attitude toward another, which can only add to the cross he must bear, the tolerant man is slow to speak and act lest he detract from his opportunity to spread happiness and peace into the lives of those with whom he comes in contact. To detract from the reputation of another by gossip and hearsay is karmically disastrous." — Richard Kieninger

Did you catch that phrase in Richard Kieninger's description of tolerance, "...opportunity to spread happiness and peace..."? Think about the times you speak too quickly, judge too easily, are critical of others. Think of the opportunities you have every day to spread happiness and peace.

Tolerance is an opportunity to use your personal power wisely.

This week, contemplate tolerance, your opportunities to spread happiness and peace, your use of your personal power, and when to exercise it.

Practice tolerance, and experience it in your daily life.

The 12 Great Virtues - Courage, a Mentality Virtue

"Courage is quite distinct from bravery, which is usually an instinctual response to a perilous situation and implies a lack of fear and bold recklessness. Courage, on the other hand, carefully takes into account the dangers of a situation in advance of action and is the product of reason sustained by marshaling one's powers of moral determination in the face of personal fear. Resolution, tenacity, and determined morale are associated with courage; and it is the noble quality of character which enables one to stand firmly for his convictions in spite of persecution." — Richard Kieninger

Courage is the quality of confronting fear, pain, intimidation, risk, danger, or uncertainty.

You must have courage to live your daily life according to your principles. Every decision you make affects who you are and what defines you.

Courage is simply being yourself in every situation.

Are you living your dream? Do you have the courage to make the changes necessary in your life to start living the way you want to live?

Practice courage this week, and journal your experiences with courage.

The 12 Great Virtues - Forbearance, a Spirituality Virtue

"Forbearance is self-possession and serenity of mind under any provocation and conveys the patient lack of a desire for retaliation. It is the overcoming of revengeful reaction to personal affronts and injuries. The nursing of grudges only breeds bitterness and psychosomatic illness. Forbearance is an attitude of non-resistance and a bending with the situation. Knowledge of karmic law provides the comfort that one's desire for retaliation against an offender is pointless in light of the natural law of action and reaction. The offender will suffer karmically without us engaging in destructive thoughts; thus forbearance breaks the circle of repercussions typical of feuds. Forbearance becomes an exercise in humility; for personal pride and the need to uphold self are common causes of retaliatory instincts." — Richard Kieninger

Forbearance is restraint when you are being provoked and being strong when you are attacked. Forbearance is also practicing patience, self-control, tolerance and courage.

Look at the situations and people in your life this week, contemplate how you can practice forbearance, when you should speak up, and in which situations you should stand up for your ideals.

Project loving thoughts toward everyone, and journal about your experiences.

The 12 Great Virtues - Efficiency, a Practicality Virtue

"Efficiency is the ability to deal effectively with one's environment with a minimum expenditure of energy, time and materials. To become more efficient requires an alert interest in methods and techniques and the acquisition of skills through practice. Attention to organization of details and planning ahead are the mark of the efficient person. Precision is inseparable from efficiency." — Richard Kieninger

Efficiency is completing a task with a minimum expenditure of time and effort.

"Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things." — Peter Drucker

We all have things we plan to do, things we have to do, things that are assigned to us. Do you put those tasks off until you are close to your deadline? Are you organized? Do you have a plan? Are you using a To-Do list?

This week, get organized!!!

When you work efficiently, you finish the things you need to get done, then you have plenty of time to do the things you want to do.

This is a great time to work on procrastination. How can you better organize your life to complete the tasks you must complete with the least effort and in the shortest time?

"Efficiency is intelligent laziness." — David Dunham

How many times do you say that you don't have time to do something? Is there a way to accomplish that with less effort? Or is it a way of saying you don't want to do it?

Certain tasks on your To-Do list may carry over each day. Having a list each day helps you to remember, helps you to organize, helps you to prioritize.

"Whenever there is a hard job to be done, I assign it to a lazy man; he is sure to find an easy way of doing it." — Walter Chrysler

Look at your goals. Put at least one thing from each goal on your daily to-do list. Then do it as efficiently as you can.

Practice efficiency this week and journal about your experiences.

The 12 Great Virtues - Discrimination, a Mentality Virtue

"Discrimination implies the power of discerning the motives of people and their character, and the ability to see the real truths below the apparent surface of situations. To discriminate emphasizes the power to distinguish the excellent and the appropriate; to judge between what is good and what is better; to weigh alternative courses of action in the light of karmic law; and to perceive the fallaciousness of teachings disseminated under the guise of all that is good and beautiful. Intuition is a natural extension of the power of discrimination." — Richard Kieninger

How do we apply this to our lives? When do we settle for less? When do we make choices that delay our goals, delay our progress?

Discrimination is about making correct choices all the time.

Discrimination is the power of making fine distinctions. It is the art of decision-making.

Where are you on your life goals? Are you making the right decisions that help you reach interim goals? When you go on vacation, or take a break from your daily routine, do you go hog wild and do the opposite of the rest of your life? Or do you take the time while on vacation to contemplate what you have accomplished and re-dedicate yourself to doing better? Keep up your practices while on break or on vacation. Make better choices.

We all make mistakes. Constantly. The question is whether you are learning from your mistakes. An expensive mistake? Pay, learn, and move on. Don't dwell on the mistakes you make. Forgive yourself, but don't forget. You don't want to make the same mistake twice.

Congruity is living your life in harmony with your goals. Stay mindful of your goals and ideals. Goals give your subconscious mind a pattern to follow.

Having goals gives you a path to follow. Your ideals and virtues help define your humanity and help you make better choices.

You are 100% responsible for your life now and always. Everything you have done up to now, all your choices, have led you to this point.

Discriminate in your choices. Do only what is best for you in the long run.

Be picky. Set high standards. Don't settle for less when you can have more. Your best life starts with good thoughts. Think good thoughts. Make your thoughts congruous with your virtues and your goals.

Discriminate in what you allow into your mind and into your life, and write to me about your experiences.

The 12 Great Virtues - Devotion, a Spirituality Virtue

"Devotion is the consecration of oneself to an ideal or a cause such as to the service of God. Devotion implies singleness of purpose which supplies an interest so great that serving the object of one's devotion is a joyful, untiring experience. The finer emotions of allegiance, faithfulness, loyalty, steadfastness and reverence are involved in devotion, but to this is added zeal in service due to love of and personal attachment to the object of devotion." — Richard Kieninger

Devotion is ardent, often selfless affection and dedication, to God, to a person, or to a principle.

How devoted are you to your Self? To God? And what is the difference?

The rate of your continual progress is always up to you. How hard are you working on your own success, your own spirituality, your own emotions? Do you tap on yourself every day? Do you practice the virtues daily? Do you keep your goals in front of you every day?

Do you remind yourself every day that you can change the old, self-destructive habits?

Bring your awareness to every thought. Make every decision conscious.

Remember that you have a purpose for your life, and that you are living that purpose.

Be devoted to your goals, to your morality, to the vision of who you want to become, and act on your devotion.

The 12 Great Virtues - Precision, a Practicality Virtue

"Precision involves exactness, accuracy and definiteness as opposed to purposelessness activity, careless work and hazy thinking. Forethought, dependability, punctuality and thoroughness are hallmarks of the precise person. To remain a virtue, however, precision must not become piddling fussiness, or a display of meticulousness which intolerantly compares those of lesser preciseness and strips away all beauty from every situation in order to exhibit precision." — Richard Kieninger

Precision means taking care and attention to do exactly what you planned to do. It means not taking short cuts at the expense of quality. It means not making do with a partial effort when you have not done your best. It means doing it well, on time, on budget, not "close enough."

Precision is being punctual. Not arriving late or fashionably late, but being on time, where you said you'd be, at the right time. And not half an hour early.

Precision is doing things exactly right. Every time.

Precision means saying exactly what you mean, and meaning exactly what you say. If you need to, use a dictionary or thesaurus to find just the right words.

Precision literally means to cut off, meaning that you cut off unnecessary words and unnecessary actions. Do and say precisely what you mean to do and say.

Precision is not compromising your morals, not going against your personal mores. Before the 12 Great Virtues, it was easy to fudge. It is easy to say, "Just this once," when what you mean is "I can do whatever I want without consequences." That is your ego talking. It is time to take charge of your ego and work for your best interest. Cut out that behavior and those thoughts that do not lead to your best interest.

There are times to negotiate and compromise, of course, when you are dealing with other people. But there are times to stand up for exactly what you want.

In relation to your goals, it means using the proper language, stating them in the present, as positive affirmations of who you are, defining exactly where you want to be. Did you spend a few minutes writing a goal, then rarely look at it? Or do you go over it again and again so it states exactly what you want, then review it and rewrite it daily?

Be precise. Cut away the unnecessary. And journal about precision in your life.

The 12 Great Virtues - Sincerity, a Mentality Virtue

"Sincerity conveys the absence of hypocrisy, affectatiousness, sham or deceit. The sincere person is genuine and straightforward in his desire to learn and practice what is right. Conscientiousness and honorable conduct are closely associated with sincerity; but sincerity should be practiced with knowledge of right thoughts and actions because most of the evil and wrong-headed errors brought upon the Earth have been the result of sincere though misinformed persons. The acquisition of the other Virtues is impossible without sincerity and the depth of application it affords." — Richard Kieninger

Sincerity is being honest and forthright in all of your dealings, choosing to seek a balanced state between self-deprecation and boastfulness, admitting your mistakes and your willingness to correct them.

Sincerity is being honest with yourself as well as with others. Are you truly honest with yourself? Do you think you can get away with little lies to yourself? Do you promise to yourself that you will eat better, exercise more, clean more often? Be honest and sincere with yourself.

When you communicate, are you sincere, or do you slant things to your favor? Little white lies are okay sometimes, like when it is hurtful to tell the truth, right? Is intent the most important factor? Communicate sincerely with others, especially those close to you.

Are you sincere and honorable? Do you value your word, your promises, your contracts, and do others value your word? When you make a deal, whether orally, written or on a handshake, do you follow through on your part, no matter what the other party does?

When you say that you will be at a certain place at a certain time, will you be there? Was the intention good enough, or do you actually have to follow through?

Do you consider yourself open and genuine? Do your words match your actions? Are you hypocritical? Do you see when you are being inconsistent?

Act according to your conscience. You do know the difference between right and wrong. In all situations.

Do you trust yourself? Do you believe in yourself? Do you try to appear in public as you think others want to see you, or as you want others to see you, rather than being your sincere self? Do you act differently around different people? Do you act differently around people than you do when you're alone?

Remember that sincerity comes from the heart.

Sincerity in all our actions, alone and with others, defines who we really are.

The 12 Great Virtues - Humility, a Spirituality Virtue

"Humility connotes absence of arrogance, snobbishness, selfishness, pride, boastfulness and self-satisfaction. Humility does not imply weakness; rather it is the result of strength, power and true personal completeness so that one need not feel he must contend for a place in the sun. Similarly, meekness is the absence of wrath, and it stems from a sense of complete control over one's environment. Humility is the awareness of one's own shortcomings in view of the knowledge that Virtue always recedes from one's present standing and that one has far to go to achieve [enlightenment]." — Richard Kieninger

We practice virtues to protect our moral foundation. We correct small variations that our minds and egos create to justify our behavior. Our goal here is to practice the 12 Great Virtues until they become habits, so strong that we never waiver; we always know how to react, how to behave, in every situation.

Look at how your ego leads you astray. Look at ways your mind gets you in trouble. Do you set a goal or put a plan into play, then immediately do something that counter-acts that plan? That is the ego saying that it can do anything it wants. Recognize these situations as they are happening, and change your behavior, change your old habits.

A humble person assumes everyone is their equal, gives others their fair due, leads when leadership is needed, and faithfully follows when all is in order. Do you assume that you are somehow better than others? Do you judge people? We all do. It is in how we judge and how we act that matters.

Be aware this week of your experiences with your ego, practice humility, and journal about your experiences.

Robert Bike

Licensed Massage Therapy #5473
Eugene, Oregon

EFT-CC, EFT-ADV
Emotional Freedom Techniques

Teaching Reiki Master

Life Coach

Ethics Classes for Massage Therapists

The 12 Great Virtues

Practice each virtue for one week, on the following schedule:

The 12 Great Virtues Patience, a Practicality virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Kindliness, a Mental Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Charity, a Spirituality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Tolerance, a Practicality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Forbearance, a Spirituality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Efficiency, a Practicality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Discrimination, a Mentality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Devotion, a Spirituality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Precision, a Practicality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Sincerity, a Mentality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Humility, a Spirituality Virtue

Robert Bike

Licensed Massage Therapy #5473 Eugene, Oregon EFT-CC, EFT-ADV Emotional Freedom Techniques

Teaching Reiki Master

Life Coach

Ethics Classes for Massage Therapists

The 12 Great Virtues

Practice each virtue for one week, on the following schedule:

The 12 Great Virtues Patience, a Practicality virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Kindliness, a Mental Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Charity, a Spirituality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Tolerance, a Practicality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Forbearance, a Spirituality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Efficiency, a Practicality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Discrimination, a Mentality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Devotion, a Spirituality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Precision, a Practicality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Sincerity, a Mentality Virtue

The 12 Great Virtues - Humility, a Spirituality Virtue

Licensed Massage Therapy #5473
Eugene, Oregon

EFT-CC, EFT-ADV
Emotional Freedom Techniques