There are some spiritual leaders that tell us the only thing we lose upon death is our body, and that our soul, complete with core personality remains or travels to another realm, energy level or whatever they happen to believe. The fascinating thing to me is this idea of soul = energy and that this energy could contain your core individuality. This core individuality then being the ultimate difference between you and anyone else.

So, if we are all pieces of energy(like drops of water from the ocean), and we all live as humans (the drop from the ocean) and then our bodies die but energy lives (drop goes back to ocean) then how does this individuality I speak of fit in? Well, I imagine in the same way it does in the human experience ie: if your a pain in the ass, then you probably remain one in whatever realm (part of the ocean) you end up in. So, many people imagine the post-death experience being one of “heavenly joy” and endless abundance, prancing ponies and butterflies, while it could be just like it is now, except you don’t have a physical body with 5 senses.    The complainers would still complain, those that inspire would still inspire and so on with all human attributes.

The reason I am using up screen space on this is because I think there is alot to be said about how our personalities, down to the smallest grains, effect what we work on.  For example, you can have a project with a few people you are working on, where everyone agrees on pretty much everything, but one oppositional personality almost ruins it.  How could that happen?

What is the essence of cooperation?  To me, it is the ability to understand and accept the individual traits of all members of a working group and still accomplish a goal.  You don’t need to like everyone you are working with, you do need to do your best to understand their perspective, accept them for who they are and then move forward without getting caught up in the differences.  In the school I taught in, this was something they taught the children starting at a very young age, even to the point where you would hear 3rd graders working out their issues without fighting and then ending with a hug or handshake.  If only as adults we could do as good.

So, when in a group where the personalities begin to clash, look at yourself first and make sure you are not just reacting to something in a way that is unhelpful, and then look at the others in the group with fresh eyes.  See how despite any apparent differences, the whole group is still moving forward and making something happen.  Then you are really accomplishing something, perilious personality traits or not.