The Illusion of Imperfection

Do you want to know about an idea that causes much pain and upset in the world?  Perfection is just such an idea.  The idea of perfection causes untold misery as countless people all over the world chase after it.  Have you ever suffered because of the idea of perfection?  If so then it may serve you to dive deeply into the idea of perfection and see for yourself what it really is.  Through understanding of perfection you may free yourself from its illusory power over you and your happiness.

What is perfection?  It’s an idea of something without any flaw.  If someone has perfect skin then it must be without blemish or discoloration.  If a dance routine is to be perfect then it must be performed without any mistake.  If a computer program is perfect then it will never crash.  It seems to me that perfection and flawlessness is the same thing.  If something is perfect then it has no flaws.  If there is a flaw in something then it cannot be perfect.  Perfection is the lack of imperfection.  That seems simple enough.

Since perfection exists only in the absence of imperfection…this begs the question: What is imperfection?  Have you ever answered that question before?  Take some time right now and come up with an answer for yourself.  I’ll wait.  Do you have an answer?  Good!  Keep on reading…

So, what is imperfection?  Perhaps you came to the conclusion that imperfection is the lack of perfection!  While that may be an accurate statement, it doesn’t get us to a clear understanding of what imperfection is.  That will just lead us in circles.  My take on imperfection is this: Imperfection is when something in reality doesn’t match your image of how it ought to be.  In your mind you have an image of how things need to be.  A flaw exists in something when it doesn’t match your image of it.  Imperfection exists when your image of reality doesn’t match actual reality.  Let’s look at some examples to make sure we fully understand this.

In your mind, you have an idea of perfect skin.  Perhaps you learned this idea of perfect skin from television or advertisements or from observing beautiful people.  Regardless of how the idea came to be in your mind, you clearly have it.  Your idea of perfect skin may not match someone else’s idea of perfect skin.  No matter.  You still keep your idea of perfect skin and judge yourself and others based on it.  When you get a zit your image of perfect skin is violated.  When you get wrinkles your image of perfect skin is violated.  If you didn’t have the idea of perfect skin then you’d never know when your skin was imperfect.  Isn’t that obvious?

In your mind, you have an idea of the perfect person.  This image of the perfect person has a lot of qualities.  They never steal, lie, argue or sin.  They’re always polite, kind, gentle and thoughtful.  They always say the right thing at the right time.  They never do anything to hurt you or anyone else.  Perhaps you learned this idea of the perfect person from your religion or through the judgments of others on your behavior.  Regardless of how the idea came to be in your mind, you clearly have it.  Your idea of the perfect person may not match someone else’s idea of the perfect person.  No matter.  You still keep your idea of the perfect person and judge yourself and others based on it.  When you act in a way that violates your idea of perfection then you judge yourself.  When someone else acts in a way that violates your idea of perfection then you judge them.  If you didn’t have the idea of the perfect person then you’d never know when you were being imperfect.  Isn’t that obvious?

The fact that your ideas of perfection don’t match everyone else’s should make clear the reality of perfection.  Perfection is an illusion created by belief in The Image of how things ought to be.  You believe that, to be perfect, things must be a certain way.  This belief exists only in your mind – in The Image.  Perfection, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.  What is imperfect for you will be perfect for someone else.  Say that to yourself 1000 times until it sinks in.

How does all this cause suffering and pain?  It does so through judgment.  You judge yourself when you don’t meet your idea of perfection.  You beat yourself up for your flaws.  You judge others when they don’t meet your idea of perfection.  You make them wrong and think negatively about them.  It’s the self-torture caused by the idea of perfection that interests me the most.  Most immediately is the self-torture caused by not meeting your own idea of perfection.  Secondarily is the self-torture caused by not meeting someone else’s idea of perfection.  Both forms of emotional torture are self-induced and based on how you see yourself in relationship to the image of perfection.

In reality there’s no such thing as imperfection.  Imperfection only exists when you compare reality to an ideal state that only exists in The Image.  The wonderful conclusion that comes from this observation is obvious: Perfection is all there is.  When you see something that isn’t perfect, look again…it is only your judgment about it that makes it imperfect.  There is nothing in reality that is imperfect.  There is only your judgment about the world that causes imperfection to exist.

If you find yourself locked in self-torture because of the illusion of imperfection then remind yourself that all you must do is to see clearly.  See clearly that imperfection is an illusion of The Image.  All things are perfect in this moment now.  It cannot be any other way.  See clearly that imperfection is a lie that we’ve told ourselves and we use this lie to torture ourselves with bad feelings.  The moment that you see this clearly for yourself will be the moment that you are finally free to be whoever and whatever you want to be.