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“One character weak point after another”: a new lab on OstadElahi-inPractice

one character weak point after another

After two “28 days straight” labs (In Ostad Elahi’s footsteps and One day, one Maxim) OstadElahi inPractice has gone back at the request of numerous users, to its classic 5-phase labs.

The website will soon offer a new lab entitled “One character weak point after another – delving within our unconscious psyche”. As this title suggests, the objective is self-knowledge. Users will be invited to follow a protocol—as is appropriate for students in the medicine of the soul—that will allow them to progressively diagnose their character weak points. Combining theoretical reflection and active practice, this lab helps shed light on ourselves, our unconscious psyche, and our flaws relating to ethical and divine matters. This, in turn, will enable us to learn to control these flaws.

Here is the lab’s short description.

One character weak point after another
Delving within our unconscious psyche

Perfecting one’s humanity requires that we establish a precise diagnosis of our character weak points or flaws relating to ethical and divine matters so as to tame and control them. The reservoir of our character weak points is however located in a zone that seems at first to be out of range of our ordinary self-consciousness, namely, our unconscious psyche. How then can we still attempt to concretely make a diagnosis of our character weak points? This is what we invite you to explore both in theory and practice in this lab using as reference an excerpt from the 2018 edition of La Voie de la Perfection (The Path of Perfection)*. The goal is to allow everyone to methodically organize their process of self-knowledge by combining a theoretical in vitro practice with a concrete in vivo practice in contact with others.

* French edition: La Voie de la Perfection – Introduction à la pensée d’Ostad Elahi, Bahram Elahi, Albin Michel, Paris, 2018.

New features

The launch of this new lab is also an opportunity to announce some new features available on OstadElahi inPractice, in particular regarding its visibility on mobile devices:

  • OstadElahi inPractice now appears in “mobile view” on your smart phone or tablet browser. The lay-out is perfectly adapted to small screens and it is easy and pleasant to take quizzes, participate in surveys, write down exercises, or do your daily evaluations, etc. directly from your mobile device (see screenshots below). Just remember that you will still need an active internet connection to use the site.

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  • The ergonomics of the site have been reappraised to that same end. It is now possible to start a new lab from your smart phone or tablet, instead of your computer. The only features that are not yet available on your smart phone is the possibility to create an account and to access your notepad. This still requires the use of a desktop computer.

  • When you have more than one active lab—the multi-lab feature has been active for several months now—you can switch from one lab to another by simply tapping the menu icon at the top left of your screen and selecting the lab you wish to work on. This icon also links to other available sections of information.

The labs available on OstadElahi inPractice:

Toward an in vivo practice Toward an in vivo practice

What would be the best approach to begin an ethical and spiritual practice? Focusing on one’s thoughts? On concepts? On actions? What method would be most effective? How can one avoid falling into an imaginary practice with only the illusion of progress? In this first open curriculum lab, it will be up to you to progressively define the content of your work by exploring the foundations of an ethical and spiritual practice that is truly adapted to the soul—that is, an in vivo practice.

Connecting with the Divine Connecting with the Divine

What is prayer? What purpose does it serve? What is its role in the process of spiritual perfection? Under what conditions can one best benefit from prayer? This lab aims at helping you better understand the goal, the effects, and the conditions of prayer, and make the practice of prayer a part of your daily life.

Breaking free from backbiting
Breaking free from backbiting

“Are you prone to backbiting?” Our immediate response to this question would certainly leave room for no doubt: “Of course not!” Backbiting seems so obviously unethical that no one would think of themselves as a “backbiter”. Yet, there is no single path to backbiting. No matter how obvious or subtle they may be, experience has shown that we go down such paths much more often than we would like to admit. (…)

Maximes de guidance - OstadElahi inPractice One day, one Maxim – 28 days straight

For those wishing to travel on the road to self-knowledge, it may at times seem more like a maze than a road. How is one to keep moving in the right direction and avoid getting lost? Meditating on principles of wisdom can help us find our way, but there can be no progress unless we put them into practice. How can we then go about combining action and meditation? (…)

vignette Dans les pas d'Ostad Elahi OstadElahi-inPractice In Ostad Elahi’s footsteps – 28 days straight

One day, one saying, and the possibility to deeply reflect on its content and to build upon it in vivo, at the heart of our daily lives. This time, a selection of 40 excerpts from Words of Truth will take us as close as possible to an approach Ostad Elahi vividly embodied in the smallest details of his life. (…)


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14 comments

  1. Elsa May 21, 2019 12:20 pm 1

    Just Awesome! Thank you so much for creating and providing all this new equipment to help us practice and progress. Technology at its best!

  2. Frey May 21, 2019 1:16 pm 2

    Your efforts are admirable and absolutely useful. Thanks

  3. Yan May 22, 2019 3:01 pm 3

    After reading this post, I went to my old labs and reviewed my past notes. I realized how much my practice used to be more productive and in-vivo when I was using OstadElahi-inPractice labs. I cannot wait to start the new lab. Thanks for providing all this. Having all this technology at our finger tips (articles, labs, videos, lectures, etc.), I guess, I have no excuse when I go the other world, if I have not used them properly in order to make myself a better human being.

  4. Peter May 22, 2019 7:43 pm 4

    It seems so fantastic. I am very keen to start it.

  5. Ashkan May 24, 2019 4:27 pm 5

    The new lab covers such a foundational step in the practice of natural spirituality! It will definitely improve the quality of my journal entries! Thank you so much.

  6. Naghme May 30, 2019 3:22 am 6

    Awesome, and thank you for a new lab to help us diagnose our weak points and for the measuring tools for scales and assessments and the multi-lab feature.

  7. Mahnaz Jun 03, 2019 4:12 pm 7

    It’s going to be a review and very helpful. Thank you so much.

  8. adissam Jun 04, 2019 4:15 pm 8

    I’ve done this lab in French. I’ve noticed that the effort of putting in detailed answers immediately helped me avoid missing deadlines, in particular between phase 3 and 4 of the lab (diagnostic phase to action).

  9. Yan Jul 04, 2019 5:20 pm 9

    Good news! The new lab just launched. I finished phase one! I’m loving it.

    I’m so happy that this lab includes some content from the new edition of the Path of Perfection, translated to English, elaborating the diagrams of the self and their application in our daily life. Last year a very useful article was published on this website “Diagrams of the self and their effect in practice” which discussed this topic. I found it appropriate and helpful to re-read this article once again while doing this lab.

  10. fnm Aug 23, 2019 9:30 am 10

    Incredible, and amazing. I appreciate this lab so much. This is the first time ever in my life that I’m actually diagnosing my weakness systematically and as a result having a more focused and precise exercise to confront it. This lab is my absolute favorite.

  11. B Jun 28, 2020 3:35 pm 11

    Hello,

    Has anyone made a complete list of the possible character weak points possible in a human being? If possible could you share it?

    Thanks

    1. neuro Jul 03, 2020 1:20 pm 11.1

      Here is a list I found on OstadElahi-InPractice.com: from the lab “One character weak point after another”

      “The basic character weak points or flaws are egoism, pride, anger, concupiscence, ingratitude, and credulity. When combined with each other, they give rise to myriads of other weak points whose activity produces the imperious self within us.

      Among the numerous character weak points that can be present in each of us, the most harmful are lack of willpower, arrogance in relation to the Truth and real living divine truths, hardheartedness, brutality, and the tendency to oppress others. Other prevalent weak points are covetousness, anger, malevolent jealousy, lack of generosity, ingratitude, exclusive egoism, stinginess or its opposite, compulsive spending, backbiting, unjustified lying, deceitfulness, failing to honor one’s word, lack of common sense…”

      1. neuro Jul 03, 2020 1:22 pm 11.1.1

        And a list of character points (weak and strong points) taken from this website:

        https://www.e-ostadelahi.com/eoe-en/a-journey-to-self-discovery/

        Courage, empathy, jealousy, selfishness, willpower, self-control, common sense, greed, pessimism, reserve, aggressiveness, dynamism, sincerity, sensitivity, dishonesty with oneself, naivety, scheming, boastfulness, patience, addiction, tolerance, laziness, neurosis, kindness, faith, dignity, individualism, miserliness, trustworthiness, slander, dishonesty, grudge, honesty, egocentrism, mockery, pushiness, introversion, perseverance, nosiness, cheerfulness, kindness, compassion, envy, flexibility, authoritarianism, touchiness, generosity, recognition, autonomy, earnestness, deviousness, sociability, stability of mood or moodiness, intelligence, attention to others, hospitality, self-denial, lack of willpower, lust, love of power, indulgence, suggestibility, show-off, discretion, open-mindedness, cowardice, respect of others, organisational skills…

    2. neuro Jul 03, 2020 1:43 pm 11.2

      There is also a great list in Chapter 13 of the latest book published in French by Dr. Elahi (Fondamentaux du perfectionnement spirituel : le guide pratique). A draft translation of this chapter is available on http://www.ostadelahi-indepth.com under the resources tab.

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