Acceptance

The first value I chose to focus on is Acceptance. This will be the first post of eleven containing each of the values mentioned in the July Flying By Post and therefore the content and format may update as I develop the process of recording my activities and thoughts into posts so bear with me!

Formal Definition

the act of taking or receiving something offered.
favorable reception; approval; favor.
the act of assenting or believing:
acceptance of a theory.
the fact or state of being accepted or acceptable.
acceptation (def. 1).

Origin

Latin word acceptionem or acceptio

Definition of acceptio:
I receive, accept

Beatius est magis dare quam accipere.
It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Origin of Acceptio:
ad- (“towards”) +‎ capiō (“I take”)

Origin of Capio
From Proto-Italic *kapjō, from Proto-Indo-European *kh₂pyéti, from the root *keh₂p- (“to seize, grab”).

Personal Definition

Acceptance is more than taking a material object from a person, it involves going beyond and accepting ideas, people, and energies from the environment around you. It is also not simply mindless acceptance of every sense or feeling that comes your way. It is purposeful acceptance of all the things that build you up, progress you towards your goals as well as lead to your growth and development. It is an action that can be developed like anything else and as one consciously works to be more accepting it gets easier and easier. There is also an element of sitting in any environment and being okay with it. Neutrally observing then engaging with the people, objects, and energies around without preconceived notions interfering. My own definition is as follows:

Acceptance: The ability to move towards and purposefully seize the unknown while absorbing and engaging in one’s environment judgment-free.

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Quotes

“I believe it’s our responsibility to show our communities the value of all people, to celebrate different, and to take a stand for acceptance and inclusion.”

– Julie Foudy

“Acceptance looks like a passive state, but in reality it brings something entirely new into this world. That peace, a subtle energy vibration, is consciousness.”

– Eckhart Tolle

Symbol

Poem

My heart is closed
My head is down
Of that which flows
Through me, none was found

I quiet my mind and look
To discover much to be took
People, ideas, and energies
My mind’s eye now sees
A limitless resource available to all
Simply accessible to those with no walls

With a quick swing of my door
I am closed off no more
With this one simple change
My life was completely rearranged

My heart is open
My head is up
Of that in motion
Overflowing is my cup

Painting

In the center of this painting sits a human floating on a cloud in deep meditation. Surrounding him is a sea of neutral grey energy interlaced with powerful growth and positive energies as well as dark, negative energies. He sits calm and at peace surrounded by his own aura of orange while opening himself up to the positive energies that act as a barrier to the majority of the dark negative energies flowing around him. Of course, no matter how hard we try to protect ourselves, negativity is an inevitability in this world. However, by remaining calm and not engaging with the negativity, even as it flows directly through his heart, he is able to simply let it pass and reenter into the sea of grey neutrality.

Questions and Answers

Why is this a value you want to instill in your life?

I want this value in my life because acceptance leads to new experiences and ideas and that is how we evolve and grow as humans. I want to strive to be constantly improving myself and acceptance of new things leads to this. I strongly believe that if people expanded their area of acceptance and really started trying to understand each other as well as let new experiences, ideas, people, and energies into their lives it would lead to a better and more peaceful, loving world.

What activities bring out this value?

Trying new things and experiences as well as talking with and discussing new topics with new people. Expanding one’s comfort zone through seeking discomfort in the form of exploring the unknown. As your comfort zone grows it becomes easier and easier to truly and wholeheartedly accept things that were completely foreign before.

How would the world be different if more people identified more with this ideal?

There would be much less division in the world and people would be able to come together and find more commonalities to focus on. People would not immediately dismiss new ideas and experiences that seem odd or different and instead embrace them with a more open mind and heart. As mentioned above, the world would be a more loving and peaceful place.

What image comes to mind when visualizing this ideal?

An aura of swirling energies, similar to that seen in my painting. I also envision an overpowering but gentle hug of acceptance coming over me. I also have been visualizing the energies around me as I meditate on Acceptance and see all the energy around me, both good and bad, coming into me as I inhale and as I exhale I see them sorted out and send the good energies to others I love and those around me and the bad either up into the atmosphere or down to be absorbed by the Earth.

How can people who want to do this first take steps to include it in their daily routine more?

Try new things. This could be as simple as a new flavor of a drink they like or saying hi to a stranger they pass in the world. Take small risks, gather data, and reflect. If these things led to discomfort but then relief and excitement perfect, if they only made you feel worse then try different things. As you build up your discomfort muscle, as with any muscle, the smaller things become easier and lead you to opportunities to take even bigger leaps with greater potential benefits. Work up to the point where you can catch yourself when you close off to foreign ideas or experiences and work to jump into them instead of avoiding them.

If you have any other questions you think would aid in the understanding and development of future ideals, please leave a comment below!

Songs

The following playlist is the beginning of my collection of songs that I believe embody Acceptance:

If you have any other songs you think would fit in the playlist, please leave a comment down below letting me know!

Next Value: Gratitude

The next value I will be soul-bonding with is Gratitude. I am very excited for this one because I strongly believe this ideal leads to so much growth and positivity in an individual. My plan to help understand this value better is to go on a fast of several things I take for granted every day in hopes of deepening my gratitude for them in my life. I will not be eating, not using any technology (phone, computer, and TV), not sleeping in my bed, and communicating with others as little as possible. My hope is that taking some of these things and simulating what it would be like to lose them will help me circumvent the common adage of “You don’t appreciate things until they are gone.” I also hope to continue this with other things in my life as well as the same ones periodically to continually renew my appreciation for them. I look forward to the next few days and I will report back after I finish.

Make Today Your Best Day Yet!

“Life is a series of fresh starts, the frequency of use is up to the individual”

~Zak Keller aka amusingmonk~