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with others. This trait might have grown out of running my own private practice in psychiatry, but it showed certain personality limitations. For instance, even with my training and experience I still needed to learn to be a beer group member and to develop beer communication skills. I also found that many others felt uncomfortable with the many projects I had in mind and my interest in carrying out numerous activities at many different levels. This characteristic was creative at one level, but at another, it was overwhelming for people and undermined our ability to focus on a
do-able project through completion. Our group playfully described this problem as having many balloons (ideas) in the air at one time. I needed to put some balloons in the background and keep others in the foreground if I expected others to join me in a project. This small group showed me that as we relate with one another, we must develop a deeper understanding of the purpose of our community, the needs of each participant, and the ability to communicate successfully in a way that supports the vision and direction of the organization. Participating in a community helps us confront our own egos and overcome selfishness.
Pursuing dharma leads to the strengthening of our character, as well as the community. Dharmic involvement in the community challenges us to develop discipline, overcome laziness and inconvenience, develop our character and compassion through the practicing of values, be self-initiating, learn how to communicate successfully, and be a supportive,
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