Motivation Mondays: The Seven Selves
“In the stillest hour of the night, as I lay half asleep, my seven selves sat together and thus conversed in whisper:” Kahlil Gibran

Motivation Mondays: The Seven Selves
The Seven Selves BY KAHLIL GIBRAN
In the stillest hour of the night, as I lay half asleep, my seven
selves sat together and thus conversed in whisper:
First Self: Here, in this madman, I have dwelt all these years,
with naught to do but renew his pain by day and recreate his sorrow
by night. I can bear my fate no longer, and now I rebel.
Second Self: Yours is a better lot than mine, brother, for it is
given to me to be this madman’s joyous self. I laugh his laughter
and sing his happy hours, and with thrice winged feet I dance
his brighter thoughts. It is I that would rebel against my weary
existence.
Third Self: And what of me, the love-ridden self, the flaming brand
of wild passion and fantastic desires? It is I the love-sick self
who would rebel against this madman.
Are you aware of your Seven Selves? Human beings are complex creatures with complicated emotional makeups. We have all sorts of expectations, spoken/unspoken, real/unrealistic, that we place on ourselves and others. We can be kind and cruel, loving and hateful, mature and petty… all in a matter of minutes. Sometimes, we forget to cut ourselves some slack and stop being so bullish. We often take for granted the simple fact that we are changeable and somewhat unpredictable. Does this sound like you? Of course not, some of you would say publicly as you cackle at the irony of exposure in private. But these qualities are what make us thinking humans. If we were predictable and one dimensional, we would be cut out cartoon characters. Like it or not, we all have our shadow side and it’s not always pretty. However, part of our life’s work is to be reflective and make peace/friends with all our seven selves so we can present our best effort to the world.
Recently, I was reading Kahlil Gibran’s, The Seven Selves, (see excerpts in blockquotes above and below and the full poem at end of this post), and it got me thinking about our relationships and interactions with others. The beauty and power of the poem is that the poet uses the time between our waking and sleeping state, a period of vulnerability, to readily lift his public mask so his seven selves can have a dialogue about their role in his life. Each self makes a cogent argument as to why it is time to rebel against the madman. They have expectations about their value to his existence and are unhappy with the current outcomes. Keep in mind that these are reflections of the poet’s inner self and are not separate from him. Think about the irony of this situation. If we don’t always live up to our own expectations, why do we expect others to deliver on theirs 100%? We often have unspoken and even unrealistic expectations of others and when they don’t fulfill our wants/needs, we become disappointed. Who do we have to blame under those circumstances? As the popular quote goes, “Unspoken and Unrealistic expectations are premeditated resentments.” Think about it.
“Choose to focus your time, energy and conversation around people who inspire you, support you and help you to grow you into your happiest, strongest, wisest self.” Karen Salmansohn

Motivation Mondays: The Seven Selves
Fourth Self: I, amongst you all, am the most miserable, for naught
was given me but odious hatred and destructive loathing. It is
I, the tempest-like self, the one born in the black caves of Hell,
who would protest against serving this madman.
Fifth Self: Nay, it is I, the thinking self, the fanciful self,
the self of hunger and thirst, the one doomed to wander without
rest in search of unknown things and things not yet created; it is
I, not you, who would rebel.
Sixth Self: And I, the working self, the pitiful labourer, who,
with patient hands, and longing eyes, fashion the days into images
and give the formless elements new and eternal forms—it is I, the
solitary one, who would rebel against this restless madman.
Which of our Seven Selves dominate? I think our temperament determines which of our seven selves holds sway in our lives. At different periods in our growth, we might see a couple dominate but it is not a linear experience. We can exhibit facets of all seven from day to day or week to week. Even, at certain trying periods in our lives or happier times, a few would take center stage and serve as our public face. However, we are more than what others see or perceive us to be. Can you identify the seven selves that Gibran writes about in this poem? Start at the top of the post and work your way through each one until you meet the seventh self in the bottom segment of this post.
For the impatient among us, I’ll save you the suspense: Pain, Laughter, Love, Misery, Mind, Work, and Ego Self. For those of you who enjoy the esoteric arts, there is a Higher Self that the author doesn’t mention. The higher self is the witness of all the others. It is pure, non-judgemental and above all the rest. It is the still small voice that guides us and directs our path. Some might call it the voice of reason or the voice of the spirit. What would you call it?
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“We all have a dark side. Most of us go through life avoiding direct confrontation with that aspect of ourselves, which I call the shadow self. There’s a reason why. It carries a great deal of energy.” Lorraine Toussaint

Motivation Mondays: The Seven Selves
Seventh Self: How strange that you all would rebel against this
man, because each and every one of you has a preordained fate to
fulfill. Ah! could I but be like one of you, a self with a determined
lot! But I have none, I am the do-nothing self, the one who sits
in the dumb, empty nowhere and nowhen, while you are busy re-creating
life. Is it you or I, neighbours, who should rebel?
When the seventh self thus spake the other six selves looked with
pity upon him but said nothing more; and as the night grew deeper
one after the other went to sleep enfolded with a new and happy
submission.
But the seventh self remained watching and gazing at nothingness,
which is behind all things.
Which of our Seven Selves are hidden? If we took an honest assessment of our personality/our character, our private and even our public face, would we be willing to admit that we have a shadow side that we never reveal to others? Actually, some of us have a shadow side we are afraid to reveal to ourselves let alone to others. But it is very much a human quality to be multifaceted and to temper some of our tendencies while emboldening others … think about it. More on this later.
The Seven Selves BY KAHLIL GIBRAN
In the stillest hour of the night, as I lay half asleep, my seven
selves sat together and thus conversed in whisper:First Self: Here, in this madman, I have dwelt all these years,
with naught to do but renew his pain by day and recreate his sorrow
by night. I can bear my fate no longer, and now I rebel.Second Self: Yours is a better lot than mine, brother, for it is
given to me to be this madman’s joyous self. I laugh his laughter
and sing his happy hours, and with thrice winged feet I dance
his brighter thoughts. It is I that would rebel against my weary
existence.Third Self: And what of me, the love-ridden self, the flaming brand
of wild passion and fantastic desires? It is I the love-sick self
who would rebel against this madman.Fourth Self: I, amongst you all, am the most miserable, for naught
was given me but odious hatred and destructive loathing. It is
I, the tempest-like self, the one born in the black caves of Hell,
who would protest against serving this madman.Fifth Self: Nay, it is I, the thinking self, the fanciful self,
the self of hunger and thirst, the one doomed to wander without
rest in search of unknown things and things not yet created; it is
I, not you, who would rebel.Sixth Self: And I, the working self, the pitiful labourer, who,
with patient hands, and longing eyes, fashion the days into images
and give the formless elements new and eternal forms—it is I, the
solitary one, who would rebel against this restless madman.Seventh Self: How strange that you all would rebel against this
man, because each and every one of you has a preordained fate to
fulfill. Ah! could I but be like one of you, a self with a determined
lot! But I have none, I am the do-nothing self, the one who sits
in the dumb, empty nowhere and nowhen, while you are busy re-creating
life. Is it you or I, neighbours, who should rebel?When the seventh self thus spake the other six selves looked with
pity upon him but said nothing more; and as the night grew deeper
one after the other went to sleep enfolded with a new and happy
submission.But the seventh self remained watching and gazing at nothingness,
which is behind all things. via poetryfoundation.org
Any Zen Antics stories via
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Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
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Being of a different faith ive never heard of this concept before but its definitely something thats super intriguing to me. It was wonderful to read about!
It is a fascinating subject.
I am not aware of this seventh selves. You did a good post. I love it. Thanks for sharing..
Nice take on those selves..Kind of a unique way of defying them in their unique characteristics.
Great post! it totally makes me think and thin deeper on the subject. seven selves is something new to me. the poem is fantastic as well
This is a fascinating poem and it rings true with the inner feelings I have of myself. Thank you for sharing this. I will remember it
Debs
Wow… I had never heard of the seven selves before. This was a mind-boggling read! Thanks for sharing this. 😊
I’ve never heard of this! It’s really interesting to think about it this way.
I don’t know why anyone would want to spend their time with people who don’t motivate them or make them happy. That’s odd to me, but I guess I just don’t have that type of mindset. I love being with people who are motivated and driven and excited about life!
Interesting post about “self”.
Such an interesting read, I haven’t heard of the term the seven selves before but while reading through I definitely identified with a lot of them. I think we all go through these periods and phases. For so long I think I was trapped in “the pitiful laborer” doing work I hated. Leaving was probably one of the best decisions for my mental state.
Good for you to find your way
This is a true piece and very informative. While reading through it made me remember the book i read name Why you act the way you do..
these are such beautiful words. we all def have a side that doesn’t get revealed to others!
I found your post on the Seven Selves very interesting. Your style of writing kept me engaged and I was interested to know what each of the selves stood for. I am just not sure which one I identify with.
We have shades of all in us.
I have never heard about the Seven Selves. I thought that it was cool to learn about what each one meant. Thank you for opening me up to a whole new topic to think about.
Choosing to focus your time, energy and conversation around people who inspire you, support you and help you to grow you into your happiest, strongest self are inspirational indeed!
I really love how Kahlil Gilbran imparts wisdom. Thanks for sharing this. 🙂
I have not read this by KAHLIL GIBRAN.But your post gives us some insight on this.He is a great writer .Love his other poetries
I’ve never heard of Kahlil Gibran’s poem, but it sounds beautiful, from the excerpt that I read. It’s a wonderful idea to be consciously aware of which of one’s Seven Selves are rising to the forefront of their personality; it undoubtedly helps us determine what emotions are controlling us in a given moment.
Well said. Self analysis is important work we all need to do
I love coming across passages that make you think about your spiritual self. This is such a beautiful little string of words. Inspirational.
Glad you approve.I enjoyed the process of reading, reflecting and writing it.
This is a great post to ponder. I love that poem by Khalil Gibran. It shows how we are being formed in our daily living.
Wow, this one is fascinating, as most of yours are – but this one is really intriguing! I have never heard of the seven selves before, but I know it sometimes feels like they are all fighting with one another! Ironically, my hubby and I were talking earlier about how he had trouble getting to sleep last night, because his mind wouldn’t shut off and was going in all different directions. Maybe that was some of HIS seven selves conversing and/or arguing!
Hahah. Maybe. They were having that late night discourse. 😉
I have never hear of the seven selfs. You are correct people can change in a matter of seconds. I know I need to give myself more breaks than I currently do.
What an interesting read! We never heard about the seven selves before.
Never knew about the seven selves. Just came across this on your article and its very in depth. Insightful.
This is such a complex analysis of human behavior and psyche. In my opinion, we all wear masks in order to function in the society. We all have these seven selves and all of them are not perfect. Love this post, it made me think about my behavior and dominant self!
Yes and we have different masks for different situations. 😉
Hmm… I’m not yet fully aware of what self I am right now. :0)
Wow! From the first word to the last – I really enjoyed reading your article and I agree with this ..”If we took an honest assessment of our personality/our character, our private and even our public face, would we be willing to admit that we have a shadow side that we never reveal to others? Actually, some of us have a shadow side we are afraid to reveal to ourselves let alone to others. ” Thank you for sharing this article I’ve learned a lot.
I’m glad you enjoyed reading it.
Wow, I know we sometimes have voices in our heads. I didn’t just see them as different versions of ourselves. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
This is so interesting to think about – having more than 1 self…
Great Insight! I have never heard of selves…. this was a great post to read. I completely.agree… I think I have all these seven selves and have depicted them based on situation.
This is a very deep and interesting poem and analysis of it. I have never thought about the many selves we have but I do know I have quite a few that make up who I am in the whole!
Yes, we all do too.:)
They visit me most nights at the moment I realy wish they would keep quiet and let me sleep x
A thought provoking article. Its true that how we think and interact during our waking hours varies every single day, every single hour, every single minute. One minute I can be all loving and some circumstance can change that in seconds. More awareness of out actions would change the situation.
Yes, being vigilant about our overreaction too.
That is a really interesting take on things. I would like to read more about the Seven Selves.
This is so interesting. I need to introspect and see which self dominates me the most. I am a big fan of Gibran. But haven’t read this one.
I have head of the 7 selves in passing but I never read much about it! It really gives you something to think about, especially the shadow self. It’s hard to bring out feeling that you want to ignore.
I concur…it takes work.
Humans are very complex creatures and this is what differentiate us from the animals. We feel and we think, and we can switch from emotion to emotion. Very interesting way of describing the 7 selves, I never thought about the being split into 7.
Hahah. Now you do. 🙂
It’s very interesting to know our seven selves. It’s really important for us to know it so that we can be more sure of ourselves. Get to know more about our life.
We sure do need to reflect on our lives.
I always look forward to your motivation monday posts. There is a lot of useful knowledge on your posts.
I definitely agree that we all have a side to ourselves that we don’t show to others. But honestly, a lot of us would rather not admit to that side because it’s generally not good.
What is the day of visibility? I am curious
It is a day to honor: International Transgender Day of Visibility is honored every year on March 31 and is a time to celebrate transgender people around the globe and the courage it takes to live openly and authentically, while also raising awareness around the discrimination trans people still face. https://www.hrc.org/resources/international-transgender-day-of-visibility
I’ve got to read Seven Selves. I can see how my temper would be my dominant self. I’ve been trying to build my friends list around those who bring positivity to the relationship as I do.
It’s my first time to hear about the seven selves. Never heard it before and this is very useful information.
This is such a great reminder. Thank you for the motivation!
This is something to ponder upon. I believe there is more to me than what other people see (or what I allow them to see). At this point in time, I think the dominant one in my life is the 6th self.
Well said.I can see that quality.:)
What an interesting read! I never heard of The Seven Selves until now!
This is the first time I’ve heard of the Seven Selves. It’s very interesting! I’d like to learn even more.
every self is written is beautifully. seventh self is someone that i sometimes want to become!
I’ve never heard of this before! I’m gonna have to check into this. It’s really neat and now I want to know more! neat
WOW! thanks for bringing awareness! i definitely didn’t know and never heard about Seven Selves! i need to share this to my friends!
It was wonderful going through The seven selves & trying to identify which dominates. Thanks for sharing.
It’s true, we are more than what we think ourselves to be and what others perceive us to be.
I am a very open person. I don’t hide myself to others. I have dark side and you can see it without any pretension.
Seriously Clare, nobody is an open book. We all facets of ourselves that are hidden…some are hidden from us because we deny their existence. 😉
Wow! That is truly a amazing the seven selves! I know I will never do this but it’s just amazing.
Interesting post here. I didn’t know we had 7 selves. That is vital info to know. That explains a lot.
I had not heard of the seven selves before reading this. It is all so interesting and a beautiful poem.
I didn’t know that we actaully have seven selves but I’d be quick to agree on the same. With how complex humans can be especially when it comes to their mind, I belive.
Exactly… we are a piece of work. Hahah!
I am a very transparent person What you see is what you get. I don;t like hiding myself with others because I believe first impressions last. And I want to be remember from who I am.
I never heard of The Seven Selves before, so it was interesting to read. I think all seven are interchangeable in my life.
humans are complicated, indeed. by being reflective and cooperating with the seven-selves we do make a good impact on ourselves and others
I’m interested to read Kahlil Gibran’s, The Seven Selves too!
I remember reading and interpreting this poem for our Literature class in high school. This post definitely brings back great memories.
I am really going to have to read that Khalil Gibran piece. I have not read something by him before but this really sounds fascinating. I love the quote about gaze at nothingness which is behind all things.
That last 7th Self is deep…Yep… very deep. Read The Prophet first. It’s a great introduction to Gibran’s writings.
Interesting. I’ve never heard of the seven selves, but it does make sense. I always look at is as… we’re never really our true selves and we are constantly playing a role depending on what situation we are in. I think we can be our best selves or our true selves when we stop playing the roles and be consistent regardless of the situation or interaction. Maybe in my mind, the true self is ultimately the most dominant.
True…
Such an interesting article. The quotes by Khalil Gibran are so motivational.
very interesting approach on persons and understanding of complex nature. I think it is very helpful to see yourself split into seve selves.
I have not read anything from him yet but it sounds good. I’ll read it and get back to you.
Great post! Although, you had me thinking it’s Monday lol
I sure enjoyed reading this and it sparked a lovely conversation with the family
I always love reading your Monday Motivation posts 🙂 Thanks for sharing the events, too!
I wasn’t aware of the Seven Selves. Thanks so much for explaining them!
Thank you for another interesting read. I find that your posts always leave me thinking about things for a long time after I’ve read it. I think that’s the mark of powerful ideas.
Thank you Ben! You leave the best feedback! <3
I really enjoyed reading this monday’s motivation. It really cause me to think deeply into the seven selves.
I have never heard about the Seven Selves. I thought that it was cool to learn about what each one meant. Thank you for opening me up to a whole new topic to think about.
Glad you enjoyed it.:)
This is such an interesting post! Such a deep insight about one’s self. I love Kahlil Gibran and all his works!
I learned so much about the seven selves thanks for sharing
I’ve never heard of the seven selves before! But I adore a good poem. Thank you so much for sharing!
I’ve read this over and over and I love it more each time. Great post that reminds me to look within and truly get to know myself.
I’ve never heard of this before! I’m gonna have to check into this because it sounds really interesting!
i actually haven’t heard of the 7 selves, but I’ll have to share this with my husband. He’ll love learning about it!
this was a great quote! I love getting motivated by reading this and not just on Mondays
“Choose to focus your time, energy and conversation around people who inspire you, support you and help you to grow you into your happiest, strongest, wisest self.” Karen Salmansohn
I have always loved Khalil gibran. This poem is so true. How one form and other takes place. We are so complex. Have you read his poetry book ‘ the prophet’. The poetry is so deep and beautiful.
Who hasn’t read The Prophet? It’s a classic.
A wonderful and eye opening read. Thank you for informing me of this seven selves.
I’m not too sure which one I would say dominates currently in my life. I was not aware of the seven selves prior to reading this.
I have heard a lot about Kahlil Gibran but never read anything written by him. This gave me an interesting perspective towards the way people are.
Please do…you won’t regret it. Start with The Prophet
this is very interesting. we do have a lot of “selves” I suppose. humans are very complex yet so simple at the same time!
This made me remember the book I read and trust human beings are the most complicated being in the world.
Nice read! In this busy world.. there are really a lot of unspoken thoughts, emotion – that even ourselves become a stranger to its own. That’s why for me, its always important to meditate.. listen to yourself, to your body, to your mind.
Yes… very important
This is really inspiring. I need to check out Khalil’s book but also agree strongly with the first quote “Choose to focus your time, energy and conversation around people who inspire you, support you and help you to grow you into your happiest, strongest, wisest self.” Something I am trying to do this year.
So many can relate to that statement. So true.
I don’t know how you do that, but each time when you post something the graphic really is related in to the post and stay in my mind for couple of days!
Well done !
Hahaha! I think about my posts in pictures too.:)
Wow I love this. What a thought provoking post. It is important that we know ALL of ourselves. I love this so so much ! Great read.
Interesting thing about our lives and entire psychological being. This should be read by everyone. Thanks.
We all have challenges in are day that can effect how we will react to a given situation or individual. We also have the ability of understanding that we can take control of how we interact and what the outcome results can potentially be.
This is so awesome!!! I need to read more about this because I have never heard of this before – your posts are always so cool!
I love this and I think you are right, there are parts to each of us that we do not show. I know I am a very complex character!
Jibran Khalil Jibran is one of my all time fav writers. I have all his books but love The prophet the most, such an amazing read.
I have never heard of that before. I always love a new and interesting read.
I enjoy frequenting your blog to get my daily dose of motivation 🙂
Thank you for your words of encouragement, sometimes we can get down on ourselves and we need to remember that life isn’t always about us.
Thank you for bringing those up. Its always nice to self reflect.
Always great posts! Never heard of the Seven Selves but it was am interesting read.
I love another motivation from you. I have read your article especially you pick several word from KAHLIL GIBRAN.
I am feeling motivated just by this read. Bring on the mega motivation for the rest of my weekend haha xx
I have never thought about my own seven selves. Now I’m more informed I can see the foundations to this though, I’m keen to explore my own personality more to find out who I am.
Good hunting. 🙂
Love your posts every Monday and this one did not let me down. I really like the concept of seven selves so thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it.:)
Of the seven selves, I think I identify with the sixth the most. I am a laborer, a worker. It is my nature as the sign of the goat. My zodiac, which is the capricorn, one of constant doing. I have a hard time NOT working to accomplish some goal or other.
You are not alone… all the creators/builders are that way
Omg this is so interesting and I have never heard of the seven selves before! I’m sharing this w a few friends who would love this too!
Love reading these motivational comments and posts. Thank you!
Mine seem to have the best conversations in the middle of the night
Then you are not alone. 🙂
This was seriously so interesting. I had never heard about the 7 selfs but it was interesting to learn the difference between each.
We are full of so many wonderful and at times not so wonderful things. It’s great to acknowledge that and strive to always be our best selves no matter what is going on around us (sometimes easier said than done, I know).
Yes…I concur!
thank you for introducing me to Seven Selves.. I have to yet read his works and this tempts me to start somewhere soon
I first encountered this piece when we were in high school. Reading about The Seven Selves again brings back wonderful high school memories. 🙂
Good for you. I love revisiting such memories too.
Your blog post has really spoke to me. I feel like I need this in my life it that’s makes sense.
Amazing post!! So interesting to learn about
wow this was lovely. I never heard of the seven selves but it makes so much sense. And which self is dominant is definitely dependent on the current emotions im experiencing
True…it changes
Such an interesting poem, with so deep meaning. This poem reflects our difference personality that we must control and be discipline always. Nice to read poem such as this to motivate us that we can do anything if we can manage and handle our self totally.
It was a great read and food for thought
I dis not k iw any of this, I enjoy reading this and will surely share it tk my friends tgabkyou for sharing
This is as a very interesting read. Thank you for sharing 🙂
I always look forward to reading your inspiring posts!
*Samantha-
Yes I agree with you there are certain parts of our nature that we don’t really show anyone. And while reading this post, I was imagining the 7 selves and I think we all show different selves in different situations.
This is a very interesting read. I have to find some quiet time to re-read this article of yours. I want to discover which of these 7 selves is dominant in my life right now.
Good Post, I was wondering where else can read more about your stories ?
The Seven Selves was one of the first books that I bought with my first salary. 🙂
This is some deep stuff! I’ll need to read it a couple of times and really noodle on it. I loved the quote at the beginning…I think we can all relate to that feeling!
Yes… we all can relate to the notion of complex human behavior
The idea of the Seven Selves is super fascinating. How enlightening.
Actually, I am not so familiar on Seven Selves but when after reading these it so beautiful and amazing. I really love it.
I wasn’t aware about self selves. Thanks for enlightening me.
I forgot about the seven selves. I love your in depth research! Thanks for the refresher!
Wow! This was an interesting poem to read! I need to identify my seventh self now that i am informed
Such a very interesting topic. I didn’t know about “The seven selves”
I loved your post. It is so true that humans are unique and that we have so many facets of our personality. Really inspiring! Thank you!
Thanks, it was fun to write.
As always, a great inspiring post. This blog is such a important part of my life. Keep sharing and keep growing.
Kahlil Gibran’s, The Seven Selves Seems like an interesting poem to read. The times between the sleeping and waking states seem so real.
I have to read more of the Seven Selves. I don’t know anything about it. Good read.
I wish I had only seven of them… most of times I have to struggle with sozens “me” that never come to a mutual solution.
Hahah…. dozens!
Love your post! Such a great insight on getting to know ourselves in a deeper way!
Hi Claudia! Yep, we can peel back those layers if we try
I just picked up a copy of Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet. I love this kind of genre
Enjoy it.I’ve read it many times
Perhaps, one can glean an insight about the complexity of human beings regarding one’s self with this poem from Kahlil Gibran. Indeed, we have complicated emotional make-ups.
We sure do…yes!
I love the seven selves concept, self-awareness and spirituality is very important in life
Yes, indeed.
I did not know about the seven selves. What I know, sometimes, when we are a specific situation, our own reaction can be surprising to ourselves.
We surprise ourselves all the time… true.
I agree everyone has a shadow that we are afraid to reveal. To reveal our deepest secrets, and we are afraid of failure and embarrassment. Really great writing!
I believe that too. We all have multiple sides
Aww. I wish I could have seen this sooner! Great content, I love it!
This was something new to me. It is very beautiful poetry. Looking forward to more such posts. 😊
This is exactly what I need for Monday Motivation. Saving this post for my weekly Monday motivation.
wow!! Really reading your motivational story here as usual : D Love your captures posted, so insipiring
Cheers, siennylovesdrawing
I love Khalil gibran and his poetry book ‘ the prophet”. His work is simple and Powerful. Loved reading this poem . We all have these seven selves that present themselves from time to time.
The Prophet is one of my all time favorite books too.
Always so motivational! Thank you for all the positive support.
The Seven Selves reminds us that we need to love ourselves and be authentic to the other people. We don’t need to pretend to impress to the other people in short be yourself.
Interesting interpretation. 🙂
The seven selves what a great read and from now I choose to surround myself with positive people and people who bring out the best in me.
Wow! Loved Reading about this..thanks for such an informative article!
I’ve never heard of this before but it definitely rings true. Thanks so much for sharing this!
Sounds like we are all crazy with the many layers we have. Perhaps this is what really keeps us going. One self is down another steps up
Hahahah that’s a good one Candy!
Love the post! I always learn something new and feel better about myself.
Such great information! It’s something I never consciously thought of. I need to get that book.
I keep coming back because the Seven Selves is so intriguing. I would love to study and reflect more.
Please do…I found it fascinating too.
I’ve never heard of the seven selves – you learn something new every day eh!
Eh… we sure do. 🙂
I love Kahlil Gibran’s writings…such depth!
This is a nice way to start the week being motivated especially since it’s monday and we’re all tired.
This is the first time I’ve heard of something like this or about this subject, made for an interesting read!
Really interesting concept! I’m not sure I’m aware of seven different selves, but I certainly think that everyone has different sides to their personality. Some stuff is also buried under the surface, which is fascinating.
For sure… we are complex beings
Thanks for sharing this motivational post. Being able to control the hidden corners of our mind can help us in achieving the ultimate enlightenment.
Never heard about seven shelves. Thanks for enlightening me!
I miss reading your blog. I got so busy and had very limited time online. I am not fully aware of Seven Selves but learn bits of it and keen to learn more. Thank you for sharing your recent reading.
Welcomeback. I’m glad you find it helpful. It’s a learning experience for me too.
A lot of love here, with great motivation, that has inspired me to have a positive day. thanks for sharing
Great information in this article! I love what you’re doing with your blog. Everyone needs a little motivation and I’m all about the personal development!
I love your posts! They are always eye opening and thought provoking. “If we don’t always live up to our own expectations, why do we expect others to deliver on theirs 100%?” That right there is something people need to consider more often. We really do need to examine ourselves and how we view the way things are meant to be inside out.
I agree… it is a human flaw and quality
I love the write up… Its really motivational and help us think differently… Love ur thought…
“Unspoken and Unrealistic expectations are premeditated resentments.” this really resonated with me, because in the last year I’ve come to realize that I do have high expectations of people that they probably aren’t aware of, which causes me to get upset, and really it is my fault for not properly communicating with others! I’ve been working on being more clear in my communication!
Definitely an important move
I had never read Kahlil Gibran’s The Seven Selves before. It’s full of wisdom. Yes, we all have our shadow sides!
I have never heard of the Seven Selves. i really should look more into it because it would really help give insight into myself! Love these posts!
Hah I suppose so..
I bet that’s a great book since it inspired you to write such an interesting post!
It’s based on a poem…
Love reading all the inspirational post of your blog.
My favorite line for this post: “We often have unspoken and even unrealistic expectations of others and when they don’t fulfill our wants/needs, we become disappointed.”
Very well written.
Thanks Samar!
Not respecting time causes a distraction to living. I think we should respect the movement of time by doing right to others and living a life we love
True…but what about the seven selves?
I totally agree with the seven selves. This is so inspriring. It allows us to get to know ourslves.
I have never heard of this! I am very intrigued to learn more in depth about the seven selves.
I thinks it’s good to be aware of all these different selves. Some show better aspects of ourselves and others worse ones. It’s good to be aware of which ones are more dominant in the present.
This is the first I’ve heard of this concept and I’m really interested so I may look it up in more depth.
This is the first time I’ve hear of Kahlil Gibran and I can’t stop reading about him. I need to get copies of his writing!
I had a wonderful read today and I can relate to this post so much. Thanks for always motivating me
I have never thought of myself as being “seven selves” until this post. When it says our fifth self or the “thinkng self” is “the self of hunger and thirst” I can’t help but look at the way some people act or think when they are hungry. It’s almost as if all thought process goes out the window. Great post – as usual. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve read about this poem but I’ve read some other poems of Kahlil Gibran. I love all the truths he wants to emphasize in his writings.
Your post is always educational! Now makes me wonder if I do have seven selves?
This is worth thinking.
“Choose to focus your time, energy and conversation around people who inspire you, support you and help you to grow you into your happiest, strongest, wisest self.” Karen Salmansohn
I agree with this line. Between having lots of acquaintances and having few that understand you, I’ll choose to be the one who understand and pushes me to be a better person.
I thought your post was well thought out and love the beautiful pictures. Keep up the good work.
This concept is something very new to me. Although I have read Kahlil Gibran before, but I was not aware of these lines. It sounds beautiful and there is much to learn. Thank you for another wonderful post.
I love this quote: “Choose to focus your time, energy and conversation around people who inspire you, support you and help you to grow you into your happiest, strongest, wisest self.” Karen Salmansohn …I believe we all have different parts of our self, like the seven selves, but I’d like to cultivate the best parts by being in the best environment with the best people.
I have never heard of the concept of the seven selves but your article was very interesting.
I wasn’t aware of these seven shelves. Thank you for insight. I believe I have all inside me which have been depicted in different situations
This is a very interesting topic. Never heard of seven selves before.
I did not have a clue of all that. I have to come back and study more. What do you recommend as book for a dummy like me?
I’ve never really heard of the Seven Selves. As a matter of fact I just googled it while reading this post. It sounds like something I might want to read just for fun.
I have been away and out and I have missed your blog! Glad to be back and as always I am so inspired with your great posts. Thanks as always!
This is interesting! I learned something new everyday. I don’t know that we got seven selves and I actually never heard of anyone saying we have this before. Really insightful post!
I have never heard of the Seven Selves. It has a very interesting way of making you think about the different pieces of you. The different ways your mind may think.
I love the part called The Seven Selves BY KAHLIL GIBRAN – so interesting!
This is the first time I’d been aware of the seven selves but certainly an interesting dimension to self-analyse where we are. Kahil Gibran writes some interesting prose… I’ll have to check out more of his work.
This is so true. We truly are different with different people. Our core is probably the same but we hide things or expose others. We hold back and stick our foot in our mouth with others.
I never considered these different facets of my character. I am wondering which one of my seven selves is currently dominant and how that presents to other people.
This is quite an interesting perspective. Have never thought about self as seven selves. Needs some to wrap my head around the fact.