Nothing about human life is simple. Our character styles, or ways of being, are influenced by many factors that are embodied, being shaped by, and in turn shaping the body structure.
Our character is like a set of clothes that we put on to protect us from the elements, to hide what is underneath, to give a certain impression to the world. And like the clothes we choose to wear in our lives, the attributes of character reflect something of the qualities of our essence. Granted, a sometimes one-dimensional expression of the fullness that is underneath.
Attachment experiences are part of what shapes our character. There are also influences from genetic makeup and biology, wider aspects of family and social life, and so on. Of course, each person is unique and will manifest this in his or her individual way.
As we move towards more beingness we can more and more let go of the defensive aspects of character. False and deceptive manifestations dissolve when we face them and make new decisions about ourselves and the world. This requires mindfulness and maturity. Life experience gives us the opportunities to develop this maturity. Yet we need to bring our will to it.
The learning and skills developed as parts of our character styles that are true to our essence can be absorbed into the greater ground of our beingness, and continue to serve us and others. As a person living a human life we need our personality and its patterns to get along in the physical and social worlds we are part of. Nevertheless as we grow, we can let go of many unnecessary, limiting layers and also continue to transform and shape those human ‘characterlogical clothes’, to make them ever more compatible with our spiritual nature.