You Don’t Need to Be Perfect to Awaken
- Sukhdev Virdee
- Jun 22
- 3 min read
The mind says:
“First heal all your wounds.
Fix your habits.
Purify your karma.
Then, maybe then, you’ll be worthy of Truth.”
But the Self whispers:
“You are already That.
Now.
Even in your mess.
Even with your broken edges.”
This path is not about becoming perfect.
It’s about realizing you were never broken to begin with.
The Myth of the Enlightened Saint
We’ve all seen the image—
a serene being, sitting cross-legged,
no thoughts, no flaws,
radiating bliss 24/7.
And so, unconsciously, we compare.
“I still get angry.
I still worry.
I still have desires.
How can I be the Self?”
But who said the Self is free from thoughts?
The Self is free of identification with them.
Thoughts come,
emotions swirl,
karma plays out…
But You remain untouched.
Like the sky—
never stained by the storm.
Awakening Is Not Perfection—It’s Honesty
You don’t need to fix every wound.
You don’t need to transcend your humanity.
You need only one thing:
Radical honesty.
To see what is false in you
and stop pretending it’s true.
That’s all.
No need to change the content of the mind—
just stop believing it.
See it arise.
Witness it fade.
Stay as the formless presence beneath it.
You don’t need to be perfect to awaken.
You need only to stop clinging to what you’re not.
The Ego Loves Self-Improvement
It will say:
“I just need more healing.
I need more time.
I need to be a better version of myself.”
But who is this “I” that needs improvement?
A ghost.
A voice in the head pretending to be you.
And every time you chase its goals,
you delay what is already here.
Stop trying to become something.
Start seeing what never changes.
The Self is not hiding—
it’s just too simple to be noticed.
You Are the Light, Not the Lampshade
If a bulb is covered in cloth,
you don’t need a better bulb.
You don’t need to fix the light.
You just remove the covering.
In the same way…
You don’t need to become more spiritual.
You don’t need to accumulate more knowledge.
You don’t need to meditate for 40 years.
You need only remove the veil of false identity.
That’s the grace of Self-inquiry.
“Who is this one that is not ready?”
“Who is this one that needs to be perfect?”
Look for this one.
You won’t find it.
And in that looking…
only silence remains.
Even Your Pain Is Welcome Here
This is not a cold path.
It’s a path of deep compassion.
Bring your wounds.
Bring your fear.
Bring your shame.
Don’t hide anything.
God doesn’t reject what’s imperfect.
God sees only God.
So bring your trembling heart to this altar of Truth.
Even your pain is a doorway.
You don’t have to be stainless to awaken.
You only have to be honest.
Honest enough to stop running.
Honest enough to stay still.
The Self Shines Through the Cracks
Awakening is not about fixing the cracks.
It’s about seeing the light that pours through them.
And once you stop trying to fix yourself,
you begin to see what was never broken.
This is the paradox:
The moment you stop seeking a better version of yourself,
you see the timeless Truth of who you are.
Not perfect.
Not improved.
Just… clear.
And from that clarity,
even your imperfections become holy.
You Can Begin Now
Not next year.
Not after the next retreat.
Not when you feel “ready.”
Now.
Because the Self doesn’t wait.
The Self is here.
Underneath your anxiety,
your sadness,
your joy,
your confusion.
All of it is happening in you—
but none of it is you.
Rest as That.
That is the invitation.
And it doesn’t require you to be perfect.
🌟 Let This Be Your First Step
The 5 Illusions That Keep You from Awakening – And The One Truth That Sets You Free.
A clear, powerful introduction to what’s keeping you from what you already are.
Let’s uncover what’s real together. If it’s time to go deeper, I’m here.
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