A time for unfulfilled craving~

A very fine link had just been realized between a few different beliefs.
Though known by different names, it is essentially a period of time, devoted to "unfulfilled cravings".
These cravings are hardly edible sort, seeing as how it is more towards the realms of psychology and spirituality.

A long time ago, humanity have discovered that they need to set a period of time and devise ways to bring out their deepest problems from the realm of the subconscious.

Some of these are known today as ego, pride, and insecurities.

"...let's take a month or so, at least a few weeks, out of a year, and bring out the worst in us so at the very least, we can acknowledge its existence."

Once aware, we are to try and eliminate them from within, thus taking a step towards living in peace and harmony with our surroundings.

Desires that cannot be fulfilled is quite harmful- to us and those around us. We all know that somebody who:
- Needs compliments.
- Can't take a criticism.
- Needs to be respected
- Can't handle the slightest bit of disrespect. (even if it was a "maybe that was kinda disrespecting... i think" sort of incident)
- needs that extra attention. all the time.
- always, always bragging. about everything.
- always comparing.....everything.
- the know-it-all
- the one-upper

...and personally, someone who see them this way will always see them as a joke. I'm sure i have people who see me as a joke!

So if we were aware of these flaws in our characteristics, or if we feel the need to fill this void... one important question to ask would be, "to what end?"

We cause so much disharmony in our quest to fill a bottomless pit because we're afraid it would be empty!

These desires are usually caused by some sort of childhood events, neglected by parents, overly strict parents, bad group of friends, so on and so forth, and i suppose this is what they mean when they say "the tests of life are unique to each individual"

Test? Of life?

Yes! I believe these are problems we inherit at our young age, so we can solve them when we reach our age of thinking and reason.

to each his own indeed.

before i forget, some similarities are that these period of time are believed to be the time where ones' ancestors return to visit.
Also, the period ends with one wild, epic Sacred Party.

Similar ideas. Different names.
Ramadhan.
Hungry Ghost festival.
Lent.

Why we still fight over differences in form and remain oblivious to the similarities in function is beyond me.

Thanks.