QUESTIONNAIRE - Page 14

The method of filling in the questions and of scoring is explained in the first page of the Questionnaire, Activity.

B - EMOTIONAL STABILITY

Trait 7 - GUILT

Are you often troubled by feelings of guilt?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you sometimes catch yourself apologizing when you have not actually done anything wrong?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you sometimes think you have let down your parents by the life you have lead?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you believe that you have committed unpardonable sins?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you feel a strong need to confess something you have done?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you often feel that people disapprove of you?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you feel that the pleasure you have in the here and now will have to be paid for eventually?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you feel you have a bad karma?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you feel guilty that you have a more affluent lifestyle than many can afford?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Are there things you have done that you cannot get out of your mind?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
If you have an accident do you feel that you must have deserved it?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you consider that we are all sinners and basically flawed?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you feel that you have learnt valuable lessons from the mistakes you made in the past?

Yes | Maybe | No* || Score:
Do you feel guilty about other people's bad actions?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Are you regretful about your early sexual experiences?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you have some bad habits that are really inexcusable?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Are there things you'd like to do that you know are very wrong?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Are you often bothered by pangs of conscience?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you regard your youth as mis-spent?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Are there things you've done that you would give anything to un-do?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you think you are undeserving of other people's trust and affections?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you spend a great deal of time going over things that have happened in the past and wishing that you had behaved more responsibly?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Are you worried that something you have done might be found out?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Are you harbouring a guilty secret that you are afraid must come out one day?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you believe that bad behaviour will always be punished in the long run?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
If you have done something morally reprehensible can you put it behind you and direct your thoughts to the future?

Yes | Maybe | No* || Score:
When you have done something wrong do you try and cover it up with criticisms and make-wrongs to justify your actions?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you often think back on how you have treated people in the past?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Are you ashamed of your own sexual desires and fantasies?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you feel that you have disappointed people in the past by not working hard enough?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:
Do you expect God will punish you for your sins in an after-life?

Yes* | Maybe | No || Score:

ANALYSIS

Guilt is an emotional instability that unfortunately is closely tied with cultural conditioning. Parental and religious shoulds and shouldn'ts create dependencies that are usually irrational, based on the fear of judgement and punishment. Ethics and judgement are not imposed from above but are self-imposed. Misdeeds are mistakes, misguided actions, from which we can learn. Learning is what life is all about and that is the truth of karma.

When we allow ourselves to learn such a lesson, the slate is wiped clean - by ourselves. When we continue to justify our actions and defend our rightnesses - against the true voice of conscience of the Higher Self (not the replayed tapes of earlier authorities) which is unspoken but always known - then we continue to suffer.

Those with high scores are self-abasing and troubled by their conscience, regardless of whether their behaviour is really morally reprehensible. Excessive self-recrimination, often due to a religious background, is a neurotic characteristic.

Those with low scores are little inclined to punish themselves or regret their past behaviour. Without responsibility this is the psychopath. But in the case of a person who is truly free of guilt, this is not because of a lack of responsibility or empathy with the feelings of others - on the contrary, the person is open to the truth within himself (not necessarily the cultural line), has accepted responsibility for the effects of his actions, has honestly learnt the lessons provided by the experience, and has developed accordingly.

How do you compare?

The norm on this trait is between 12-13 points (a statistical approximation). This may be represented on the following scale:

Guilt 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 || 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Freedom from Guilt

Continue to the next Trait: AGGRESSIVENESS.

Return to Know Your Own Mind.