Home | Personal Development
In every moment, there are two possibilities. One possibility is to have all of our curiosity, attention, and passion focused on what is happening. The other, is to have that same curiosity, attention, and passion focused on what is not happening, what is not present, or what we think should or shouldn't be happening. In every moment, the question is: What are you giving your attention to? Are you allowing what is, or going to battle with it-trying to change it in some way? When we focus is on what is, our experience naturally opens up and becomes fuller, richer, and more complete. But when we focus on what is not (like the past, the future, or any idea about what would be better), our experience of what is happening narrows and contracts. In addition, inherent in a focus on what is not is a struggle with what is. Most of the time we are opposed to what is and focused on what is not. Our life is often about how to make things better and more pleasureable, or how reduce things that are painful. We like to constantly evaluate our experience, by looking to see what's wrong and how it could be improved. We tend focus on what's wrong or on what could be changed to it to make it better. Therefore, our attention narrows and our awareness becomes very limited. If we see how much we struggle with what is, the next tendency is to then go to battle with that. We try to fix this tendency to try to change everything. But that is only more of the same: All that has changed is that now we are struggling against our tendency to try to change things. We end up suffering over the fact that we are suffering. What if you just notice how much you suffer, without trying to do anything about it? Just allow struggle with what is to be here. Just recognize that for now, that is what is happening. This tendency to struggle with what is, is what we were taught or conditioned to do; and this conditioning is here and is also a part of what is. At any point where we simply accept what is,we can see how all of the struggling comes from the idea of a "me". Without this assumption that something is happening to "me", there isn't much point in struggling to change the moment. Our effortful struggle to change things only makes sense if there really is a me. We struggle in service to maintaining the idea of a "me". In fact, the struggle is the building block of the "me". Whenever there is no struggle, the sense of a "me" is not there. Our suffering is how we have always maintained a sense of identity. Once again, there is a tendency is to try to fix this by changing our beliefs about our identiy. We try to get rid of identification, which is another way of focusing on what is not. Yet, we are then still suffering because now we are struggling with our tendency to identify. Instead of accepting of what is, we are looking toward how it should be: I ought to know better; I should already know who I am. Another possibility is always available: to simply be present to everything including the tendency to identify, without trying in any way to change anything. If something is happening, then that's what is.Let it be just the way it is. it is all amazing, even the fact that there seems to be a "me". You may see how ultimately unreal this "me" is, but that does not mean there is any need to struggle with it. Why assume that ther is anything wrong that needs to be fixed? Without any effort or struggle, this moment is enough to enjoy. What a gift to be here! Whenever it is just fine for everything to be just the way it is including any identity and struggle, then much more of what is can be recognized in our awareness. If we are present to and allowing our struggle, then it is also possible to notice something beyond struggle and any effort to maintain our identity. What that something is, is our true nature or Being. So along with the struggle and suffering inherent in identification, is a much larger ground of Being in which everything is allowed. Our identity is just a thought or idea, but there is no need to judge or turn away from that idea. In addition to the struggling inherent in our identification, there is also present a profoundly rich ocean of Being, which is allows everything, including the "me". The struggle is only a tiny bit of our entire experience and even this struggle is allowed in the limitless presence of Being. We can sometimes even notice what it is that is allowing It is Being that allows and that is what we truly are. This realization can be a very surprising jolt or a very simple sense of waking up to something very familiar. It is Being that has always allowed even when it seemed like you were doing it. What can paradoxically take us beyond the struggle is admitting how much we enjoy identifying. When we allow things to be just the way they are, it becomes OK to admit this has all been a lot of fun. It is an incredible creation to experience the illusion of a separate "me". It allows the whole drama of our human life, and has been the inspiration for many of the great works of art and literature. Even though we love to identify,that doesn't mean we don't also suffer from it. This projection and creation of the false me is not a mistake. It's spontaneous, natural, and inherent in our human nature. It's one of the richer aspects of our life-and yet there is also the even richer possibility of recognizing the much greater truth of our Being. This Being is always here and is a place of no suffering.
Article Source: http://www.bodyformind.com/db
Well known spiritual guide, Nirmala has offered Satsang and one-to-one Spiritual Mentoring since 1998. He offers free spiritual books and many more ways to explore his teaching on endless-satsang.com. This and other unique content spirituality articles are available with free reprint rights.
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
