Yesterday, I read somewhere a tale about some monks that had to pass through a chamber of demons before getting to the door on the other side that leads into the promised land, the highest state of inner peace. The tale went that monks often went into it never to emerge but when eventually one did so, he was asked how he did it, he said he just kept his eye on the door at all times.
This resonated with me as I pass through that chamber myself and feel the tugging of the demons around me, the demons of doubt and fear. Then later as I shared this with my best friend, I went deeper into the allegory and saw that the best way to live in the most fulfilled and happiest way is to set your sights on that intention without attachment to anything - how it should look and how one should get there - and then just take one step at a time, knowing one will pass through hurdles designed to strengthen us along the way, guided only by what feels right in the moment and NEVER losing sight of the door and ALWAYS following one’s heart.
The only addition to make to this simple way of living is to live in the moment, mindful of that door but present to all that is around you, looking for the good, the benefit in every experience, pleasant or unpleasant, grateful for what each one brings and happy to be on the journey.
With this I don’t need to know what step to take in two steps’ time or whether I will “succeed” - success is in every step, even when we feel we have taken the “wrong one”, for the wrong one never exists as each is perfect to teach us something new. Even persistently “failing” to learn the lesson is simply a set back that will eventually be corrected in this life or another.
So I am reminded to accept today’s challenges with gratitude, to notice my feelings that are unpleasant and know that there us a reason for them surfacing to be released and thereby empower me in the next step of the journey. Do I find this easy? No! Am I committed to this path and this perspective, however? Oh, yes indeed!
No comments:
Post a Comment