Today I was reflecting about why do we engage in meditation or spiritual practices. Not everyone, but many come to spirituality from a place of pain or struggle. In fact, often struggle or pain presents an opportunity and hope to change the direction of our lives. We become motivated to change, to align in a direction that fulfills us.
Often, our egos fight this change and alignment because the ego believes it knows what’s right for us.
After all, our egos were created originally to support and protect us. It’s cause was a holy cause, but got lost somewhere along the way and we can’t even remember that our egos are here to serve. Instead, we don’t even realize that our egos have taken the position of the master in our lives.
The more we push in the direction of our ego’s plans, we may face continued “failure” to attain what we think we want or an impasse that doesn’t let us push in the direction of our ego plan….or we actually get what we pushed for and realize that fulfillment isn’t there.
This is especially hard because there is so much pressure in current culture that often results in people creating appearances as though they are living their happiness and fulfillment. The result? A dissociation from the deeper call within us that we don’t want to face because it would break the veneer of happiness that we have put up even for ourselves!
For the ones who find themselves seeking for answers, these covert and powerful cultural beliefs can exacerbate the cycle inside to feel more lost and alone…more suffering.
We believe that it’s supposed to be easy and that we are failing because we haven’t attained and aren’t living our happiness and fulfillment. But what if someone told you that in fact, our seeking and struggle and pain may be the GIFT of our souls and hearts?
Does this resonate on some level?
Taking on spiritual/meditation practices is actually a way to loosen the grip of the ego so that we can listen to the dweller in our hearts, the one who can navigate our lives towards the path of meaning and fulfillment to guide us. Like a goldsmith working to refine and purify a piece of gold from the unprecious metals so that it can shine. On the way, we often have to cultivate or re-awaken resources within – groundedness and discipline, courage, peace, joy, love, etc.
There’s a saying “you can’t fill a cup that’s already full”.
Meditation/practices is a way to create some room in the cup so that we can experience resources within in our lives. Maybe we can dive into the topic of resources together someday and the cultivation/re-awakening of them.
May you honor your journey. May we land in our hearts and the dweller in our hearts so that we can experience this life in the way we most deeply desire.
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