This article was posted by CrystalWind.ca.
To Be Truly Happy Stop Resisting Resistance
The building where I used to run a meditation group was on the same street as a fire station. One could almost guarantee that sometime during the meditation a fire engine would come rushing past, sirens wailing. Not surprisingly, people would complain afterward. “How could I meditate with that noise?”
How often have we felt something similar? There’s an unspoken assumption that the mind can only become quiet if the world around us is quiet. We imagine the ideal meditation setting to be somewhere far from the madding crowd—a retreat deep in a forest, a peaceful chapel, or the quiet of one’s own bedroom, perhaps. It is much harder for the mind to settle down in a noisy environment.
…or is it?
I suggested to the group that the next time a fire engine came blasting by they look within and explore whether the sound really was that disturbing? After the following meditation, a woman reported how the noise no longer seemed a problem. It was there, but it didn’t disturb her. The disturbance, she realized, came not from the sound itself, but from wishing it weren’t there.
Acceptance is Key
This was the essence of Buddha’s realization 2,500 years ago. We all experience what he called dukkha, conventionally translated as “suffering.” In Pali, the language of Buddha’s time, dukkha is the negation of the word sukha, meaning “at ease.” So dukkha might also be translated as not-at-ease, or discontent—an experience we all can relate to.
The root meanings of these words add further insight. Sukha stems from su (good)-kha (hole), and generally referred to a good axle hole in the wheel of a cart. The wheel was a great technological boon of the time, and whether or not it ran smoothly around its axle would have been a primary concern for both comfort and efficiency.
Conversely, the root of dukkha is duh (bad)-kha (hole). There is resistance to the smooth running of the wheel, leading to friction and discomfort. Similarly with the mind. When we accept things as they are, “go with the flow,” there is ease—sukha. This is our natural state of mind—content and relaxed. Dukkha arises when we resist our experience. Our natural state of ease becomes veiled by a self-created discontent.
Be in the Moment
Thus, as Buddha and numerous other teachers have pointed out, we can return to a more peaceful state of mind by letting go of our attachments as to how our experience ought to be and accept it as it is. Upon hearing this, people often ask: Does this mean I should accept injustice and cruelty, the homeless sleeping on the streets, or the recalcitrant attitude of my partner? Of course not. There are numerous situations that we should not tolerate, and each of us, in our own way, will be called to do what we can to improve things.
“Accepting our experience as it is,” means just that: accepting our experience in the moment. If we are feeling frustrated, angry, or indignant, accept that feeling. Don’t resist it, or wish it weren’t there; but let it in, become interested in how it feels.
We can also explore the resistance itself. It can be quite subtle, and not easily noticed at first. I find it useful to simply pause and ask: “Is there any sense of resistance that I am not noticing?” And gently wait. I may then become aware of some resentment or aversion towards my experience, or sometimes a faint sense of tension or contraction in my being.
Then, rather than focusing on whatever experience I may be resisting, I turn my attention to the resistance itself, opening to this aspect of “what is.”
Awareness is Vital
Rather than dividing experience into two parts—the experience in the moment, and thoughts and feelings about that experience—any resistance is now included as part of the present moment. Not resisting the resistance, the veil of discontent dissolves, and I return to a more relaxed, easeful state of mind.
That is what is meant by a quiet mind. Not an empty mind. We are aware of the world just as before. Aware of sounds, sensations, thoughts, and feelings. We are simply allowing our experience to be as it is. Not wishing for something different, not creating unnecessary discontent. So when you find something seeming to disturb your inner quiet—whether it be a friend’s behavior, some politician on TV or a passing fire engine—pause and notice what is happening inside. See if there is any sense of resistance to your experience.
If so, open up to the experience of resisting; be curious as to what is going on and how it feels. Include this part of the present moment in your awareness, and you may well discover that you can be at ease in situations where you before you would have suffered.
Words By Peter Russell
Originally posted on Sivana East, Spirituality, yoga and concisous living
Source
H/T
Join the Conversation Now! Comment Below!
Spirit Animal Totem Of The Day!
Crystal Of The Day!
Latest Articles
The Crystal Wind Oracle
Myth & Magic Card Deck!
Details Here!
NEW Expanded
Printed & Boxed!
Now with 58 cards!
CrystalWind.ca is free to use because of
donations from people like you.
Donate Now »
Unlock Your Light: Join Lightworkers Worldwide on CrystalWind.ca!
Follow Us!
Who is Online Now
We have 31149 guests and no members online
Featured This Month
Dandelion: The Surprising Power of this Medi…
Reminds you of the abundance life holds. Gender: Masculine Planet: Jupiter E... Read more
Sun in Aries: Unleash Your Power!
Aries March 21 through April 20 An Overview of Sun Sign Characteristics for A... Read more
Birth Totem Falcon: Are You a Natural Leader…
Birth Totem Falcon Birth dates: March 21 – April 19 Birth Totem is: Falcon... Read more
Bright Beltane Blessings!
The wheel turns to Beltane, also known as Mayday, marking the beginning of S... Read more
Eudialyte: Your Aries Power Stone Revealed!
Eudialyte Birthstone: Aries Planet: Mars Element: Fire Chakra: Heart Eud... Read more
The Crystal Wind Oracle Card Deck
The Crystal Wind Oracle™ The Crystal Wind Oracle Myth & Magic Card D... Read more
Aries Mythology: Discover the Secrets
The Mythology of Aries First things first, when referring to the mythology ... Read more
The Time of No Time: Beltane!
Around the medicine wheel of life we go, from season to season (solstice to ... Read more
Budding Trees Moon: Medicine Wheel Insights!
Red Hawk - Fire Opal - Dandelion - Yellow March 21 – April 19 The Budding Tr... Read more
Green Aventurine
The Emotional Balancer Stone Green Aventurine is perhaps the best balancing... Read more