Rise Up Against Adversity

Here at the monastery there are all different kinds of trees and plants. Today, in the early morning sun, we saw a small orange cluster of fruits coming out of a tree that had to struggle and climb up past a grove of bigger trees towering above. The victorious fruit cluster was too far away to be photographed, but none-the-less the monks reflected on its appearance. This was inspiring to see, why? Follow the slideshow for our reflection on this glorious fruit cluster.

We must struggle in order to succeed. Our struggle is necessary. We must have resistance in order to gain strength. It is the law of this fire planet. We are here to struggle and experience both joy and pain so that we may conquer resistance and propel ourselves forward in evolution. We are here, in physical bodies, to evolve through challenges. Not everyone is able to come to terms with this truth and thus they seek a life free of challenges.

Overcoming obstacles is one of the most concrete ways we can better ourselves. It is solid and certain, not abstract. Without challenges, we overcome nothing. Without resistance, we do not seek a better reality. Once we find resistance, once a challenge shows itself, we must face it and resolve it. Turning around, ignoring or going around it only kicks the can down the road; it is still there waiting to manifest at a later date.

Often times we will face challenges through other people. Anticipate resistance from other people. Welcome it. Slowly and purposefully we master our lower nature. We wake up confident, ready to face the day. Our plans are in motion, life is good. What can go wrong when we are in Siva\

s gracious grasp? The next lesson will rise to the surface of life, as eventually it must. The evolving does not end, in this world or the next. We must overcome challenges because it is the nature of this planet to present them to us that we may learn, that we may grow into knowledge of the always-perfect Self within.'

Knowing this, having this information in your soul, you will be able to go through life like writing on water. Become the philosopher and reflect constantly. What is driving you? What wakes you up in the morning? It is all just an idea until you physically create it. Have that goal in mind constantly, refine it, and then live it out. Anticipate resistance and charge it head on in a beautiful way. Loving your resistors will disarm them. Empathize, always try to find points of agreements.

What is exciting is knowing this will happen. Once you have succeeded in basic mastery and habit forming, let elegance and grace flow. From scene to scene be the watcher. When resistance comes at you, it does so from emotion. It is a boomerang of something you set in motion long ago. Knowing that life is a product of your own doing is profound; it means you can change it just as certainly as you created it. It makes you the master of your destiny. From here on out we blame no one, knowing it is us in another form just bringing back what we started. Were these not the profound understandings of our Gurudeva? Did not Bodhinatha just speak of it yesterday at the Sun One talk?

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