Worry
Life is messy. There is always something for worry to hook onto.
I often pondered teachings and advice which urged me not to worry. What does that really mean? Is it denial of my daily problems? No… what I concluded is being called for is letting go of anxiety, not reality.
Learning not to worry is hard work. . . yet despite its “attention-deficiency disorder,” even my crazy mind has its natural capacity to be still and to transcend its fixations. In depth it discovers its own clarity where it is at peace, free from anxiety.
I have half-a-dozen or so favourite anxieties, like bitter sweets I tended to suck on endlessly. Through recent awareness I went through a period where I felt frightened to be deprived of them. As I faced the challenge to go beyond the fear of letting go of anxiety, the fear I then had seemed to be of peace itself.
Through the daily meditation practice it became very obvious that I have choices. It is not a choice in the sense in which I choose a particular brand off the supermarket shelf. It is the choice to commit to a path or action.
I have found that the way of the mantra is an act of faith, not a movement of the ego’s power. Within every act of faith there is a declaration of love. Faith prepares the ground for the seed of the mantra to germinate in love.
It is clear I do not create the miracle of life and growth by myself, but I am responsible for its unfolding. Coming to peace of mind and heart—to silence, stillness, and simplicity---requires not the will of a type-A high-achiever, but the unconditional attention, the sustained fidelity of a disciple.
Olmate
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Threaded Mode
