We live in a culture where people want results fast. As a product of my culture, I want this too, and yet my life experience has shown me that few things of importance, things that I deal with each day, have quick resolutions. Not only that, but new issues seem to crop up all the time.
This isn’t just about issues to do with career, friends, health, or family. It’s about our entire life process—that means our thoughts and emotions, how we feel on a daily basis, if we are handling things in a calmer manner, if we know better how to deal with our anger, sadness, or frustration.
Hopefully, if you are aware and want to grow in awareness, you know that our thoughts and emotions can be keys to our well-being; or they can be the obstacles.
I’m not sure I agree with some who say we can control our thoughts. Where do our thoughts even come from? I’m not sure. However, we can become better at deciding which thoughts to amplify, and which to let dimimish.
In meditation, we watch our thoughts, and we choose not to follow every one. Thoughts are just thoughts. It is up to us to pick and choose what is a helpful thought and what is an unhelpful one.
Which thoughts support you? Which are positive and valuable? Slowly, over time, we can begin to let the “muddy waters” of our thoughts settle, and allow space and light into our minds and hearts. Then we can follow the thoughts and take the actions that are for our highest good.
But this doesn’t happen overnight.
Growth happens slowly. In the Jewish mystical tradition of Kabbalah, it is said that we are always in the process of perfecting ourselves.
As we go along the pathway of life, if we are open to creating more awareness, the pieces will begin to fall into place. But the path is long and the process is never-ending. Don’t give up hope no matter what obstacles you face. There is a power for good leading you ever onward, and you will begin to understand more and more over time.
“Nothing is slower than the true birth of a man.”
—Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar