Practicing everyday is the basic principle of the meditation spiritual path.
Whatever we practice the most is what we become.
Ask anyone who seems to be handling their life in a manner that you want to emulate what do they practice everyday? Not once in awhile. Everyday. This is how I started on the path ~ I found Louise Hay thirty years ago and believed her. That I could change my life and create the life I wanted with a few simple changes.
Are you constantly feeling uptight when life doesn’t seem to be going right? Are you reacting to criticism by constantly defending yourself? Do you find that you are constantly having negative self defeating thoughts? Do your thoughts become giant snowballs that get bigger and bigger and you can’t stop them? Are you constantly scaring yourself? Do you respond to everyone and everything throughout your day like it’s a 911 event?
If you are chronically feeling frustrated it’s most likely because you have PRACTICED being frustrated. Now you’re really good at it. It’s become your default state of Being.
However, great news!
You are so much more then what your ego is telling you! You know ego. That’s that voice in your head that keeps reminding you that all you are is the sum total of your accumulations, your job, your reputation, your bank account, your weight, your gender. All it’s rantings about how we need more, we’re not good enough, this isn’t how life is suppose to be, it’s their fault, blah, blah, blah.
You can CHOOSE to bring forth the qualities of your spirt ~ such as love, patience, peace, compassion, humility and kindness ~ all that you truly long for and guess how?
~ through PRACTICE.
To me it’s just common sense to be careful and have an awareness around what I’m practicing each day.
It always comes back to attention ~ Intention ~ action. Thank you davidji for this teaching.
Where is your attention?
How are you spending your time?
Are your habits aligned with your goals (intentions).
Is what you say you want for your life truly, truly, consistent with those habits?
Have you been saying forever, “I really want to learn how to meditate.” “I want to be able to spend more time by myself.” “I want more peace in my life.” Are you asking the bigger questions, “is there really a God”? “Is there an afterlife or is this it”? “Who AM I really”?
I find so many people are asking these questions yet still somehow haven’t found the time.
For today I encourage you ~ just notice what are you CHOOSING to do over and over? Are you watching reruns, surfing the net, complaining to someone? Sleeping too much? Do you do respond this way because you always respond this way?
Are these practices nurturing your heart and creating the life you truly want?
How did you START your day?
I started my day with gratitude, heart opening, meditation and prayer practices. Followed by exercise.
Why? Well it’s certainly not because I AM better then you. I now know the value that my spiritual practices bring to me. These PRACTICES keep me tethered to the anchor of the universe that resides at my core. They are sort of like a spiritual life jacket keeping me afloat when the seas of my life get choppy so I remain still and know who I really AM.
Remember, we always get to choose how we respond in every moment.
The clock is ticking as davidji teaches.
We become what we practice.