Perseverance
Success comes to those who persevere when things gets tough. Meditation practice, just like life, has its ups and downs too. But that's the point. We meet ourselves in meditation and the choices we make during our practice mirror how we show up in life. Do you give in to distraction, give up or go the extra mile?
There was a period of about six months several years ago when I had no motivation for my morning meditation. Having been committed to my practice for many years, this level of lethargy was new. It felt like I had to drag myself to my cushion every day at 6:30 am. I persevered knowing it was my ego that was resisting not my soul. Every day, I had to tell myself to show up, shut up and concentrate.
My perseverance was rewarded in a way I could not have foreseen. About half-way through my next 10-day retreat that same year, I felt a spontaneous flow of goodness (it is the only way I can describe it) that seeped slowly and gently from above my head permeating every cell of my being. It was beautiful. Tears of joy trickled down my face. As I sat in this beautiful feeling of 'goodness', my mind was extremely clear and calm. I left that retreat knowing in my bones there is goodness underneath all of the suffering in the world. And, I understood Julian of Norwich "all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well” on a profound level.
We grow through the things we refuse to be defeated by. When we consciously choose to take responsibility for our growth, we need to hold onto the hope that it will be worth it, especially when it gets rough. Remember nothing is as it appears to be. Do. Not. Give. Up.