The choice to accept myself as I am: human, imperfect.

To be useful, to be used up, to survive and to thrive

so I can use every moment to make the world a better place.

~Edith Eger

what is it like to live in the heart of knowing?

inquiry for today~ can you rest in simple awareness?

how will I know?

Freedom is born out of our capacity to work with any energy or difficulty that arises. It’s the freedom to enter wisely into all the realms of this world, the beautiful and painful realms, the realms of sickness and health, the realms of war and of peace. We can’t find freedom in some other place or some other time, we must find it here and now in this very life.

How can we do this? We can develop the seeds of wisdom, peace, and wholeness within each of our difficulties. We can make our very difficulties the place of our practice. Then our life becomes not a struggle with success and failure but a dance of the heart. Where better to meditate, to steady our hearts, to practice patience, calm, generosity, compassion than in our tough times? This is where the straw becomes spun into the gold of love.

Sit quietly, feeling the rhythm of your breathing, allowing yourself to become calm and receptive. Then think of a difficulty that you face, whether in your spiritual practice or anywhere in your life. As you sense this difficulty, take your time. Notice how it affects your body, how it feels in the heart, its energy in the mind. Feeling it carefully, begin to ask yourself a few questions, listening inwardly for their answers.

How have I approached this difficulty so far?

How have I suffered by my own response and reaction to it?

What does this problem ask me to let go of?

What suffering here is unavoidable, is my measure to accept?

What happens if I bring tender compassion to all the parts of this difficulty?

What courage is asked as I respond?

What great lesson might it be able to teach me?

What is the gold, the value, hidden in this situation?

In using this reflection to consider your difficulties, the understanding and openings may come slowly. Take your time. As with all meditations, it can be helpful to repeat this reflection a number of times, listening each time for deeper answers from your body, heart, and spirit.

~Jack Kornfield