Confession – Lately, I’ve been struggling to write. I’ve been struggling to practice as well. Ultimately, I’ve been struggling to stay in my mind and body. Sound familiar?
Be Your Worst Enemy Or Your Best Friend
You see, for me, my mind and body seem riddled with traffic, construction, and potholes of self-loathing. There are detours of distraction, and dis-ease. The ride hasn’t been easy. And, yet, I want to – need to – journey on.
What do we rely on when the mind has been exposed as a happiness caper, stealing opportunity and replacing it with habit and judgement? How to we connect when we’ve denied our body its role as a legitimate source of knowledge and guidance, trusting cherry-picked external data instead of our own sweet heartbeat? How do we stay awake when life seems to suck?
The Bhagavad Gita (6.5) reminds us that at all times, one is either one’s own best friend or one’s own worst enemy. When circumstances arise, we either hurt or heal. This is our most important practice. This is compassion.
The Most Important Steps
Take a moment. Get on your side. Learn where you criticize yourself and stop it. Repeat.
Keep repeating this practice of self-compassion until you wake up one day and realize that you deserve the happiness that is already there.
