|
Accepting What is Given
"When we struggle against this moment, we struggle against the entire universe."
- Deepak Chopra
One of the greatest spiritual challenges we face as human beings is to truly accept what we are given. What we are given is the present moment and the free will to choose how to be in the present moment. We are free to choose acceptance or struggle, thankfulness or judgment. Saying it that way makes
it sound very simple but in our experience of life we know that it is not easy. It is not easy to accept what we don't want, what we feel we haven't asked for or deserve and, especially, tragic circumstances or situations that seem unfair or unreasonable in our minds.
Deepak Chopra's statement can be difficult to comprehend at first. How can it be that my own personal struggle with what is before me has anything to do with the "entire universe?" The answer is that in this moment, no thing can be any different than it is. The entire universe exists as it is in
this moment and "what is" simply IS. In and of itself, the reality of this moment is not good or bad or right or wrong. It is simply the reality.
How do we know that? We know that because the exact same reality, the exact same circumstance can upset one person and not another. Have you ever noticed and been exasperated or disappointed by the fact that other people do not get excited about the same things that excite you and that other people
are not outraged by the same things that upset you? Are they wrong? Perhaps you think so. Is it possible that your way of seeing things is simply one way of seeing things and that the reality is independent of your perception? Have you ever changed your mind about anything? Clearly, "what is" is
independent of our perception of it. So when we have a perception that declares the reality as something that "shouldn't be so" or is "wrong", we are struggling against "what is" and in that way we are struggling against the design of life, against the entire universe.
How then do we make the choice in the moment not to struggle against it? The truth is that it is simple as letting go, letting go of our judgment, letting go of our desire to have something be different in that moment. And the truth is also that we often feel, as human beings, completely incapable
of doing so. And here is where our ego plays a nasty trick on us. When we find ourselves in the position of desiring to express our "highest self", and, in the moment, when we are seemingly unable to do so, we begin to struggle against the way we are. We judge ourselves for not being what or how we
think we should be. Therein lies the key to true acceptance. It is in accepting ourselves, truly as we are, in any given moment, that there is the opportunity to grow and become more accepting of the circumstances of our lives in general. It is when you can accept yourself with what you don't want
in yourself that you transform the negative feeling or quality into an element that no longer carries a negative charge. It is not right or wrong, it is simply present and in the acceptance of the fact that it is present we become free to choose that or something different. Making a choice between
different perspectives when they do not carry an emotional charge becomes possible.
Deepak Chopra's statement is a great reminder to us about the futility of non-acceptance. It a reminder to accept what and how we are in every moment and to choose powerfully how to be in the next moment.
© 2006, Davis Virtual Assistance. This article may not be reprinted or copied on any type of media either in part or in whole.
Dina Crawford is a personal life coach, seminar leader and writer. For more information visit http://www.wingsofawareness.com.
 |
