CHALLENGE AND CHANGE

Challenge implies competition, testing oneself against others or even overcoming obstacles. When we face challenges, we often search for that elusive missing link to greater wealth, improved health, happiness, or success. Are these to be found outside or within ourselves?
Another challenge could be that traumatic or disturbing memories from the past rise in our awareness. Do we bury them or seek ways to face them in safety but with a different mindset? These invite changes of a deeper and more lasting kind. This is when a spiritual teacher or qualified counsellor is needed.

After all what is change but releasing a specific way of thinking or doing and replace it with something else. In times of change, when the familiar is in doubt a period of uncertainty can arise. The object is to remain clear in our mind so there is no pre-judgement. Having the mindset of simply tasting the waters of each new opportunity as it arises, can be exciting.

If we responded more in the moment without constantly referring to the past there would be an opening for freshness and new thoughts, or even no thoughts. This leads to living in the ‘Now’ without anticipation or expectation. When we give ourselves permission to observe life with a fresh outlook and do a familiar task in a different way this turns the day-to-day way of doing things from automatic actions to livingness and being fully awake.

Acknowledging that we are more than the physical body alone (that which is seen) is the first step in expanding our awareness of ‘self’ but to do so we need to be awake to new opportunities that come our way.

• When attempting anything new it is important that we put aside old beliefs and limitations and experience things with an open mind.
• Practical meditation techniques provide the opportunity for conscious experiences that act as stepping stones towards expanded awareness.

These practices can be applied to every aspect of life and all professions because when new ways of working or looking at life are adopted by the majority then growth happens for the benefit of the many and this automatically enhances the individual. Over the last 100 years there have been numerous advances in lifestyle, science, transport, medicine, and education. However, history has shown that humanity can be slow to learn from past mistakes and often make abortive attempts to reinvent the wheel thinking that the result will be different.

By being flexible to discover something new, we move away from the idea of competing with someone else and know that the only person we are competing against is ourselves. As soon as this awareness is tangible our attitude alters and the concept of challenge changes and there is an opening for growth.

Growth is movement through development and stimulation. Realisations come easier, sensations are felt, and our internal view of life expands. When this is achieved an inner beauty comes to the surface and we truly understand the process of expanded consciousness and relish the challenge of future changes.