How to Live in the Present (Spiritual Way)
Offer 'No Resistance'., Don't confuse "no resistance" with "no action."
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Offer 'No Resistance'.
A spiritual way to live life is to completely accept the present, the way it is and offer no resistance to the flow of life within you.
If you could internalize this genuinely, then a big part of your spiritual practice is done.
There is a saying in Zen:
All that arises, passes away.
This means that you cannot stop the flow of life.
So completely accept your present circumstances, routines, people around you, habits (bad or good), your personality, thoughts, outer form (physical appearance), fundamentally accept anything in your present as if you have chosen it. .
Here are a few examples of inner resistance; see if you can detect these resistive patterns(unconscious or conscious) within yourself : "Why did I get a bad grade?” It’s not going to change the grade and more likely to make you suffer.
It's because you are resisting what is, the reality.
So instead have fun with it.
For example:
My teacher returned my test paper with a McDonald's job application stapled to it.
Having fun with what life throws at you is a form of acceptance. "Why are there so many ups and downs in my life?” Do you think resisting things like this is going to change one bit about it? Ups and downs are part of life.
Accept it.
True acceptance comes when you don't ask "Why is this happening to me?". "I am never upset for the reason I think." Course of miracles. -
Step 2: Don't confuse "no resistance" with "no action."
No resistance does not mean to just accept the present and do nothing about it.
It means to offer no internal resistance to what is, then the intelligent action comes from deep within you.
Non resistance/reaction is perfectly compatible with action.
In fact non-reactive action is much more powerful as it is in alignment with the universe, unlike knee-jerk reaction which is short sighted and unintelligent. "To offer no resistance to life is to be in a state of grace, ease, and lightness." Eckhart Tolle.
Detailed Guide
A spiritual way to live life is to completely accept the present, the way it is and offer no resistance to the flow of life within you.
If you could internalize this genuinely, then a big part of your spiritual practice is done.
There is a saying in Zen:
All that arises, passes away.
This means that you cannot stop the flow of life.
So completely accept your present circumstances, routines, people around you, habits (bad or good), your personality, thoughts, outer form (physical appearance), fundamentally accept anything in your present as if you have chosen it. .
Here are a few examples of inner resistance; see if you can detect these resistive patterns(unconscious or conscious) within yourself : "Why did I get a bad grade?” It’s not going to change the grade and more likely to make you suffer.
It's because you are resisting what is, the reality.
So instead have fun with it.
For example:
My teacher returned my test paper with a McDonald's job application stapled to it.
Having fun with what life throws at you is a form of acceptance. "Why are there so many ups and downs in my life?” Do you think resisting things like this is going to change one bit about it? Ups and downs are part of life.
Accept it.
True acceptance comes when you don't ask "Why is this happening to me?". "I am never upset for the reason I think." Course of miracles.
No resistance does not mean to just accept the present and do nothing about it.
It means to offer no internal resistance to what is, then the intelligent action comes from deep within you.
Non resistance/reaction is perfectly compatible with action.
In fact non-reactive action is much more powerful as it is in alignment with the universe, unlike knee-jerk reaction which is short sighted and unintelligent. "To offer no resistance to life is to be in a state of grace, ease, and lightness." Eckhart Tolle.
About the Author
Eric Harvey
Committed to making creative arts accessible and understandable for everyone.
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