Ease I

I feel comfortable making the assumption that those of us who are practicing on a spiritual path (and I mean that in the broadest sense) are, in some way, unsatisfied with our lives.

We feel there is more to life than we are currently aware and we would like our exploration to lead to better understanding, less suffering, and more peace and happiness.

But, how do we know that our spiritual practice is ‘working’? How do we know our practice is making a change in our lives? and that any change is for the better!

From Doug Kraft, easingawake.com:

The Buddha might say the best measure is deep and genuine ease. When the mind is tight, we’re more likely to get stuck in our ideas, opinions, political perspectives, and personal points of view: we mistake our thoughts for reality. When the mind-heart is present and at ease, we take our opinions lightly, have a healthy sense of humor about ourselves, and are more present with what’s around us.

…Awakening is not easy, but without ‘ease’ it is impossible.

All of the benefits we seek come from training the mind to be fully present in each moment and remembering and resonating with the qualities that are inherent in our true nature: openness, clarity, and compassion.

So, give yourself the opportunity to bring ease into your practice, by releasing tension in the mind whenever you notice it. Take a breath, relax the mind and body, ease back into your current experience with a positive feeling and energy.