Difficulties

Raw material we must work on

February 16th 2015
Learn to think of your difficulties as raw material you have to work on. The moment you adopt this attitude, a whole process is triggered within you: machines start up and begin grinding this raw material to transform it. It’s hard, of course. But try, if only out of curiosity; experiment just for a week. Tell yourself, ‘This way of seeing things is so new for me, I don’t know how to set about it. But I’m going to have a go all the same.’ With each irritation and difficulty that arises, instead of swearing, complaining and bothering heaven and earth, do some inner work. And to ensure you have every chance of success, above all be vigilant. The moment you realize you risk slipping into a bad mood or becoming discouraged or exasperated, etc., do something about it! Because once you begin to let yourself go, it is hard to backtrack. So cultivate vigilance, to avoid being taken by surprise, and set to work.