Welcome. This meditation supports the Stage Two task of recognizing when you are struggling against your river. This task is a follow-on to the previous manifesting task. Sometimes, life feels like a struggle. In this task, you are asked to recognize that struggle, and to stop struggling. The most challenging part of this task is recognizing struggle versus effort, and then letting go of what you thought you wanted. This meditation will support understanding effort versus struggle, and the release needed to let go.
Posture
Take a moment to get comfortable. You can sit or stand or lay down. It will help to close your eyes for this deep internal exploration.
Presence
Take a slow deep breath. Let it out like a sigh of relief. Be at peace. You are here now. Take another slow deep breath, and this time, send it out slowly, consciously, with purpose, all the way. Be at peace. You are here now. Pause and repeat these breaths until you feel relaxed and at peace.
Journey
You have joined in this meditation because you are struggling. To begin, identify where you are struggling. What is it that you want that is just not working out. Recount it to yourself now. Is it struggle or is it effort? Effort is just work. It is a list of tasks that need to be done. It is a skill that needs to be learned. It is time invested. Sometimes it is patience. Effort results in measurable progress. It feels good, positive, joyous, smooth and flowing. Effort towards your goal is enjoyable.
Struggle looks like misery, without any measurable progress. Struggle feels like it should not be this hard. Struggle is when others have taken the same path, in the same way, and gotten a lot farther by now. Outside experts cannot see why you should not have seen progress yet. Something is holding you back, intentionally.
That something is the universe, the divine, source, God, Allah, the Tao… whatever you want to call it. You see, the divine loves you. You are here for a reason and the divine is trying to safeguard you and that purpose so that you can carry it out. You and your purpose are being protected. Even if it is not obvious. Feel this for a moment.
This path is not for you… or it is not right for you right now. If you insist, the universe may let you have it, and negative consequences may come along with hard lessons. It is time to let it go.
What if you put this path aside for just this moment? Do this now. Just for this meditation, leave this path in the past, or perhaps for another time in the future. For a moment say, “OK, we will not pursue that…” now you have created space for another idea to come in. A better idea, possibly.
Focus on the heart. The center or your truth. Ask yourself, what should you do instead? Where should you place your effort now? Listen now for the answer. Be patient as it comes and do not judge it. What should you do instead? Think on this now.
What answer did you get? You may not have liked it. Or you may have felt relief. Or something between. Give the answer a try. For the next few days, or a week, take a break from the old path and try the new path instead. If the new path flows smoothly, it is for you.
Your heart knows what to do. Trust it.
Return
When you are ready, bring your awareness back to your surroundings. Notice how you feel. You might feel a bit resigned, but a little more free, and at the same time, open to new and better ideas. Take this feeling with you and return to it anytime you feel that you are struggling against your river. If the new path is also a struggle, try this exercise again to hone your ability to hear the truth of your heart. Keep trying the new path until it flows in joy.
