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Acceptance - an Introductory
Exercise
If you have not read about acceptance as a means of stress reduction and
mind detoxification, please click
here
to read in
the health section
before continuing to read this section.
Acceptance is
about letting go of unrealistic expectations, large and small. It’s
about coming to terms with reality no matter how unfair or unpleasant it may
be. Acceptance is what we do when we acknowledge that no matter how
hard we try, we cannot control people or situations in life.
However, acceptance does not
means accepting failure and to give up trying or a do not care attitude.
Here we will do this mental exercise for a week or more to free our mind
from stress and particularly from the prison of EGO.
Ego and acceptance
The
ego cannot accept any person or situation or event in life. Non-acceptance
is ego's nature and also a means through which it gets its nutrition. The
moment we accept a person or situation we see that the ego's energy is
drained. As soon as we accept, we find that the ego loses it's heroic act in
our life's drama. The ego always blames others for all problems. Blaming
others, the odds are high that the ego will get hold of the mind to either
brood over the past or be anxious of the future. Acceptance brings about
awareness to the present moment, while all the ego wants is to graze on past
memories or worry and fear about the future.
Purpose of the practice
The intention of the acceptance practice is to
confront our ego. We take it for granted that we are this mind and ego,
without being aware of our true Self. This practice will allow us to
be pay more attention (awareness) to our ego. As soon as we accept someone
or an event or action, the ego will rage in us. Be aware that the Ego will
smell the danger of Acceptance and will hide out for a while; then it will
strike us back with full vigor when we least expect it to.
What to witness
This exercise is just to be aware of our
ego. Only if
we are aware of our enemy's strength and weakness can we win a war.
So, start to practice acceptance and immediately pay attention to the way
our ego acts. We might have a dispute or disagreement with our partner,
family member or with someone at work or a shopping mall. Immediately, chant
the mantra "Accept". You will witness the war movie unfolding in your mind.
Acceptance- the most powerful spiritual technique
Acceptance is the
key to open the spiritual mastering of our mind. Practicing this brings
amazing results. It is simple and yet very powerful in opening doors to the
mystery of our mind and Self. This is the easiest means to purify the mind.
It brings peace, patience and wisdom in us. It opens the doors of our Inner
Light.
There is an amusing story about Isaac Newton, the great scientist.
He was a great cat lover and every time his cat needed to got out, it would
come to him meowing. The cat's behavior did not bother him
until the cat gave birth to four kittens; the frequency of going in and out became more. So, Newton called for a carpenter to cut one big hole
and four smaller holes in the door so that the big cat would go in the big
hole and the kittens in the smaller holes. The surprised carpenter wondered
whether he was talking to a world renowned scientist who had not been
able to realize the simple fact that the kittens could have easily used their mother’s
larger pet door.
Acceptance is like a pet
door through which all good qualities would
enter us. So, pay
attention to your Ego by practicing Acceptance.
Please
click here to continue to read first chapter of
Gita.
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