I’m almost finished with my master’s paper and really happy to get back to posting, reading and practicing. Each tough time when we’re too busy, too troubled or too overwhelmed with emotions we get a true challenge and best conditions for inner practice.

In the book I’m reading now, “A Path with Heart”, Jack Kornfield tells about a prayer for difficulties:

May I be granted proper obstacles and sufferings on this path so that my heart could really awaken, so that my liberation and overall compassion practice could really happen.

In Buddhism troubles are considered valuable as they give unique possibility to go deeper into one’s feelings, see the origin of suffering, gain wisdom and understand suffering others feel.

Instead of treating every problem as a punishment, or meeting it with aggression, depression and complaint, - one could overstep own limitations and treat it as a challenge. Here are few advices we could all use when we meet some obstacles to overcome them and be free in every moment of life.

1. Treat difficulties as a possibility to learn something.

It may be difficult to realize this possibility at once if your suffering is very deep, but one can start with small things: someone’s aggression, someone’s misunderstanding, hard times at work or own uneasy emotions.

2. Turn your attention to the origin of your discomfort with meditation.

Very often unprejudiced look on situation and feelings reveals our fears, hopes and limited understanding that form the attitude. Very often simple revision of your inner position shows the right solution and weakens the tension. To make this revision, select an hour or two for yourself, take a relaxing bath before meditation or plan a short trip to a countryside place where you will not be disturbed; arrange a place for meditation session (you may want to put meaningful things near yourself, books or supporting images of god, buddha, - anything special for you). Close your eyes and direct your attention to breath flow. Take few minutes to calm your mind, not paying attention to thoughts, memories and plans. Step forward with your awareness and stop linking yourself to difficulties and happenings. With clear mind look directly into yourself and find fears, hopes and stereotypes that lead to your suffering. Try to calm the tension by understanding and acceptance. Go through every fear and hope, and let them be. Every trouble is not “bad” on its own; it is our mind what makes it “bad” or “good”. Work on every fear and bring up a serious wish to get released from it, to get free, to stop fearing. Work with every hope and accept that you may continue to hope with a smile, not suffering from it. Rise deep acceptance of things happening in your life, whatever it may be.

3. With daily meditation practice bring up inner calmness.

There are two types of difficulties. First type are those situations that need a solution, compassionate action or direct answer. Second type are problems we create for ourselves when we fight to change the life or get so trapped with own point of view, that lose wider perspective. Most of our daily difficulties are of a second type.

We usually think that the origin of our issues lies in outer circumstances: heavy rain or our children, our college, work or boss. Or whole world around us. And many of us try to change the world; but the truth is that we may only find happiness and awakening by changing own attitude.

4. Use inner conditions as a way to change yourself, as a practice, as a challenge.

In tough times, we can see the real force of our practice by discovering wisdom and compassion.

5. Develop courage.

As a result of deep work and acceptance, you will gain courage and readiness to meet any obstacle. All hatred, aggression, suffering and ignorance will step back in front of heart courage.

6. Bring up true values in your heart.

Realize that everything is changing; nothing stays the same and in 100 years everyone reading this post will be dead. Our life is so short, so full of suffering.. We can turn our attention to more valuable things and honestly define what is really important to us. Career? Money? Someone’s bad thoughts?

This kind of inner work may give you real freedom. It will not happen at once or during a single meditation; but if you start treating difficulties with courage, you will bring practice to an important aspect of life.

Did you have experience of obstacles taking you to a higher level of awareness?

May all be happy, may all be free!

Picture by nodomain