Resistance is the Path

A common issue with my clients is the resistance they feel to practice, be it study, meditation, doing the lessons, making the Holy Spirit (Awareness of Truth in your mind) their Constant Companion, etc. But resistance is part of the process. It does not mean something is wrong. It does not mean you are failing.

Resistance really means “not ready” or “not now”. It does not mean you have fallen off the path.
For example, you may go through a hungry stage where you cannot study enough. But then you find one day that you do not want to study at all. Or if you try the words just seem to bounce of your mind and not penetrate. This is not necessarily resistance to further study. This can be that you are so saturated with what you have taken in that you need to process it before you can take in more. A lot of this processing is unconscious. It shows up as a lack of motivation to study. But when you are done processing you will find yourself motivated to study again.

Sometimes you are just not ready for the practice. For example, you may find your resistance to meditation so strong that you simply don’t do it. You mean to, but each day goes by and you find you have not meditated. Sometimes you may try, but you always find something “better” to do. In this case you can ask the Holy Spirit to help you find what thoughts and beliefs keep you from meditating. Be willing to have them rise up from your subconscious. You do not have to do this in formal meditation. At any time just be willing for your obstacles to meditation to surface into your awareness.

It also may be that the time is not right for the practice you are attempting. Using the last example, if you have strong obstacles to meditation then the time is not right for that practice. You may attempt other practices that will, in time, break down your obstacles to practicing meditation. That may be just studying or it may be that even though you cannot meditate yet you do have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Do what comes authentically and naturally to you now. When the time for discipline with a practice comes you will know it.

The path to inner peace is a path to overcoming resistance to inner peace. So resistance does not means something is wrong. It just means you are on the path!

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Need help looking at your resistance to practice? Email me at Liz@acimmentor.com to set up an appointment. Learn more at www.acimmentor.com.


If you have a question the answer to which you think will help others email it to me at Liz@acimmentor.com and indicate that you want it answered in the newsletter/blog.

Comments

Unknown said…
Very helpful Liz. Thank you!!
7:18 AM
Paula said…
Hi Liz, I think my unconscious processing shows up in the world as the body sitting in one spot for lengthy periods between chores and feeling like a space cadet. In these space cadet intervals I feel 'not here' nor anywhere really. I'm not really taking anything around me in either. And generally by the end of the day, it feels that I've missed most of it. Does this sound like unconscious processing to you? I do study a lot and make a massive effort with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Instant too.
8:03 PM
ACIM Mentor said…
Yes, Paula, that is what unconscious processing can look like.
5:29 AM
hannah said…
ah, reading this again, it only just clicked in light of my current depression.. thank you!

im depressed, but it is clear that im NOT stuck, or a victim, even though part of me is feeling those things deeply. im being as good a friend as i can be to that fearful mind.. and im a pretty damn good friend it turns out! thanks again Liz, and all you fellow readers <3
8:34 PM
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