Falling Down, Getting Up

Sharing this from Meditation for Beginners, J. I. Wedgwood (1918)

{QUOTING]

In the struggle to eradicate his faults, one suggestion may prove useful to the student. The habit of brooding over faults does not lead to healthiness of mind, but is apt, rather, to encourage morbidness and depression, which act as a wall, shutting out spiritual influences. As a practical expedient, it is better to ignore faults of disposition so far as may be done, and to concentrate one's whole aspiration and endeavor towards building the opposite virtues into the character.

A well-known writer and preacher has forcefully expressed this truth: 'Remember you cannot see both sides of the coin at once. When you are discouraged by the striving of the animal nature, and utterly disgusted with yourself, and hating yourself as wholly unregenerate, the noblest exercise for your mental faculty is to force yourself to turn over the coin of yourself, and think intensely into the other side. Say, "I am The Lord's, my true ego is His Divine Spirit"' (Light on the Problems of Life, by Archdeacon Wilberforce).

Success in the spiritual life is gained less by fierce wrestling with the lower nature than by growing into the knowledge and appreciation of higher things. For once we have sufficiently experienced the bliss and joyousness of the Higher Life, by contrast, the lower desires pale and lose their attractiveness. It was said once by a great Teacher that the best form of repentance for a transgression was to look ahead with hopeful courage, coupled with a firm resolve not to commit the transgression again.

[END QUOTING]

In the quest for spiritual reunion with the one, for many there will be obstacles, pitfalls and even setbacks along the way. Do not be discouraged, do not give up. Focus on that which one is attempting to attain - liberation from bondage to the lower plane influences, control of the lower by that which is Higher.

If one should fall, quickly rise to one's feet, dust off, and resume the upward climb.

Courage. Resolve. Victory.

~~ g