Have you heard the saying, “What you resist, persists”? And perhaps it not only persists, but multiplies.
Watch this beautiful, thought-provoking two-minute video and we’ll talk afterwards.
I’m interested in what you learned from watching this serenity-seeking samurai flail away at his distractions, so please add your observations in the comments section.
Here’s what I learned:
1. Resistance only creates more problems.
There you are, actively seeking peace and tranquility in your world. But when a problem arises, you suddenly lose your focus and fight against the problem-intruder with all your might and skill, only to find that the situation is growing larger and more out of your grasping control.
Perhaps, if you had gone with the trouble instead of against it, you might have ended up in a beautiful, unexpected place – one that you were trying to reach in the first place.
2. It’s all in how you look at it.
Just as the samurai eventually saw the fly as a beautiful flower blossom, the power to change your perception of a pesky distraction is within you, too. Is there any way that your current troublesome situation might actually be hiding something that you need?
3. Peace and beauty are always inside if you stop to see them.
The samurai in the video tried every physical skill he knew to get rid of those flies and only succeeded in creating a horde of them. It was only when he stopped and really looked, truly saw the fly for what it was, that he found his place of serenity inside again. He let go of his external struggle and found what he sought within himself.
Will you find what you seek within you?
4. Befriend the gadfly.
One of my favorite parts in the video is near the end, when the huge warrior looks down at his closed fist, slowly opens it, and gently releases the fly that had previously tormented him. It is as though he finally realized the gift that the little pest brought him.
This is so hard to do, but befriending and then letting go of the pesky problems in your life may lead you to see the gifts that they have brought you – new understanding of how to approach the next distracting problem, new confidence in your ability to bounce back from trouble in your life, and perhaps a new, peaceful way to view your world.
5. Keep practicing.
Notice that the samurai never gave up and left the building. Even though he struggled with his distractions, he hung in there and eventually found his way.
When you are trying a new skill or practice, remember that, even though you might lose your focus occasionally, just go back and try again.
Your peace of mind and serenity await.
What lessons did you see in the video? Please comment below!
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