Self Realisation: Running And The Journey

It occurred to me how running is a great metaphor when it comes to the journey of removing the images and projections we have of reality and seeing reality for what it truly is. Something that can also seem to be, two steps forward and one step back at times.

When we first start running it can be a real struggle and strain and it can even be so extreme that we feel like we’re going to pass out. However by continuing to push ourselves we will soon find that we can run for a certain distance without feeling too overwhelmed. And once we have proven to ourselves that the distance we have been running is not to hard after all and our body has adapted to the pressures, we will feel that it’s time to go that little bit further. As although previously we felt comfortable and at ease for most of the distance, now that we are going further it feels as though we are starting all over again, but fortunately we can see that we are actually going further than before and that it’s not that our fitness levels have regressed to an earlier stage. And from our own experience of running, we can see how this process never ends.

However our own ever evolving evolution of who we are is not always as linear as running or as easy to measure. And it can often feel as though parts of our life are actually getting worse. This is especially common in the early stages of our journey when we are just beginning to become conscious and aware of ourselves. As depending on how old we are, we can see that during those years, there has been certain of amount of repression and quite naturally now that our attention is being placed on those areas it can seem overwhelming and a lot to take in.

But just like the running that is initially hard at first, it gets easier and more manageable. From my experience of this once we are on the path, we won’t be getting of it, due to realising our own responsibility and the incredible power we have. And I also believe once we have experienced truth, our own capacity to live in denial will gradually start to diminish and become unbearable.

And there will also be times when we will be able to see our achievements and to see how far we have come, only for something to appear out of nowhere and take us off guard and make us question our own development.

However it is during these great challenges that our next level of growth awaits us with the opportunity of greater levels of self discovery and fulfilment.

I also can see how important it is to have mentors in our life that can assist us and allow us to grow and develop through their own experiences and presence. As well as being able to assist us during moments when it can all get a bit much for us.

I also feel it is extremely important to compare ourselves with ourselves, as ultimately no one is the same or has the same journey. And all the time we are comparing ourselves with others, we will never truly be able to measure our own progress. It will only create a sense of failure at our own achievements. With it being highly important for us recognise and acknowledge these changes, as no matter how small or insignificant they may seem at the time, they are part of a bigger picture that will continue to expand and grow.

With it being so easy to be hard and judgmental to ourselves, we can often forget that we are doing the best that we can in each moment.

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Oliver J R Cooper
http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/