by Mick Quinn

Did you know that you cannot feel resistance and be the same resistance that you are aware of? It’s impossible to sense opposition and be that opposition at the same time.

We become worried and stressed when we lose our job; we’re devastated when a lover leaves us; we’re upset even when little things don’t go “our way.” We live between the invisible walls of what is, by our conditioned standards: good and bad, right and wrong, beautiful and ugly, and in the meantime we miss the entire landscape. But the fear and pain that we experience are not really caused by things that happen to us; they are the result of our conscious or unconscious resistance to harmony in chaos.

We often have a hard time accepting change in our lives—even “good” change. We feel the need to control, force, or rearrange everything that happens in an effort to make our world “safe” and predictable or to heal the inner torment we carry from our experiences of change in the past. In an exhausting effort from which we will never surrender, we will defend the status quo until the end regardless of the cost: lack of ease of being.

Nothing in life is more natural than change. As Buddha said, “All that is subject to arising is subject to cessation.” This means that everything that occurs—whether good, bad, or tragic—also will cease to be. Consider feelings for example. Think back to a time when you felt your absolute best, and to a time when you were completely overwhelmed. You can remember these feelings, but where exactly have they gone? As with all things that arise, they eventually cease. It is important to remember that feelings are temporary, and are simply passing states created by our unwillingness to accept life’s most natural state: change.

And since a discomfort zone always begins as the unfamiliar, resistance to transformation is always the route to the next stage of your development. The voice of resistance is just as legitimate as the voice of surrender. Your role is to harmonize both with wisdom and awakened compassion. Resistance always points the way.

If you look closely enough, you will see that the suffering you experience, as well as the pain you cause others, comes mostly from your inability to accept change. Unreasonable fear appears only when you resist the process of life. When you let go of the unhealthy-ego, all emotional and psychological struggling is revealed to be the manifestation of mediocrity masquerading as contentment and false bravado. Often it takes more energy to pretend that you are happy than it does to let go of unnecessary suffering.

EVOLUTIONARY POINTER: You cannot feel opposition to change unless the faculty of success has already emerged within you.

Spiritual evolution is challenging, because ultimately we are fighting this inertia. Allow resistance to be your guide to greatness. If you feel you have reached a discomfort zone, then you are set to express that readiness.

EVOLUTIONARY POINTER: One of the biggest stumbling blocks to the awakened life is our inability to pursue and embrace constant change and development for the sake of humanity.

Since nothing could be a more natural expression of life than the change we experience each day, it is important to realize that we have nothing to fear from the process of life. Almost all fear is the result of our resistance to this normal aspect of life - constant change and evolution.
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi.

EVOLUTIONARY POINTER: Learning to accept change is a matter of remaining conscious when entering a discomfort zone and using resistance as an indication of wholesome direction. 

Practical Tips:
When you feel the opposition to life (e.g., stress, fear, anger, doubt, frustration, etc.) you can:

- Acknowledge your disagreement to the change that you perceive.
- Acknowledge change as the most natural state in life.
- Acknowledge that consciousness knows when you are ready to change before you do.
- Acknowledge that resistance is a direct invitation from consciousness to evolve.
- Acknowledge that resisting resistance just creates more of the same.
- Acknowledge that fear of change is dependent on your point of focus and not related to the situation.
- Acknowledge that resistance is relative, according to your perspective and level of consciousness.
- Acknowledge that everything is transitory, including thoughts and feelings about change.
- Accept that everything is in a constant state of development or dissolution.
- Softly disregard any disparaging thoughts and emotions.
- Accept both the pleasant and unpleasant changes in your life.
- Be thankful as many of these changes are opportunities for you to awaken from the dream of the ego.
- Own your discomfort zones by saying, “This resistance/transformation is mine”.

Mick Quinn is the Irish-born author of The Uncommon Path. Best-selling author Gary Renard found this book to be “informative and gripping."  Mick lives in Utah and teaches with his wife Debora Prieto.  For upcoming events visit: www.mickquinn.com