November 25: Day 148

STONE NINE
 
Transform: By changing my thoughts, I transform my life. I choose to change my thoughts concerning past experiences that hold me in pain. I choose to see them from a higher perspective.

Instruction: Change your direction.

Lao Tsu said, "If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading."[1] That seems so simple and such common sense information that we almost feel insulted that someone actually put it down in words. We often overlook the simple and common sense wisdom and keep plunging forward in the same direction even though we intuitively know we could be making a grave mistake. The biggest part of changing direction lies in changing our thoughts. What we believe is important, and we must examine our beliefs and question them to be sure they are moving us in the direction we want to go. Sometimes we know we are not moving on the path we want to be on, but instead of changing direction, we hope that somehow the path will change on its own. It probably won’t, and we might as well accept that if there is going to be any change, it will be up to us to initiate it.

If we want to overcome a painful religious experience, but we decide to subject ourselves to the same conditions that created it, why would we be surprised if the result was a repeat of our past experience? We have other options. We can speak out against what happened or confront those who hurt us, and at times these actions are appropriate. We can also remove ourselves from the situation. Of course, we can take all three actions and others that come to mind. We don’t have to remove ourselves from the situation if we think it can be resolved without fear of a reccurrence. Ultimately, we must direct our thinking in healthy ways that will allow us to move in the spiritual direction that is best for us. Our thoughts will transform our lives if we will let them, and they can also transform our lives in ways we don’t want if we refuse to be proactive instead of reactive.

Take a moment to consider the direction you are moving in. Will you reach your spiritual goal by remaining true to this course, or do you need to make some adjustments? Remember that the longer we stay off course, the more difficult it can be to make our way back. Corrections can be simple, easy, and quick if we don’t allow ourselves to stray too far off course. I was driving home from out of state one day and discovered I had missed an exit. Because I discovered it quickly, it only took a few minute to get back on track. Had I failed to realize I was no longer on the right road, it could have taken hours to make up for my mistake.


[1] Young, Christopher (2012-04-12). Buddha Quotes - 365 Days of Inspirational Quotes and Sayings in Buddhism (Kindle Location 1337).  . Kindle Edition.