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ENCOURAGING WORDS
By Dr. Dennis Merritt Jones to its destiny, which, as with all water, is to ultimately merge with the ocean. The rock is stuck where it is, relentlessly pushing against the river, resisting the natural flow of water until, over a long enough period, the rock wears down to a pebble. If you ever visit the Grand Canyon, you’ll see that this is true.
THE CHALLENGE OF CHANGE
Are you the River or the Rock?
Do you perceive change as a friend or foe? Regardless of whether we are consciously Usually, the answer depends on whether invoking a change in our lives or resisting we desire the change, or it is forced upon it, we are dealing with the same dynamic us. The practice is to remember that what universal principle, and it is an energy which we push against we give more power to. is totally impartial to our wants, needs, and From a universal desires. We can choose to “Life is a series of natural see change as an ally perspective, change is the only constant; it is and spontaneous changes. or an enemy, and it will manifesting 24/7. Whether Don’t resist them; that only respond accordingly. welcome or unwelcome, creates sorrow. Let reality we can harness the energy be reality. Let things flow We can learn how the of change and use it to our dynamic of change works naturally forward in advantage by shifting our and align with it in a manner whatever way they like.” perspective. We suffer which serves us in healthy, ~ Lao Tzu when change happens life-affirming ways or we where we don’t really want can stay stuck – pushing it to, or, conversely, doesn’t happen where against it. The downside to resisting change we really want it to occur. What if we could is that it will have its way; it will eventually reframe our understanding of the dynamic wear us out. Some say that in a contest energy of change? What if we could between a river and a rock, the river always welcome change as a gift the Universe is wins. Why? Because the river will follow giving us, trusting it happens when it is the natural call of gravity, going over, under, supposed to – even in challenge times? around or, eventually, through the rock,
The metaphor of the rock and the river is delightfully obvious: The river represents “us” when we are conscious of our oneness with the Universe and willing to trust the call of gravity, “going with the flow” of life without trying to force or manipulate it. From a spiritual perspective, gravity represents the silent call of the Beloved One wooing us to come closer – to surrender to the journey that is ours to take; this is the unfolding of who we have come here to be–and to do it with grace and ease. The rock represents the past and our attachments; it symbolizes our resistance to change and fear of the unknown. The ocean to which the river flows represents a life fulfilled in our oneness with something larger than us; it’s our merging with the Source from which we came. Surrendering to, and going with, the natural flow of the river called “change” is how we reach the fulfillment of a life worth living. The power in this metaphor is that, if we are fully awake, every day when we get out of bed, we can choose whether we will be the rock or the river. The question I leave you to ponder is, which are you today – the river or the rock? If you find you are being a rock, what might you be clinging to? Where in your life might you be resisting change or trying to force it to happen before its time? The practice is to take a deeeeeep breath, trusting and knowing that the river knows where it is going and to let go. It will amaze you how embracing change will “change” your life for the better.
Peace, Dr. Dennis Merritt Jones • Copyright © 2022 - DMJ Presentations LLC • www.DennisMerrittJones.com ParadiseNewsFL.com | JUNE/JULY 2022
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