| OCTOBER I |
| ACCEPTANCE |
ACCEPTANCE COMMENTARY: Acceptance means one has to deal with the reality of life. It takes us out of
“Denialand” and helps us play the cards we were dealt in this life. You will never move forward in life if you
don’t accept that life is filled with joy and suffering.
I suppose I was the “Queen of Denial” when it came to facing my illness. I thought I could pray my way out
of it; change my thoughts and cure myself; I even went to a Faith Healer, knowing this time it would go
away, but it didn’t. I spent ten agonizing years trying to make this thing that was taking over my body go
away, until one day, I just knew I had to play these cards. So, when the illusion was gone, I became free to
live my life. Once I accepted the illness it opened me to moving forward with my life. In your case it may be
that you love someone who doesn’t love you back. Or, it could be that your childhood left many scars on your
heart. Or, it could be that your family is verbally abusive and dysfunctional. You cannot change the hearts
and minds of others and you cannot change your past. Therefore, it is time to accept these situations and
move forward to the better life The Universe is offering to you; this is what you CAN change. Healing only
takes place through moving forward, and not when we stagnate in what we wish life to be.
However, acceptance is not acquiescence. It may mean that some of us will just have to be more determined
and work a little harder than others. Acceptance means one understands that we only have so much control
over what happens in this life. I used to believe that we were limitless and in some way we all are, in our
souls, but we have to take into account that we live in a physical world, and material things are finite and
limited. Therefore we are called to live up to our potential, and for some that will mean becoming a world
leader and others it will mean supporting a friend.
I cannot stress enough that accepting what “we cannot change” and “changing what we can” is tantamount
to living a full and productive life. One cannot move forward into healing their wounded soul without
accepting “this is my life and I’m going to live it fully.” Again I suggest you read these two teachings by
Pema Chodron: When Things Fall Apart, and Awaking Compassion. I suggest you read Mending the Body,
Mending the Mind by Joan Borynsenko
| We have very little control over external forces such as tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, disasters, illness and pain. What really matters is the internal force. Over that I have complete control. ~Leo F. Buscaglia~ |
| REPEAT ASPIRATION EVERY DAY FOR 7 DAYS WEEK 1 ASPIRATION: Today, I aspire to be at peace with the fact that there are many things over which I have no control SUPPORTS ~DAY 1~ Happiness can exist only in acceptance. ~George Orwell ~DAY 2~ The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance. ~Nathaniel Branden ~DAY 3~ Acceptance is observation of life and suspension of judgment about whether what is happening is good or bad, right or wrong. ~Ron Smotherman ~DAY 4~ Acceptance is not submission; it is acknowledgement of the facts of a situation... ~ Kathleen Casey Theisen ~DAY 5~ Every thing in life depends on how that life accepts its limits. ~ James Baldwin ~DAY 6~ The quickest way to change your attitude toward pain is to accept the fact that everything that happens to us has been designed for our spiritual growth. ~ M. Scott Peck ~DAY 7~ REST AND REVIEW Now, without judgment review your week. This week there were times I understood that I didn’t have to try to control what was going on around me. Now breathe in the peace of this acceptance of life. Then breathe out the wish: May everyone be enlightened enough to understand they don’t always have to control things. Now, look at your short-falls. This week there were times I was unable to stop trying to fix things that were happening in my life and in the life of others as well. Breathe in the discomfort of trying to control things and being unable to do so. Then breathe out the wish: May all those who get caught up in controlling be spared from the suffering it brings. Feel free to use your own words in this practice |
| REPEAT ASPIRATION EVERY DAY FOR 7 DAYS WEEK 2 ASPIRATION: Today, I aspire to accept that my limitless soul is subject this limited material world. SUPPORTS ~DAY 1~ Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery. ~Joanne Kathleen Rowling ~DAY 2~ Life is a struggle, accept it. ~ Mother Teresa ~DAY 3~ Don't choose. Accept life as it is in its totality. ~Osho ~DAY 4~ We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented. ~The Truman Show ~DAY 5~ Everything in life that we really accept undergoes a change. ~ Katherine Mansfield ~DAY 6~ Serenity comes when you trade expectations for acceptance. ~Unknown ~DAY 7~ REST AND REVIEW Now, without judgment review your week. This week there were times I accepted the limitations in my life and actually found myself able to rise above them. Now breathe in this feeling of going beyond what you thought you could do. Then breathe out the wish: May everyone keep aspiring to rise above the physical world. Now, look at your short-falls. This week there were times I was unable to accept my limitations. Breathe in the feeling of frustration you felt. Now, breathe out the wish: May all those who feel the frustration of physical limits be spared from all of the trying to go beyond. Feel free to use your own words in this practice |
| ENDING PRAYER God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference... ~Reinhold Niebuhr~ |
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