Quitting Heart

<BODY><script> (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-47423994-1', 'fortunecity.ws'); ga('send', 'pageview'); </script> <center> <br> <div> <script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="http://ad.broadcaststation.net/ads/show_ad.php?width=728&height=90"></script> </div> </center> <P><EMBED SRC="../sound/leanonme.mid" LOOP="3" HIDDEN="TRUE" AUTOSTART="true"> </P> <P><IMG SRC="../graphics/spacer.gif" WIDTH="25" HEIGHT="1"></P> <CENTER> <H1 ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT FACE="AvantGarde Md BT" SIZE="+1" POINT-SIZE="28">Quitting Heart</FONT></H1></CENTER> <BLOCKQUOTE> <P>My best friend used to cycle competitively. He prided himself on always finishing the race. Whether he was in the top ten, or the last ten, he always crossed the finish line. The day of the big race, he had the flu. He started strong, but by the halfway point, he was struggling. At the three quarter mark, he was gasping for air, every push on the pedal an agony, his body was wracked with pain. He never made it across that finish line. He told me that every race he entered after that day was easier and easier to quit until finally he stopped starting. </P> <P>At least he was honest.</P> <P>I am meeting more and more people in the personal development field who tell me they have 'made it'. They tell me they do not need my course (or any other) because they have reached some nebulous level of spirituality. I half expect them to start floating. </P> <P>I look at these people with great sadness. Not for them. The universe has wonderful ways of humbling the arrogant. We are here to learn our lessons and we can do it the easy way or the hard way, sooner or later. No, I am sad for me. This is a reflection of the arrogance that lives in me; a reflection of my unwillingness to work on me. </P> <P>I believe the last frontier is the space between our ears. It can be tremendously exciting, and it can be extremely fearful. When people start out, they deal with the issues closest to the surface. Depression disappears, money issues are solved, relationships improve. The next stage is much subtler. What are the deeper issues? What stands in the way of true peace of mind, unconditional love? </P> <P>A great spiritual teacher once told me he wanted to join with me and support me, but not another. How can we talk of unconditional love, when we put conditions on our actions? Another gentleman sincerely told me he would only come to my workshop if he could help me lead it, even though he had never done it before, had no idea of the exercises or how to do them. After being in our course two hours, one individual went to great lengths to explain to us why the seats needed to be rearranged. All these people missed the point and focussed on what was going on outside of them and not what was going on inside their hearts. To go there, to explore our hearts, takes a lot of courage. It is easier to focus on what you ought to do, what your shortcomings are, what advice you need to follow. Far more difficult is it to ask the question: what is going on in me that this is showing up in my life? Then taking action. </P> <P>To do anything else is quitting, and pretending not to. My question for me is 'have I quit and pretended not to?' </P> <P><I>Dedicated to Maija, a beautiful spirit dancing with the angels, and to Steve who never quit.</I></P> <P><IMG SRC="../graphics/spacer.gif" WIDTH="25" HEIGHT="1"></P> <P><A HREF="../main.htm">Home</A></P> <P ALIGN="RIGHT"><FONT SIZE="-1">©1998 Copyright Scott Paton All Rights Reserved.</FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE> </BODY>