"One of the things I see is the failure of people to trust their lives—their problems and sometimes even their successes. It is a failure to trust that their life is its own teacher, that within the exact way their human life is expressing itself lies the highest wisdom, and that they can access it if they can sit still and listen." - Adyashanti
These wise words are from one of my favorite teachers, Adyashanti. This understanding has helped my own life profoundly, and I've been thinking a lot lately about how my life has been nudging me this entire time to learn, grow, and become better, trust myself more, understand deeper, forgive easier, and love more.
When I've taken up this invitation to look inward, rather than blaming everyone and everything out there, I can definitely feel a new level of connection with myself and the world around me. Not only that, I'm convinced that on some level this approach to life is strengthening my resilience to be able to handle anything that's thrown at me. Turns out, I was onto something.
Even the most challenging experiences can be opportunities for us to grow and learn, if we approach them with an open heart and a willingness to learn. This belief is supported by research on the concept of post-traumatic growth, which suggests that people can experience positive psychological changes as a result of adversity. A study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress found that people who experienced trauma were more likely to report increased self-awareness, personal strength, and overall life satisfaction.
Additionally, the concept of resilience, or the ability to bounce back from difficult experiences, is also related to the idea that everything serves our highest good. Research has shown that people who are resilient tend to have a positive outlook and believe that even difficult experiences can ultimately lead to growth and learning.
When we view our entire life as our teacher, we begin to see how everything that is happening in our daily lives, is an invitation to grow, to gain new insight, to overcome and ripen into the fullness of our potential. Maybe we're being asked to question old patterns and habits that no longer serve us. Perhaps we're being asked to connect more deeply with our unmet inner longings that would lead us to a greater fulfillment in our life. Or maybe we're being given an opportunity to judge less, show more compassion, or choose love over fear.
According to many spiritual teachings, everything in life serves our highest good, even the seemingly negative or difficult experiences.
Spiritual teacher, Rumi, wrote:
"The wound is the place where the light enters you."
In other words, even our pain and suffering can ultimately lead to growth and enlightenment. If this is so true, then why do I know so many people who get stuck in the suffering? It's as if their ego has become identified with this wound and now it colors (not positively) every step. I was there myself. I get how subtle this work can be and how we can be completely unaware that we're even in this negative space. I credit my meditation practice with allowing me to step back from identifying myself as the thinking mind, to observe myself and my habits (good and bad) in a loving and compassionate way.
By approaching even the most difficult experiences with an open heart and a willingness to learn, we can grow and flourish, ultimately leading to a happier and more fulfilling life.
So much love xx