Acceptance and Change are related. For positive changes to occur, first acceptance is of the current situation, or reality is required. If you don’t accept the current situation, if you’re “in denial” there will be no efforts made to change. There will be no vision of something requiring change, so no change can occur.
Trying to force change without acceptance causes clinging to the very thing you’re trying to change. Fighting something is much harder than having it willingly walk out the door. If you do manage to fight, and win, the issue is left unresolved, actually planting a seed/time bomb somewhere in the mind through a mental rift.
I know a lady who’s very sure of what and who she is. Any form of arguing with her, strengthens her clinging to her identity. Yet, the second she’s accepted for who she is, she ever slowly starts to let go of the definitions, and bit by bit opens up, slowly changing and expanding.
Accept, Change and you’ll begin to Appreciate. Fight, and go the other way.
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I think you’re completely right. Acceptance was the basis of Carl Roger’s approach to psychotherapy and seems to be fundamental in psychosynthesis.
I just wrote a whole blog on appreciation and as I was finishing it off I realised that acceptance leads to appreciation as well. All of life has intrinsic value. And in realising that intrinsic value we can understand whether change is indeed necessary and what change is necessary. Don’t you think?
I believe that this is totally related to “wonder of wonders all beings are already enlightened.”
-Mikael
http://www.mikaelaldridge.com
Hi Mikael,
Nice to see another fan of Roger’s out there! Reading his books is almost a form of release/liberation. His words talk from beyond the pages; it’s amazing. I would LOVE to take part in an encounter group run Roger’s style…Any ideas?
Great work on your post; literally taking it to the next level, if you don’t mind I’ll update my article linking to it…I like!
Also, whilst on topic…Any ideas world wide, where I could go on retreat for upto 3 months. I’m looking for a long term sit in a monastery. Want to really get some solid practice under my ass. Make some good use of the little time I’ve got.
Peace,
Wade
Hi Wade
I’m not so sure I want to be in an encounter group, but then I work in a large corporation and most days that feels like an encounter group, but hey.
I’m glad you linked to my post. Thank you. And the other day I took the liberty of linking to your blog. I hope you don’t mind.
Lucky you. Three months is a nice period to have. Well done for freeing up such an extended period of time. May you awaken and be free.
-Mikael
http://www.mikaelaldridge.com
Good point there.
Although I’m not into buddhism I find some buddhist teachings to be really useful for my everyday life.