Do Not Yield to Weakness – Practice Undoing

Do Not Yield to Weakness – Practice Undoing

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. ─ Alfred Lord Tennyson

What does Will look like for a person on the Way? It is enough to simply say it is not what the people around us think of will. On the one hand, we need to acquire the skills and knowledge to accomplish ordinary living tasks. However, developing the will that I am writing about is another endeavor.

The goal is not to develop the will to do anything externally in particular. We all think we can do it, and from one angle, it is true. The goal to develop consciousness, however, is to develop enough real will to let the higher parts of us emerge from their slumber. I cover myself with falsehoods and illusions that I must overcome to realize my true Self.

Will is developed by overcoming weaknesses, which is why weaknesses are knitted into the machine. ─ The Teacher

I am not suggesting that there are no simple tasks to learn and do. But conducting simple tasks and chores in our daily lives with presence is another dimension. I am interested in letting my life emerge or unfold in a way that follows the divine course, a divine direction. I do not want to be lost in my daily life.

In the fairy tale of Goldilocks and the three bears, Goldilocks learns the lesson of finding the golden mean. She discerns that something in the middle is just right. The same idea applies to the development of will. Through experience, find the true middle, the sweet spot of self-work. Find the areas of practical work that free you from what ties you down. Let go of the extremes.

The will of consciousness is more like the will to let go; do not allow yourself to be fooled by mere appearance, and always, always persevere. The special abilities I need to acquire are not what one might think. For example, patience is an element of will. Consider Tennyson’s call to not yield, to not give up. Indeed, I also need to be patient to learn my Goldilocks lessons and find the “just right” for my Work. And, I need to learn quietude. The world inside and outside is very loud and noisy, filled with distractions and detours. The ability to value and tolerate silence is an acquired skill. Can I hold my tongue and tolerate the internal noise of utter serene silence?

As suggested above, you might also say that I am not learning to do anything. Instead, I am learning to undo. To an ordinary mind, this is quite unsatisfactory. Yet, there is much to undo within. How can I learn to love if I am full of anger and dull with indifference and bitterness? Better to think that the will to be, through the muscles of patience and silence, will allow a new type of love to rise in my heart, overriding the petty lower parts of my being.

Self-remembering is always the right skill and ability for a moment. Practicing self-remembering reveals my weaknesses and realizes my potential will.

There can be no true will without Higher Centers being present. ─ The Teacher

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Heracles at the Feet of Omphale, Edouard Joseph Dantan