Inner Work

For the week of May 5, 2008

Persistence

Persistence underpins our most significant endeavors. This holds as true in the spiritual path as it does in other pursuits. Indeed, in spiritual practice persistence is the key, secret ingredient, the will that enables the whole process to move forward.

We can view persistence in two ways. First, persistence means continuing to practice despite obstacles, difficulties, and failures. We encounter an enormous range of difficulties along the path, such as destructive physical habits and emotional patterns that drain our energies and spend our precious time wastefully. Persisting, we learn to forgo dissipation and maintain our practice. Doubts can sidetrack us. Persisting, we accept the presence of our recurring doubts and we practice nevertheless. The normal ups and downs of living can leave us less able to practice in the down cycles and less interested during the high times. Persistence means remembering that all things pass, that the ups become downs and vice versa, and practicing through it all.

The second type of persistence involves continuing to practice in all relevant time scales. On the shortest scale of human time, we practice moment-to-moment. We stay present for this step, for this breath, and then stay for the next. In praying we maintain our intended attitude, our prayerful emotional and mental posture, our attention to the prayer, moment-to-moment. When we lose our presence, we just start again.

On the scale of minutes, we form our intention for a period of meditation or prayer and carry it through the allotted time, reinvigorating our effort of heart, mind, and attention as necessary.

On the scale of hours, we practice during all parts of the day, not just at formal times set aside for spirituality. Presence and the service of inner work always await us.

On the scale of days, we renew our practice daily. We engage a weekly cycle of practice, perhaps with prolonged periods of formal practice on weekends.

On the scale of weeks, we observe special extended periods of practice such as Lent, Ramadan, the Omer, or spiritual retreats.

On the scale of months, we notice how the seasons each afford a particular tone for our inner work. Perhaps we see a renewal in the Fall, a movement inward in Winter, a reassessment in the Spring, and a constancy in Summer.

On the scale of years, we engage in spiritual practice as our open-ended, gradually evolving, lifelong pursuit.

On the scale of our lifetime, we leave a legacy of our work, inner and outer, to benefit future generations.

For this week, persist in your spiritual practice.

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