The role of discipline in spiritual practice

[innerspace_cadet]

I posted earlier about the fact that the only spiritual practice I've stuck with is Tai Chi. I've practiced consistently for 3 months, even when I didn't want to. The bold text is crucial, because I think one of the biggest obstacles to sticking with a spiritual practice is continuing to practice when the initial enthusiasm--or the novelty of the practice--has worn off.

 

So, what I'm asking is, besides forcing yourself to engage in a spiritual practice, what other strategies do you use to stick with what you're practicing for the long haul? Is it important that you find a spiritual practice that you enjoy practicing, while you are practicing it? Or is some force necessary because you see some benefit in the future?

 

With Tai Chi, for me it was both; I enjoyed it while I was practicing, but also kept in mind the long term benefits of sticking with it. And even when I didn't feel like practicing, I reminded myself of the consequences of falling behind.

 

I'd like to incorporate possibly raja yoga into my life, but my mind tells me I don't have the "discipline" to stick with it. Maybe that is because my ego feels threatened by what yoga might do to it. There are parts of my psyche that react so powerfully to yoga--with fear. I feel like there is some part of me that doesn't want to practice yoga, perhaps because its existence feels threatened by it. Maybe I'm on to something here; the spiritual practices that my ego feels the most threatened by I should undertake!

 

What do you guys think?

[Old Man Contradiction]

Over the last year I've dropped many activities, this includes drawing, dancing, dating, playing and listening to music, and generally "hanging out", but the one constant has been my training. Even if I don't want to, the force of knowing I'll leave my training ground as high as a kite and feeling great and tired/rekaxed is what motivates me to do it. It is fun once I get there too.

[innerspace_cadet]

Yes! That's it. I think you have to keep in mind why you are practicing, so that the "how" is less difficult. In some spiritual circles, speaking about the goal is de-emphasized so you hear things like "the path is the goal" or some nonsense like that. But to reach a goal, you have to keep in mind why you are trying to attain that goal. And you have to really want to reach your goal, if you are going to have any chance of reaching it.

 

However, you can't put a timeline on spiritual enlightenment; you can't say to yourself "my goal is to become enlightened by 2012" because it doesn't work that way. The most you can do is strive towards meditating two hours a day by 2012.

 

I think discipline has become a dirty word in the West, because we want instant results. The recent incident in the sweat lodge where three people died is a prime example. Their spiritual guru promised instant results, so therefore he pushed his followers beyond their normal limits and people wound up dead.

[NeiChuan]

Thats a good point.. I think when ones content with the stillness/silence/pain that comes with the training they can take what they thought was a rock and turn it to a diamond.

 

Basically then potential is realized.