From Struggling to Awakening

Throughout our lives, each of us will inevitably face our share of challenges and difficult days. These moments show up often unexpectantly, casting shadows across our daily experiences. Yet, it is within these struggles that our capacity for growth is revealed. Life, with its inherent ups and downs, beckons us to navigate its challenges with courage, awareness, and an open heart.

Suffering, a universal human experience, often arrives at our doorstep cloaked in various forms—be it loss, illness, or the myriad of small disappointments that pepper our existence. The manner in which we respond to struggle, whether we meet it with resistance or acceptance, can profoundly alter our journey. It’s a truth I’ve come to know intimately through my own encounters with my health challenges and those of my children.

The power of awareness in the midst of struggling cannot be overstated. Awareness—that deep, unyielding connection to the here and now—is our sanctuary in the storm. It invites us to witness our life unfolding with compassion and curiosity, without judgment or the need to change our current reality. Awareness teaches us that within every moment, no matter how bleak or insurmountable it may seem, lies an opportunity for grace and transformation.

Learning to cultivate awareness amidst life’s challenges has been a pivotal chapter in my own story. Each difficult day, each unexpected turn, has been a teacher in disguise, guiding me toward a more profound understanding of myself and the world around me. These lessons have not been easy. They have demanded of me an unwavering commitment to show up for my life, exactly as it is, with all its pain, beauty, and impermanence.

In practicing awareness, we learn to embrace life’s challenges not as burdens to be rid of, but as doorways to deeper wisdom and resilience. This shift in perspective doesn’t negate the pain or difficulty of our experiences but allows us to navigate through them with a heart that is open to whatever lessons they may hold.

In my experience, through compassionate attention, the pain and difficulty usually dissipate more quickly when I remain present for myself for both the physical and emotional feelings coming up in those moments. Life is a journey that unfolds one moment at a time, asking of us only our attention and our willingness to be truly alive in the face of it all.

As we awaken in the face of life’s inevitable challenges, let us remember that it is not the absence of suffering that defines our journey, but our response to it. Let us meet each difficult day with the power of awareness, embracing the full spectrum of our human experience with compassion and courage. In doing so, we open ourselves to the boundless potential for growth and transformation that lies within every challenge, every moment of struggle, and every breath we take.

If you’d like to explore staying present in the face of challenges further, I invite you to listen to my radio show What to do on a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day airing on Dreamvisions 7 Radio on Thursdays, May 16th and 23rd at 5am and 5pm HERE. After the 23th, it will be available on demand, along with every other radio show I’ve ever done HERE. Please feel free to explore my archive and dive into topics that call to you.

Offerings:

I have some good news! For those of you who have been wanting to be a part of one of Mary’s Groups, there is finally a spot open in both, the Tuesday phone group (May 21st & May 28th, June 18th & 25th) and the Thursday Zoom group (May 23rd & 30th, June 20th & 27th) This will be first come first serve so reach as soon as possible!
Reach out to me at awaken@maryomalley.com if you’re interested.