Moving from Non-Resistance to Acceptance

Non-resistance is the precursor to acceptance. Acceptance is important to recovery from addiction and recovery from mental health conditions. Additionally, acceptance is important for peace of mind for anyone, and is a requirement for spiritual growth. It's very difficult, if not impossible, to grow spiritually and still complain (inwardly or outwardly) about the things I find less-than-acceptable in my life or in myself.

Non-resistance came to mind recently while I was thinking about the 'early' days of my recovery. Non-resistance means simply taking things as they are without resistance and without judgment. I believe it is a Buddhist principle/practice.

When I first began my recovery, I could best be described as 'raw'. Everything bothered me, and if something didn't bother me, I was bothered by the fact that I wasn't bothered. I called my spiritual adviser daily, and I would tell him the things - the people, places, and situations - with whom I was practicing non-resistance. I knew acceptance was important, but I wasn't there yet. I still wasn't sure I could recover, and life still sucked, and I still sucked. But I was willing to give it a try, and I inched along with non-resistance.

After a while, I began to see that some of the situations I was experiencing and some of the people I was encountering were actually good for me, and not as bad as my addled mind made them out to be. Non-resistance began, ever so slowly, to turn into acceptance. 

Sometimes, I still practice non-resistance. Last Wednesday, as I was riding my bike to work, I got caught in a downpour and got wet. I practiced non-resistance, and set my mind purely on the facts: I'm wet, and it won't kill me. Then, later in the day, I got wet riding home from my haircut. Same thing. 

Today, I still have to practice acceptance - every day. And for me, it is the knowing that whatever is happening in my life is a natural consequence of a past action (or inaction) and/or it is for my highest good and the good of all. But I have to consciously do it; it doesn't come naturally, but it is getting easier. And the benefits I reap are that I have a lot less physical and emotional stress because I'm no longer fighting life. Life is more tolerable and even enjoyable sometimes than it ever used to be for me.

Namaste,

Ken