Challenges Teach Us Mastery

Music Playing: Summertime by Sam Cooke

"One of these mornings, you're gonna rise up singing

Then you'll spread your wings and take to the sky"

Today, I went outside, sitting under pine trees, puffing ganja to clear my mind. Energy work to connect with the God inside...just looking to free my mind. 

You know what I thought?

God would not give you this series of challenges if it did not think you could overcome each one. Challenges come only to allow us to master our power. I was watching anime the other day, and thinking of how each anime is built upon this main concept: the main character must master their powers, energy, focus, and strength. They are always going through a new set of challenges...whether they be fighting demons or not (which, demon fighting animes are my shit), each fight requires them to master a new skill varying from breathwork techniques, visualisation, meditation, rigorous exercises that require them to tap into the most "superhuman" abilities, and much more. The main character always seems to be the "chosen one"; in the beginning of the episodes, they may seem weak, fragile, or simply lacking the awareness of their true potential. They may even doubt their abilities once another character joins in and tells them that they are the ones who are supposed to help save the world.

But then, something shifts...the moment they accept the invitation to "save the world". They accept the invitation to become a student and master themselves.  They must journey through to become one of the strongest, the elite, or, as they say in Demon Slayer: Hashira. Using Demon Slayer as an example--Tanjiro, alongside other members, gained valuable lessons from each Hashira. Each one instilled within him unique abilities. Sharpening his speed, passion, flexibility & sword control. As well as the importance of focus in battle, endurance, and physical strength. There were plenty of times Tanjiro almost didn't make it, but there was this fire in him that never died. This strong will to rise above and push through any challenge, even if he thought at first sight it was impossible. Not to mention his big heart, which was also the driving force behind his actions. 

Challenges arrive...to teach us mastery..

So, instead of getting trapped in this cycle of fear, or 'stuckness' when a challenge arises, and thinking something is often going wrong, or we are just not up for the challenge thrown at us...what if we stepped into this space of:

What is this challenge guiding me to master? What energy must I cultivate within myself to embody that mastery?

Right now, I feel that I am being guided to master trust and strength. If I'm keeping it completely raw, no condom, life has been a rollercoaster of a fucking ride lately. I fear I haven't made the right choices in this new phase of my journey, money has been funny, stability ain't been real stable, mental health teeter tottering. I mean, cast me for a fucking episode of Shameless because there is always fucking something.

....God has been so good to me, truly. But this life has been hard, I find it more difficult to keep my faith, I've been feeling so weak and helpless, lost, and oftentimes afraid, and about .2 seconds away from practicing the harlem shake out in moving traffic--but I digress. There is still air in my lungs, so perhaps there is something on the other side of this misery I've been feeling deep within. I pray, better than I have ever known or seen in my life. 

Okay....that's what I got for now, until next time..

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