Simple Strength
Bookmark and Share

Rannoch Donald

And Again

Rannoch - April 30, 2009


“Through the disciplined precision of our efforts, we’ll come again and again to our edge—the difficult places beyond which we’ve previously been unable to move. Through the willingness to soften and surrender to what is, we learn that we can gradually move beyond that edge. It is only through this interplay of hard and soft, of effort and letting be, of will and willingness, that we learn to our amazement that we can emerge from the lifelong tunnel of fear that constitutes our substitute life into the nitty-gritty reality of our genuine one.”

–Ezra Bayda, from Being Zen: Bringing Meditation to Life

There is a deeply misinformed impression amongst some people that an interest in introspection is some breezy pursuit and that meditating is some sort of self aggrandising activity designed to make the doer smile beatifically in a state of bliss. Well, I have news for you, it’s not. It is a very effective way to shine a light on all your pathetic, self serving faults, your petty minded, selfish thoughts – dragging you to the edge, making you sit uncomfortably with your fetid fears and exposing just how far you have to go before you can sleep soundly and deeply.
Like so many things worth doing, it comes with a price. So if you think it’s all Om and incense, think again.

style="height:25px !important; border:none !important; overflow:hidden !important; width:340px !important;" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowTransparency="true"
src="http://www.linksalpha.com/social?link=http%3A%2F%2Fsimplestrength.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fand-again%2F&fc=333333&fs=arial&fblname=like">
General 2 Comments »

2 Responses to “And Again”

  1. Rannoch Donald says:

    Cheers Mark. And you are right it is not neccesarily an either / or proposition. But the idea that is somehow provides instant equanimity, that it's a feelgood function simply misses the point.

    The clarity it can provide is a product of honest application, warts, rainbows & all.

  2. mark says:

    Great little piece of wisdom. There is so much mythology out there regarding what meditation is and isnt, mostly promulgated by people who dont meditate, or have hit some kind of obstacle and want to use that to justify why they dont practice regularly.

    Its not necessarily a fun activity, its not necessarily a painful one- it all depends on each person, and their personalattitude, right here and now.
    May more people take the time to sit down and get to know themselves!

Leave a Reply


Recent Posts

    • Two men enter… I have written before about the importance of relevant conditioning in combat sport. About the benefits of congruent training and developing sustainable protocols. Well, for the strength and conditioing coach, progressive trainer or commited fighter, there is a resource that will tick all of the above boxes and provide you with enough information to keep you...August 27, 2010


    • How to get lucky… I am a lucky guy. Seriously. Over the last few years I have been fortunate enough to train, study and learn with some fantastic people. From Steve Cotter, Ken Blackburn, Dan Inosanto, Marcus Houston, Jonathan Lewis, Mark Davies, CJ Swaby, Andrew Usher, M.c. , Mark Cheng, Scott Sonnon, Karl Tasnwell, Matt Thornton, Pavel Tsatsouline…not to...August 6, 2010


Kettlebells Scotland

Popular Posts

  • How to get lucky...How to get lucky...: I am a lucky guy. Seriously. Over the last few years I have been fortunate enough to train, study and learn with some fanta...

  • Simple - 100 RepsSimple - 100 Reps: The Internet is awash with programs, systems, methods and protocols all designed to help the average person lose weight...

  • Two men enter...Two men enter...: I have written before about the importance of relevant conditioning in combat sport. About the benefits of congruent traini...

  • Welcome to the ClubWelcome to the Club: Let's go back to the start... Over the next few months you are going to see the (re-)emergence of a very simple, functio...

  • Kaizen KettlebellsKaizen Kettlebells: Kaizen -   a Japanese philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement throughout all aspects of life. Where to start?...

  • Warriors...come out to play...Warriors...come out to pl...: Back in June 2008 received a copy or Martin Rooney's "TRAINING FOR WARRIORS". I loved it. It's a practical introduction to ...

  • T-Shirts are here!T-Shirts are here!: I feel like Steve Martin in "The Jerk". The scene where the phone book turns up and he can barely contain himself because his...

  • Miles Davis and the Art of the GripMiles Davis and the Art o...: Every so often you come across something and wonder how you could have lived without it. I remember picking up a copy of Mi...

  • The Art of Kettlebell LiftingThe Art of Kettlebell Lif...: "How can I show you unless you first empty your cup" - Nan-inJohn Medina tells us in the excellent Brain Rules - "The human b...

  • Where have all the men gone?Where have all the men go...: "The gyms you go to are crowded with guys trying to look like men, as if being a man means looking the way a sculptor or an a...


  • Simple strength




    Blog Categories


    Search posts





    Watch videos at Vodpod and sports videos and more of my videos