Acceptance
Posted on December 1st, 2009
“Give love and unconditional acceptance to those you encounter, and notice what happens.” Wayne Dyer
Breathing into what is, letting each moment be as it is; this is acceptance. We have a choice in each moment to accept or resist what is happening. In acceptance we acknowledge the truth instead of resisting reality. We may not like what we see or what we’re experiencing, but we accept that it’s real. This softens our heart and allows us to be in the flow of life rather than struggling against it.
There are things we want to deny - loss, death, hardship. And things we may wish to avoid - difficult people, uncomfortable feelings, traffic jams. But in doing so we shut a part of ourselves off and this feels worse than the thing we are avoiding. Resistance, denial and struggle are anti-life and prevent us from moving forward into a new experience. Acceptance is like the breeze - it keeps on moving and before you know it, the difficult person or situation is gone or has been transformed into something new.
Insights into Acceptance
♦ What are the positive experiences and people you are accepting right now? What are the difficult situations and people you are accepting right now? What does acceptance do for you mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually?
♦ What positive experiences are you resisting because they are too good to accept? How does this affect you? What do you gain? What do you miss out on?
♦ What difficult experiences or people are you resisting? How does this affect you? What underlies the resistance - is it fear, sadness, hopelessness? What would happen if you accept these feelings?
Inspiration for Being Acceptant
♦ Notice something positive you are resisting in your life at this time - it may be a compliment, a new opportunity, a skill or talent you have. Imagine accepting it as it is into your life. What thoughts arise, what feelings surface? Hear the messages and let them go. Feel the feelings and let them process. Breath into acceptance until it feels neutral.
♦ What or who do you tend to resist? Notice what happens to you physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually when you go into resistance. Take a few deep breaths and breathe out resistance while breathing in acceptance. Say to yourself, “I accept this situation as it is or this person as they are.” You don’t have to like the situation or person, but notice how freeing it is to be in a state of acceptance.
♦ Turn inward and tune into the essence of acceptance - that open, unguarded, spaciousness within. Be a flower blowing with the breeze - grounded into the earth, yet in a state of ease and flow. Take this with you wherever you go.
What supports you to be in a state of acceptance - please share below.

