The Obstacle Is The Path

"The obstacle is the path"

Old Zen saying

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately,
especially as nothing in my life goes according to plan.

Aside from how we respond, I wonder how much control we really have. I know this can be a scary thought. We need the illusion of control, or else…

Or else what?

All hell will break loose? We’ll lose
everything? Things will descend into utter chaos?

What if that’s not true?

As a recovering control freak who sometimes frequently relapses, I gotta say my life flows in a much better way when I’m not pushing and trying to force it to MY will. I still have goals or intentions about how I want things to be, but getting my way no matter what? I’m not sure that’s me at my best.

What if something bigger and better is available for you? Something that currently sits outside the awareness of your current mind? It may surprise you to hear that there’s actually a lot available in this world that sits outside of what you currently know. Aren’t you curious…?

The problem with pushing your agenda no matter
what, is that it involves fighting with Life, going against the flow. Trying to
shove a square peg through a round hole just so you can get your way.

We’re Queens, remember. We have confidence in
our feminine way. Masculine energy is about the destination. Feminine energy is
about allowing, the unfolding and the process. Both energies are needed and
there’s a dance they need to do.

Masculine energy is needed to choose where
you’re going. It sets the destination, just like putting the co-ordinates in
the sat nav. Once that’s decided you need feminine energy to enjoy the journey,
to bring pleasure to the proceedings - crank the music up and take in the
scenery. When masculine energy is in charge of the journey, it’s not so
pleasant. There’s a tendency for too much control and it becomes all about the
end not the means.

But as we know in our wisest moments…

Life makes sense backwards

When you reflect back on things that have
happened in your life that at the time seemed extremely unwanted, you can see
the knock-on effect they had in bringing about something you did want. You wouldn’t have consciously
chosen that path but in hindsight…

As Steve Jobs said:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

Steve Jobs

So, what if the obstacle IS the path? What if the obstacle isn’t this pesky thing in the way of you getting what you want, but something that’s actually helping you reach your destination or somewhere better?

Here’s a story for you…

There
is an old Zen story about a King whose people had grown soft and entitled.
Dissatisfied with this state of affairs, he hoped to teach them a lesson. His
plan was simple: He would place a large boulder in the middle of the main road,
completely blocking entry into the city. He would then hide nearby and observe
their reactions.

How
would they respond? Would they band together to remove it? Or would they get
discouraged, quit, and return home?

With
growing disappointment, the king watched as subject after subject came to this
impediment and turned away. Or, at best, tried halfheartedly before giving up.
Many openly complained or cursed the king or bemoaned the inconvenience, but
none managed to do anything about it.

After
several days, a lone peasant came along on his way into town. He did not turn
away. Instead he strained and strained, trying to push it out of the way. Then
an idea came to him: He scrambled into the nearby woods to find some- thing he
could use for leverage. Finally, he returned with a large branch he had crafted
into a lever and deployed it to dislodge the massive rock from the road.

Beneath
the rock was a purse of gold coins and a note from the king, which said:

“The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Never forget, within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.”

Want help reclaiming your natural feminine power while coming into a healthier relationship with your authentic masculine energy too? Book a consultation with me and let’s see how I can support you.