Devotion

the difference is devotion - I'm not at all dedicated to a certain path, nor practice, at no point finding myself having to perform a certain act that causes me to question its performance. If there is a path for me it's one of joy, completely so, and I surrender to it without complaint or qualm. Devotion plays its key theme through much of my life, from 4:30 a.m. meditation and it's afternoon follow up, to my plant-based diet and exercise routine, and so much more as well. I am often praised for my dedication. Yet done of this is work for me, no effort really given to perform them. I am simply devoted to their practice, enjoying the moment of their action as much as any benefits that come after. 

there is joy in my devotion. 

it's often discussed in certain circles that there is no need for so called spiritual practices for awakening to occur and no reason to continue them once it happens. Maybe so, in fact, I might even say certainly it's true - unless of course there's joy involved, and spontaneity even in what seems routine. There is nothing forced in any of my actions and so sense of seeking taking place. There's just joy expressed in sitting still so early in the morning, matching my silence with the world's. There is a deep and natural happiness in preparing the food I eat, that it's strictly of the earth, and removed as much as possible from the chain of modern agriculture cruelty. And there is so much pleasure found in the rhythm and motion of the body, running and walking through a welcoming landscape, moving in such a way that strength and health are sure to follow. None of this take my dedication, I am devoted to in such a way that it almost seems to happen completely on its own. 

and perhaps, it does.

what's found at even first glimpse of awakening is the absence of any true performer, no doer, only the pureness of the action. It's seen that dedication is an act of habit as much as will, body and mind have traced these favored and repeated things to the depth of cellular memory, through effort and force of will they've become ingrained and near permanent in their fixture. Yet awakening begins to end this as we find there is no self involved with this, only habits are present, ingrained and fixed in place. There is little true joy found here. But this changes with awakening, surrendering happens as a natural course and somethings easily fall away, while others stay in place with a new found in their occurrence. The difference, for me, is of devotion. 

of course this is just my definition, not having to be true to anyone else at all - devotion is the worship of appearance by its natural state of emptiness, it's capacity enraptured by its own fullness, seamless through display and origin. Devotion is presence, perhaps more truly a noun, while dedication is purely a verb of personal action. My life is filled with joy and devotion. 

and that makes all the difference. 

~

Peace, Eric