When we are standing in the truth of who we are it seems kind of ridiculous that we run these patterns and  yet we do. Whats more is we see they are  not so easy to stop. They don’t respond to force or will very well although there is also no need to get rid of intention. We  need to stay close to our will and keep sharpening our focus but this alone can only take us so far mostly because will is unreliable.  One day we may feel totally inspired to change and do all we can to make that happen while the next we might not want to move a bone in the body. Ok a little extreme but  you get my point, we can’t count  on will.

We need something else to help us find more creative ways in dealing with unconscious and automatic behaviors that can hold us back in fundamental ways or just make our lives harder than they need to be. I am not suggesting in any way that we need to transcend our humanity, that would be even less productive then autopilot.  There are always going to be growing points, stretches we need to make so we can evolve our lives. As Joseph Campbell said, its our imperfections that make us beautiful. The Gods  he said, are jealous of us for that reason. Its whats gives life juice and also a reservoir of life energy. Not discounting physical health but if we feel depleted and in need of energy, its one of the first things to check – what behaviors am I running that may be draining my energy ? 

This is why we explore personality, the shape and condition we find ourselves in.  To the earlier point, the key partner for intention is kind attention. Its in the willingness to see ourselves as we are that makes change more possible.  When we pay attention to ourselves, we give space for intuition and an inner movement that opens us to goodness. Not goodness that avoids pain but goodness that moves us through it.