It’s tricky to practice acceptance when your world seems upside down, but without it, there can only be suffering. The opposite of acceptance is resistance. In other words, any way in which we’re not embracing the present moment exactly as it is.

We all experience some form of resistance each and every day, even over the things we know are enjoyable or good for us. Noticing this resistance is the first step to change.

With a little cultivation, we can use this awareness to switch from resistance to acceptance, developing a greater sense of resilience to life’s challenges along the way.

Resistance Is Suffering

Resistance shows up in a multitude of forms. As I sit here writing this, aware of the warm winter sun high in the crisp blue sky, resistance is sitting right beside me.

I wish I could be out sitting in the sun, I wish the sun didn’t make me so sleepy.

I crave the feeling of sunshine on my skin and I feel aversion to the foggy mind I find myself inhabiting.

This is nothing special. In fact, it’s simply one in a large handful of ways in which resistance has shown up for me already today. When exploring resistance, it’s vital to remember that it’s as inevitable as it is relentless—after all, we are only human.

Sometimes resistance is subtle, a nagging feeling deep below the surface. Sometimes it’s more obvious, like those broken records that go round and round in your mind.

Have you ever been caught up in a loop of thinking about how little sleep you had last night, how much you long for covid to be over or why your back won’t stop aching when you meditate?

Chances are, you and resistance are old friends.

MANTRA: I accept this moment as it is.