Ongoing Practice of Spiritual Growth

Be Like an Olympic Athlete Keeping Your Vision Alive

The spiritual journey can be compared to an Olympic athlete beginning from zero, with the dream of becoming the best in the world. At first, you can barely make it down the block, but the vision is alive within you. In the same way, the seeker starts with a longing to reach the highest realization, to touch the fullness of Spirit. That desire itself is sacred. But just like the athlete, you don't begin at the finish line.

As you walk the path, it's easy to think, I'm failing. I'm not doing well. Yet the very noticing of that thought means you're already progressing. True growth happens when you stop insisting you're not growing. The spiritual path is about allowing: being open, receptive, present.

Focused awareness is your training ground. Where do you place your attention? Can you keep it there, even for a few breaths, before the mind darts away? In the beginning, your attention may drift constantly, and that's perfectly natural. The practice is simply to notice when it happens and to return, again and again, with gentleness.

Over time, this "muscle" of awareness strengthens. You'll find you can stay centered for longer stretches. And when your mind wanders, instead of frustration, you'll feel affection for the practice itself, like the runner who loves the training even on days when every step feels off.

Some days you'll feel sharp and clear; other days your thoughts will scatter in all directions. Both are part of the journey. What matters is that you keep showing up, bringing your awareness back to what truly matters. That return is your devotion in action.

Unlike an athlete who eventually reaches their peak, the spiritual path has no ceiling. The more you train in awareness and love, the more infinite the horizon becomes. There's always further to open, deeper to rest, wider to love.

These practices help.